‘It will be a massacre!’ Haiti gang leader ‘Barbecue’ promises Kenyan police

Jimmy Chérizier, also known as “Barbecue,” is the leader of the Haitian gang and has issued a dire warning to Kenya and any other foreign forces considering sending security forces to the war-torn Caribbean country.

According to “Barbecue,” the gangs in Haiti will view the 1,000 police officers that Kenya plans to send there on a mission to restore peace as “invaders” who threaten the lives of defenseless Haitians. As a result, they will respond with fierce aggression.

“I will consider the Kenyan police or military to be aggressors if they arrive in any capacity. Barbecue stated in a Friday interview with Sky News, “We will regard them as invaders and we do not have to cooperate with any invaders that have come to walk over our independence.”

The gang leader went on to say that because the peacekeeping forces are ignorant of the history of the rivalry in Haiti, they will inadvertently ignite an already-existing conflict, leading to a massacre in which innocent bystanders would also be casualties.

He claims that the perception held by Kenyan police and other international organizations is that they will be fighting gangs and bandits, which prevents the gangs from engaging in communication and coming to a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

“As I previously stated, I think that if Kenyans travel, their primary goal will be to carry out massacres in impoverished communities since oligarchs and corrupt politicians will direct them there. They will enter the impoverished communities under the pretense that they’re there to get rid of bandits and gangs,” he clarified.

Barbecue pretended to be a “people’s hero” during the entire interview, but he also stated that he is willing to have a peaceful dialogue with other leaders to end the bloodshed in the Caribbean nation. Barbecue also seemed to blame the political class for the increased tension.

According to him, gang activity would only be possible if the needs of the populace were prioritized and all opposing viewpoints were given equal weight.

“This political class that is here right now is not here for dialogue because they don’t carry Haiti in their hearts the same way we do,” he said. “We believe in dialogue, we are for dialogue.”

The ruling class claims that they are excluding bandits and that “men with guns are not in it.” However, they also state that “we are open to all solutions as long as Haitians are involved.” We are not proud of what is going on in this country, so we are prepared to sit down and speak with everyone.”

Adding, “Every new day that passes we have to come up with a new strategy so that we can advance,” the fierce leader reaffirmed that he would not be intimidated.

But there’s no peace. Things will get worse than they are now in the days ahead because nothing will change as long as they refuse to invite everyone to the table so we can have a conversation.

The comments made by “Barbecue” coincide with an increase in gang-related fatalities.

Over 1,500 people have died this year alone, many of them children, according to U.N. human rights reports. Dozens more have been lynched, stoned, or burned alive by self-defence brigades.