TWO PORT-AU-PRINCE JOURNALISTS KIDNAPPED BY THE VILLAGE DE DIEU GANG

Written by Michael Thervil

TWO PORT-AU-PRINCE JOURNALISTS KIDNAPPED BY THE VILLAGE DE DIEU GANG  | L-R: JOURNALISTS OSNEL ESPÉRANCE & JUNIOR CÉLESTIN. PHOTO BY RADIO UNI FM

[Port-au-Prince journalists kidnapped] Today in Port-au-Prince, Haiti it was reported that two journalists, Osnel Espérance of Radio Uni FM and Junior Célestin of Radio Television Megastar were kidnapped while in the middle of local reporting on the state of local violence by the Village de Dieu gang. While the cause of the kidnapping is currently unknown, many people in Haiti suspect that the kidnapping was executed because of the notion that the journalists were serving as informants for Haitian police and other law enforcement authorities. Some people are also speculating that the reason for the kidnapping was a way to prevent both journalists from continuing to report on the state of crime within Port-au-Prince. It should be noted that there has been no ransom or demands made from the alleged kidnappers.

This kidnapping comes on the heels of the attack on two other journalists in which kidnappers broke into the home of journalist and Director of Radio Kiskeya Marvel Dandin, in the Thomassin neighborhood. Another instance was the outright kidnapping of journalist Lucien Jura from his home in Pétion-Ville, which lies right outside of the Capitol. To date, well over 6 journalists have been killed in the field while reporting. The question many people within the international community, specifically within the field of journalism and reporting is “Why hasn't more been done to protect journalists and reporters in Haiti?”.

With the Haitian government in shambles, police forces declining in numbers with more on their hands than they can handle, combined with the gangs running rampant to the point of impunity in Haiti; Haitian journalists are finding it increasingly difficult to justify doing their jobs in the face of declining physical security in the field.