Voodoo accusations trigger a massacre: three days of hell in Haiti | International

Three men broke into JF’s home on December 6 around 10 p.m. “They stabbed my father then burned his body in front of me,” he says, his voice breaking. The victim, 76 years old and a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, had gone to bed early to observe the Sabbath, a day of rest from his faith. His son tried to intervene. “They beat me and forced me to watch,” he remembers, his hands trembling.

It marked the start of three days of violence in the Quai Jérémie neighborhood of Cité Soleil, a densely populated and poor commune in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. A series of home invasions followed by a manhunt have claimed the lives of more than 180 people. All were accused by a gang leader of practicing voodoo rituals which he claimed had harmed his son.

Some of the victims were local traders. People like Jean-Robert, known as “Supporte,” who ran a grocery store, and an elderly woman named Marie Denise, who sold candy, were also brutally murdered. The mutilated and burned bodies left a path of devastation through the neighborhood. The flames consumed not only the houses, but also the last hopes of those who survived.

“Support has always helped the community; he didn’t deserve that”, laments his neighbor, LJ

All names in this report are initials only for security reasons.

The next day, the violence intensified. Men affiliated with Monel Félix, leader of one of the gangs terrorizing the capital, continued their attacks, this time with knives. The streets, stained with blood and strewn with lifeless bodies, echoed with screams of horror. Pierre Espérance, director of the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH), reported that at least 50 people died that day, based on testimonies he collected. Among the victims were young people who tried to rescue their parents and friends trapped in the chaos.

“I saw my cousin being stabbed and then set on fire. I couldn’t do anything,” recalls CE, a witness still dealing with the trauma of the event.

The gang not only murdered, but also restricted the movement of residents, besieging Quai Jérémie. No one could enter or leave without suffering consequences.

“We were stuck, listening to screams and seeing smoke rising from burning houses,” said RB, another resident. “Even people who live outside the neighborhood are threatened,” adds AM, a trader who lost his brother during the attacks.

Accusations of witchcraft served as a pretext for the murders. Some houses have been searched for evidence of voodoo rituals. Monel Felix – also known as Wa Mikanò or Micanor Altès – accused the victims of putting a spell on his son, who fell ill and died, according to Fritznel Pierre of the human rights organization Konbit for Peace .

On Sunday, December 8, the scene at Quai Jérémie was dark. The remains of the victims are still smoldering in some streets. “A pungent smell of burning flesh filled the air,” recalls SL, who survived by hiding in a sewer. Stray dogs prowled around the abandoned bodies, and the few people who dared to leave their homes kept their eyes fixed on the ground, trying to avoid the more disturbing scenes. “There were bodies piled up near the entrance to the neighborhood, as if they were garbage,” says the 18-year-old.

Reports indicate that more than 100 people were killed – 184 according to the United Nations. Most of the victims were elderly people. Community accounts suggest the actual death toll is much higher. Pierre Espérance, director of RNDDH, explains that it is difficult to know the exact number, because many bodies were mutilated and burned in the streets. “Several young people, including motorcycle taxi drivers, were also killed while trying to save residents,” he adds. “And the sea is very close, where bodies can easily disappear.”

Reports also indicate that Micanor Altès continues to massacre civilians, according to Esaie Bauchard, former mayor of the commune of Cité Soleil, who spoke with EL PAÍS. The former mayor estimates that the death toll from the massacre reached 300 people, since around fifty additional people were killed on Tuesday and Wednesday, accused by the gang leader of having leaked information about the massacre to the press.

According to Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, these killings brought the number of violent deaths in Haiti in 2024 to 5,000. Speaking at a press conference, Türk described the incident as an act of violence orchestrated by a powerful gang that controls a large part of Cité Soleil. “It is a tragedy that reflects the total absence of the state in these areas,” he said.

“It’s like we’ve been wiped off the map.”

The victims’ testimonies reveal the extent of the horror endured. Marcel Cangé, a man known in the neighborhood for his work as a carpenter, lost his life with his wife and two young children. “It was a hard-working and honest family,” says their neighbor, PS Ti Kepi. Another neighbor was executed along with other members of his family as they tried to flee towards the main road. Madame Colonel, an elderly woman who had lived at Quai Jérémie for more than 50 years, was also killed. “She took care of my children when I worked,” recalls ED, a single mother who now fears for her safety.

“I know at least 30 people who died during those three days,” says JN, a survivor. The names of the victims have become a stark reminder of the fragility of life in a community struggling to survive in the face of violence. “It’s as if we had been wiped off the map,” laments JN.

Quai Jérémie is a neighborhood located on the northern outskirts of Port-au-Prince, along the banks of the capital’s bay. It borders the industrial port and the ruins of Fort Dimanche, a former detention and torture center under the Duvalier regime. Known for its extreme poverty, the region does not have a sewage system. The streets are unpaved and littered with garbage, and the precarious houses are built with makeshift materials.

The neighborhood is part of the commune of Cité Soleil, one of the most dangerous and poorest areas in Haiti. This sprawling slum, home to more than 300,000 people, is a maze of dead ends and small sewer canals that wind through the community. With almost no state presence, armed gangs like Viv Ansanm have taken over and imposed their own system of governance.

The coalition of gangs – of which Micanor Altès is a part – has been responsible for numerous massacres in recent years. The lack of government intervention and the weakness of Haitian security forces have allowed these groups to act with impunity, leaving residents in a constant state of fear. “Living here is like walking on broken glass every day,” explains JM, a resident of Cité Soleil.

An uncertain future

In 2025, the UN Security Council will decide whether to transform the Multinational Security Support Mission into a full-fledged UN mission. Meanwhile, armed gangs continue to tighten their grip on Haiti. The government’s promises ring hollow for many survivors, who feel abandoned and forgotten. “We just want justice and a chance to live in peace,” says MB, whose family was dismembered during the massacre.

The citizens of Quai Jérémie have launched a desperate appeal for rapid and effective intervention from local and international authorities. “We need more than words; we need concrete actions to regain our peace of mind,” said JM, who lost his brother in the attacks. Others are calling for immediate humanitarian aid to help homeless people. “We have nowhere to sleep, nothing to eat. Everything we had was destroyed,” said ED

Residents are also demanding justice for the victims. “We want those responsible to face the consequences of what they did. We cannot continue to live under the control of these gangs,” says RB, who survived the massacre by hiding under his bed for three days.

“The sacrifice of these souls will not be in vain,” the government said in a statement following the massacre. However, such comments bring little comfort to the residents of Quai Jérémie, who continue to face a dark reality marked by fear and uncertainty. The scars of the tragedy remain raw and the quest for justice promises to be a long and arduous journey.

Register for our weekly newsletter to get more English media coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition