Haiti

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In Haiti's slums, gang leaders who escaped from prison in January's earthquake are sparking a bloody power struggle that the UN fears could destabilise the country.

UN troops are boosting operations in Port-au-Prince after 5,000 prisoners escaped from jail on January 12, as fears grow that the convicts are swelling the ranks of the country's once-powerful gangs and seeking top positions.

"My understanding is that they are trying to reorganise themselves, trying to establish a kind of kingdom for themselves inside the slums," UN force commander Floriano Peixoto told AFP.

"To establish that, they need to fight with each other. This is what we don't want," he said.

Already, there are UN reports that in the city's worst slums, former prisoners have caused a surge in violence and upset the status quo. The chaos wrought by the quake has also made access to weapons easier.

Some gang leaders have gone into hiding, others have been shot or hacked to death.

Just five years ago, Haiti's gangs, some politically-linked, controlled swathes of the capital, were responsible for innumerable murders and made kidnapping endemic.

Robert Perito of the US Institute of Peace warned in a recent report that the gangs could best the Haitian police and UN forces when the United States withdraws its 10,000-plus troops from the country, if reinforcements are not brought in.

Before the quake, the gangs had been all but wiped out thanks to a UN offensive that took effect by 2007.

Peixoto wants to make sure that progress is not rolled-back. He will soon get 900 more Brazilian troops to work roadblocks, increase patrols and be a visible deterrent to the gangs.

"The strategy is to deter, to tell them 'do not show up, because if I see you, I catch you'," he said.

One place that gang members do show up is Port-au-Prince's most notorious slum, Cite Soleil.

In the heart of the slum's sprawling mass of shanties is Strong Point 16, a heavily fortified UN military compound that is home to around 120 troops.

Night patrols take place every two hours in this sector.

A gang called Boston has been increasingly active since the quake, and is blamed for murders, thefts, drug-running, rapes and protection rackets in the area.

A couple of days ago, according to the UN patrol commander, shots were fired near his troops, causing backup to be called in and security procedures to be stepped up.

For the UN, the area is now terrain for armoured tanks.

Much of the recent violence is thought to be linked to a power struggle between rival leaders Toutouba and adversaries Gro Pouchon, Ti Blan and Bazou.

The three members of the latter alliance have been seen armed in broad daylight and locals believe a hit is being planned.

Although Peixoto admits he does not know what these gang leaders and others who escaped from prison are up to exactly, he said the general aim is clear.

"I don't know what they want to do, the only thing that I know is that they try to establish areas, impose their presence, to establish controls."

"My intent is not to give them any kind of freedom to act," he said.

© 2010 AFP

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/haiti-quake-unleashes-gang-turf-wars-20100216-o3a1.html

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