A Haitian woman escaped gunshots and terror in Port-au-Prince only to lose contact with her husband
A woman in Haiti details her family’s multiple escapes, her home being raided in Port-au-Prince and ongoing struggles in Cap-Haitien as her husband vanishes.
A woman who has been shuttling her family to hide from violent gangs throughout Port-au-Prince, Haiti, said that she and her children are safe for now but that she has lost contact with her husband.
Marlene Calix, 35, has lived for the past five years in La Plaine, a neighborhood in Haiti’s capital, a family-friendly place known for its flat land surrounded by mountains, which is chock full of restaurants.
Calix Marlene.Courtesy Calix MarleneBut in August, armed groups invaded her neighborhood, forcing her and her family to flee for Carrefour, another neighborhood in Port-au-Prince.
“After a while, things got heated in Carrefour, and the gang took over the area,” she said in an interview. “That’s when we left and returned to La Plaine. To paint a picture for you, gangs take over neighborhood after neighborhood.”
A month later, Calix’s family heard things had settled down in La Plaine, so they returned to their house. The rumors, however, were false.
Rating: 5