HAITI Local residents took justice into their own hands to punish a gang member. They tied him up and hacked him to death with machetes and an axe. It is not known what he had done.
Haiti is a country that has long been plagued by poverty, violence, and the extensive power of armed gangs. State institutions and security forces in some areas are unable to effectively ensure the safety of residents, who sometimes resort to their own methods of protection. In some cases, local communities form armed self-defense groups and attack people suspected of being gang members or collaborating with gangs. This phenomenon, known as Bwa Kale, has led to numerous lynchings and killings of suspected gang members in the past. However, innocent people can also become targets alongside actual gang members, making this form of “people’s justice” a highly controversial and dangerous phenomenon.
