On Saturday August 26, 2023, several hundred worshipers from the "Eglise Piscine de Bethesda" church led by Pastor Marcorel Zidor, better known as Pastor Marco, armed with machetes, sticks or pikes, marched from the road from Caradeux, commune of Tabarre towards Canaan (north of the capital) to dislodge the powerful gang operating in Canaan. An initiative of Pastor Marco that ended in a bloodbath...

The attack took place at Lilavois and Rosembert, an area entirely controlled by the powerful armed gang led by "Jeff", who regularly challenges the national police. According to our information, at the end of this march led by Pastor Marco, members of the gang did not hesitate to open fire on the followers of the Pastor who came to put an end to the actions of the gang which terrorized the population with complete impunity... It should be noted that the police who accompanied the march would also have quickly left the scene according to witnesses...

According to available information, in the midst of heavy fire Pastor Marco fled on a motorcycle, leaving his followers to be massacred. The partial toll is heavy at least 9 dead, a dozen wounded and an undetermined number of faithful taken hostage by the gang. However, the number of victims of this massacre could be higher. Worshipers knelt, pitting their faith against the bullets, demanding mercy from the gang...

Internet users on social networks have expressed their anger at the irresponsibility of Pastor Marco who led his followers to the massacre. Following this tragedy, various sectors called for the immediate arrest of the Pastor...

The authorities concerned have so far remained silent on this massacre....

Followers of “Pasteur Marco,” armed with machetes and clubs, heading in the direction of #Haiti’s #Canaan, one of the redoubts of the country’s gangs, this a.m. pic.twitter.com/36i9MssZGF

— Michael Deibert (@michaelcdeibert) August 26, 2023

TB/ PI/ HaitiLibre