A witness has described to RFI how a Haiti gang leader orchestrated a mass killing of at least 184 people in a Port-au-Prince slum, forcing residents to face a mock trial before executing those accused of practicing witchcraft.
The massacre was reportedly ordered by gang leader Micanor Altès – also known as Monel Felix and Wa Mikano – who suspected his child had been made sick using black magic.
Haiti’s government has acknowledged the killings in the impoverished Cité Soleil neighbourhood, and promised to bring to justice those behind the “unspeakable carnage”.
The events began on Friday, On 6 December, when Altès gathered between 200 and 300 people in the Wharf Jeremie area of Cité Soleil, an unnamed witness told RFI, adding that civilians were forced to appear before him for a sham judgment.
"They brought people to him one by one and he asked them: 'Are you evil? Do you practice black magic?' And if he thought yes, they tied their hands behind their backs and put them aside," the witness said.
Deadly aftermath
Some 80 people were reportedly killed that evening, with another 50 murdered the following morning as gang members conducted raids throughout the neighbourhood, killing victims with machetes and guns.
The UN has confirmed that at least 184 people, including 127 elderly men and women, were slaughtered between 6 and 8 December in the Wharf Jérémie area.
The densely populated Cité Soleil has long been a stronghold for gangs, with little government or police presence.
RFI’s witness said Altès had blamed the death of his newborn son on a curse.
"He claimed that he himself now had to make a pact with the devil. He said this several times during the fake trial," the witness said.
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Grief and loss
The killings have devastated families across Cité Soleil. One young woman described how her father was lured to his death.
“Micanor sent two motorbikes. My father was sitting outside our house when they called him,” she told RFI.
“He said, ‘What have I done? I have no problem with anyone. I’m innocent.’ He went to them calmly. That was the last time we saw him.”
Another young woman, using the pseudonym Dayana, expressed her anguish.
“My father was my guide and my rock. Whenever I was in trouble, I could lean on his shoulder. Micanor took his life, just like that. I demand justice,” she said.
Mackeson Cangé, whose father was stabbed and burned, said: "The bandits took away a friend, a confidant, because when my father spoke to me, it was as if we were two good friends."
The attacks reportedly ended when Altès’s men announced through a megaphone that the massacre was over.
Despite this, the fear remains. Many residents have begun fleeing the area, fearing further violence.
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Official response
Haiti’s Prime Minister’s office condemned the attacks, calling them a “red line” and vowing to “mobilise all forces to track down and annihilate” those responsible, including Altès.
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called for urgent action to curb arms trafficking to Haiti, which fuels gang violence.
“These killings bring the death toll this year in Haiti to a staggering 5,000 people,” Turk said, urging international support.
The White House also expressed outrage, with a security spokesperson saying the US was “appalled”.
Meanwhile Haitian leaders are pressing for the deployment of a stronger, Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission, but logistical and financial hurdles remain.
This story has been adapted from RFI's original version in French
