By Will Coichy

They ripped a two-month-old baby away from its mother and threw it into a pit of dancing flames, which ended up consuming both flesh and a future.

Eliana Thélémaque survived the attack on her home, but maybe it would've been better if she hadn't.

Some context: Eliana Thélémaque lived in the commune of Kenscoff, located in Port-Au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. Life there used to be normal, and the commune was among the most beautiful in the area. The air was clean, the trees were vibrant and full of mangoes. However, storms are frequent in Haiti. Tropical storms, ones with high winds and rain, but also storms with rifles and gasoline. Gangs that started in the capital city have spread, and they attack whoever they want, whenever they want. These gangs originated during a period in Haiti when a dictator established a private police force. Following his death, they were no longer bound by the thick chains of law. They spread like tumors, and they hit Kenscoff hard. They came out of nowhere, burning buildings and attacking residents. These gangs found Eliana, a young mother, and they threw her baby into a fire, attacked her, and then let her run. She wandered the streets of the capital for a while before being found. She was recorded reciting her story before suddenly dying shortly after. But this story is unfortunately not a unique one in Haiti, and  it's only going to get worse from here. 

Why? 

The government has receded into irrelevance. Two prime ministers have been sent into exile since 2024, one to Puerto Rico and one to New York. The police are either paid off, underfunded, or deceased. The gangs gain more territory and power day by day, even despite the forces of the Kenyan Military being sent in.

 Behind so many of these crimes is a man named “Jimmy Chérizier”, better known as Babekyou (BBQ in English). He was once a police officer and swore an oath to protect the Haitians, but he is now a warlord linked to several massacres across Haiti’s capital. Yet, he says his goal is to protect the people. Yes, the very same people his men are killing and traumatizing. This isn't the only time this country has been in a situation like this.

 Two centuries ago, a man named Jean-Jacques Dessalines, a once devoted French soldier, led a campaign of terror and massacres targeting French colonists. He led a large massacre across the newly independent Haiti. 

So, does this sound familiar? A servant of the people turned warlord, leading massacres against the civilians of their country : Haitians in 2021 for Babekyou, French Colonists in 1801 for Dessalines? There is something obvious: Despite Haiti getting official freedom in 1804, and being reluctantly recognized by the white European countries in 1825, the Revolution never ended. Now, Haiti has a new leader. But can we really call it that? Babekyou is seen as a tyrant now, and Dessalines as a Hero. Back then, Dessalines was seen as a tyrant as well. 

So, does this mean this war will be seen as a revolution against the Haitian state in the future? Will Babekyou be seen as a hero? 

And eventually, will Babekyou meet the same fate as Dessalines, being betrayed and killed by his own men?

History and public opinion are a funny thing. As said earlier, Dessalines led a massacre. This one was against all white French speakers in Haiti. Therefore, he is seen as a menace to their descendants; yet in Haiti, he is affectionately called “Papa”. 

Babekyou has  frequently said things about Haiti’s founding Fathers, invoking their names, comparing himself to them, almost like he's trying to be remembered like them. 

Will we let him? 

Or, will we remember the anguished scream of a mother, seeing what was once hidden in the safety of her womb just two months prior being turned to ash?