Haitian Journalists Demand Justice Following Death of Colleague Marckendy Natoux Amid Gang Violence

A young boy, dressed in a suit and bow tie, attended his stepfather's funeral on Saturday. He wiped tears from his mother's face as they laid to rest Marckendy Natoux, one of two journalists killed by gangs in Haiti. Natoux was shot on Christmas Eve during an attack at the reopening of Haiti's largest public hospital.

Natoux, a 42-year-old father of two, was multilingual and worked for several media outlets in Haiti and the US. He also taught English and Spanish and was known for his kindness. "Natoux was a protector of journalists," said Oriol Jacklin from Radio Regard FM. "He worked with everyone and respected everybody."

Journalists Targeted in Haiti

On December 24, Natoux went to Port-au-Prince with other journalists to cover the reopening of Haiti's General Hospital. Gangs had previously looted the hospital. Shortly after arriving, gunmen opened fire. "He was killed for bringing news to the world," said René Celias, a colleague of Natoux.

Johnson "Izo" André, a powerful gang leader in Haiti, claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media video. He stated that he had not authorised the hospital's reopening. The Viv Ansanm coalition of gangs, which he is part of, controls 85% of Port-au-Prince.

Government Criticised for Negligence

Jacalin, another colleague of Natoux, blamed the government for the attack. This led to the replacement of the health minister. "You shouldn't invite someone to cover a media event in an area you know is dangerous," Jacalin said. The attack resulted in the deaths of two journalists and one police officer, with five other journalists injured.

Also killed was Jimmy Jean, a 44-year-old father of six who worked for Moun Afe Bon, an online news outlet. He was buried on Thursday. Robest Dimanche from the Online Media Collective condemned both killings, describing Natoux as "full of talent and integrity."

Calls for Justice Amidst Impunity

"This was a very dark day," Dimanche said. "We are asking the authorities to not let this crime go unpunished." However, justice seems unlikely. Last year, the Committee to Protect Journalists ranked Haiti among the worst globally for unsolved journalist murders. Since 2019, at least seven such cases remain unresolved.

Natoux and Jean were among over 5,600 people killed in Haiti last year despite efforts by a UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police to curb gang violence. On Saturday, 217 more Kenyan officers joined 400 others who arrived last year as part of international efforts seeking a UN peacekeeping mission.

During Natoux's funeral on Saturday, his stepson wiped tears from his mother's face and then his own as a family friend comforted him. As the service concluded, loved ones lifted Natoux's coffin high into the air while wails filled the church.