Samuel Delmas is an unemployed 20-year-old Haitian taking computer repair courses. Gangs forced Delmas and his family to flee their home two years ago. They had time only to grab a handful of clothes while under a barrage of gunfire. Through a Facebook group, he discovered that Haiti’s military is recruiting.
Delmas says he has always wanted to be useful to his country. “I want to protect citizens who are on the run like me.”
Many in Haiti’s youngest generation are answering the government’s call to rebuild its military. Documents from the Ministry of Defense show at least 3,000 people were selected as soldiers in mid-August.
Emerson Celadon, a 25-year-old mechanic, also applied. “I was making some money, but . . . that is still not enough for a family of four.” Friends in the army tell him they make about $300 per month.
That may sound low, but it’s far better than the average. About 60% of Haiti’s population of nearly 12 million people earn less than $2 each day. Inflation has soared to double digits in recent years.
The history of Haiti’s armed forces includes accusations of human rights abuses. The military also organized several government takeovers (called coups d’état [coo day tah] or just coups for short) in the second half of the 20th century. The last coup in 1991 sought to remove former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The government responded by disbanding the armed forces in 1995.
Michael Deibert is the author of two books about Haiti. He says, “The decision to demobilize the army . . . proved to be one of the most catastrophic decisions in the country’s history.” Gangs quickly stepped into the security void in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
In March 2023, former Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced he would mobilize all security forces to combat the gangs. At that time, the military had about 2,000 soldiers trained by experts in Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina. But police have continued to be the major players trying to restrain gang violence.
General Derby Guerrier was sworn in as the new armed forces chief on August 20. That came just days after a massive recruitment for new soldiers.
The military faces a daunting foe. More than 3,200 killings were reported across Haiti from January to May. The UN reports that gang violence in recent years left more than half a million people homeless.
In attacks earlier this year, gangs seized control of more than two dozen police stations. They closed down the main international airport for nearly three months. They also stormed Haiti’s two biggest prisons, releasing thousands of inmates.
Current Prime Minister Garry Conille pledges to modernize the military. He says he will improve military infrastructure, housing, and health care for soldiers and their families.
The armed forces are expected to work with Haiti’s police and a UN-backed mission led by Kenya. Police and soldiers from countries including Benin, Chad, and Jamaica are expected to arrive in upcoming months. They will make up a total of 2,500 foreign personnel.
Celadon hopes to be part of a military solution. He says, “I would love to see the country like how I heard it was back in the day: a Haiti where everyone can move around freely, where there are no gangs, where everybody is able to work.”
