Haitian Gang Leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Threatens Civil War If PM Ariel Henry Doesn't Resign

Riots in Haiti. (Wikimedia Commons/Voice of America)

JAKARTA - Gang leaders warn there will be a civil war if Haiti's prime minister, Ariel Henry, does not step down. Jimmy 'Barbecue' Ch&eacee;Rizier made a threat as his gang members tried to seize the capital's airport and tried to stop Henry from returning from overseas. Riots have spread to other cities with prison riots reported in Jacmel. Thousands of people fled as a result of the violence. The Barberue, which leads the strong G9 gang alliance, said, "If Ariel Henry does not resign... we will go straight to civil war that will lead to genocide," he said. The G9 Alliance has launched a wave of violence, including attacks on police stations and raids on the country's two main prisons. Thousands of inmates fled in a mass jailbreak on Saturday. Haiti has been undermined by gang violence for years. But when Prime Minister Henry was visiting Kenya last week, Barberue stepped up violence. Henry aims to agree to a deal for Kenya to lead a multinational police operation to crush violence in Haiti. Barberue fears Mr. Henry will use force to stay in power. Gang leaders have opposed the prime minister since he took power shortly after the assassination of President Jovenel Moï. Criticism of Mr. Henry argues that his government is invalid. They also point out the fact that two and a half years after coming to power, he still hasn't held a presidential election, as promised originally. The prime minister has not spoken publicly since violence erupted. He only retweeted the declaration of a state of emergency decided by one of his ministers when he was not around. Henry's whereabouts were unknown for days until Tuesday night, when he flew from New Jersey to the Puerto Rico region in the US. Reports say he had planned to land in the capital Port-au-Prince, but the airport remains closed due to nearby battles. Director of civil aviation authorities in neighboring the Dominican Republic said he had refused Henry's plane permission to land in the country because it had no flight plans. Haitian media reported that Henry is now looking for alternative routes to return to the country. It is unclear what the Long-term goal of the Barbekee gang leader is. On Tuesday he urged Haitians "to unite". "Electra Haiti is a haven for all of us, or hell for all of us," he told reporters, wearing bullet-proof vests. In the past, he suggested forming an "older council", a group of civil society representatives from various regions, to replace the prime minister. Haiti has no elected government officials. No general elections have been held since 2016 in the country. The vacancy created by the lack of elected officials has been filled by gangs, which are estimated to control about 80 percent of the capital. Penculikan untuk mendapatkan uang tebusan adalah hal biasa dan banyak sekolah dan rumah sakit harus ditutup karena kekurangan keamanan. Bada kebalaan medis M&eacee; Decins Sans FrontièRes (MSF) mengatakan harus menghentikan sementara klinik berkeliling di beberapa lokasi. "We are concerned that we will run out of medicines and medical supplies, which are very important to meet the huge needs we are currently facing," said mission chief MSF Mumuza Muhindo Musuhamo. Violence has so far been largely concentrated in the capital and its surroundings. But there have also been reports of shootings in the town of Jeremie, in the southwest, and prison riots in Jacmel in the south. The UN Security Council said it would hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the violence. According to the United Nations, some 15,000 people were displaced by the conflict.