Overview:
Daphna Surin, a Haitian lady residing within the Dominican Republic, is elevating the alarm over the “arbitrary arrest” of 4 relations and two neighbors, detained for almost two months amid a land dispute in a Port-au-Prince suburb. The household accuses a choose of the Pétion-Ville Courtroom of Peace of procedural violations and abuse of authority, highlighting broader issues concerning the administration of property rights and the dysfunctional cadastral system in Haiti.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Daphna Surin, a Haitian lady residing within the Dominican Republic, says her household continues to be shaken after the arrest of 4 family and two neighbors over a land dispute in Pèlerin II, a neighborhood in Pétion-Ville—a southeast suburb within the hills of Port-au-Prince. The six had been detained on Might 14 -15 and held for 48 days earlier than they had been launched.
“I actually can’t describe what I’m feeling,” Surin instructed The Haitian Occasions in an unique telephone interview. “I’m not doing nicely in any respect with this case involving these people who find themselves nonetheless in jail. However I hold respiration,” she mentioned earlier than securing the discharge of her family members on July 1.
The household accuses Pétion-Ville’s Courtroom of Peace choose, Eno René Louis, of finishing up arbitrary arrests after authorized hours and with out warrants, violating Haitian legislation. They are saying the choose even arrested the mistaken individuals and made demise threats to detainees.
These held had been Surin’s cousin Wedna Esnorvil Pierre; her brother, Exilas Paris; her sister, Darline Nelson; her brother-in-law, Jean Marie Nelson; and two neighbors, Woodmy Châtaigne and Nonnombre Jacquet.
“All I wished was for my household to be launched so we may transfer ahead with the land dispute case. There’s an excessive amount of injustice and abuse of energy on this nation.”
Daphna Surin
“All I wished was for my household to be launched so we may transfer ahead with the land dispute case,” Surin mentioned. “There’s an excessive amount of injustice and abuse of energy on this nation.”
A land battle that retains escalating
The dispute includes a property in Pèlerin II, Habitation Gervais—situated within the Étang du Jonc part of Pétion-Ville. In accordance with Surin, her grandparents legally offered the land to the Arsène Jacques household. Possession later handed to that household’s heirs, however one other man, Emmanuel Junior Bros, has since contested the property.
Bros and his attorneys have claimed that a July 2019 court ruling and a January 2025 enforcement order allowed them to evict earlier occupants. They reported that regardless of the official execution of the court docket orders, some people returned to the property–-referring to the Arsène Jacques household. In a letter to Decide Louis, they requested that he examine the land and help in imposing the eviction order.
The Haitian Occasions, nonetheless, couldn’t independently confirm the paperwork submitted by Bros and his authorized crew.
But, on Might 14, 2025, Bros, his attorneys, and bailiff Yvon Zétrenne, accompanied by Pétion-Ville’s Deputy Courtroom of Peace Decide Nancy Cléophat, entered the property to evict occupants Arsène Jacques, his spouse Mireille Alcé, Marie Gérald Merveille, Amisthol Jean and others—who agreed to vacate however didn’t accomplish that, based on Bros.
Bros’ attorneys said within the letter to Louis, based on the Pétion-Ville’s Courtroom of Peace, “It’s with nice astonishment that we’ve got noticed the evicted people returning to the premises in violation of the Decree of November 30, 1983.”
“Due to this fact, Honorable Justice of the Peace, the claimant respectfully requests that you just go to the location in Pèlerin 11 to confirm the state of affairs for no matter authorized functions could also be obligatory.”
The subsequent day, Decide Louis returned to the premises along with his crew, the police and Bros’ authorized representatives. Throughout that go to, members of the Surin household and neighbors protested, with some throwing stones to attempt to drive the choose and others away. “Nonetheless, nobody was harm. Rocks had been thrown within the air as a maneuver,” Surin mentioned. Louis later claimed he and his crew had been attacked with rocks and automated gunfire—allegations Surin denies.
“Land points in Haiti are extraordinarily severe as a result of the state fails to play its function. “The cadastre is a multitude. There’s no legislation that regulates land conflicts, and even the native administration doesn’t do its job.”
Legal professional Arnel Rémy
In his official report, Louis mentioned the detainees had been being charged with tried homicide, prison conspiracy, threats, assault and contempt. He has since distanced himself from the case, saying it now falls underneath the Port-au-Prince prosecutor’s jurisdiction.
“The legislation and my conscience are my solely guides,” he instructed The Haitian Occasions in a WhatsApp textual content message. “Excuse me, however for those who write to me once more, I gained’t reply as a result of the case is not inside my authority.”
After the discharge of the detainees on July 1, The Haitian Occasions contacted the Surin household’s legal professional, James Delva, for an replace on the case’s progress. He has not but responded.
In accordance with Surin, nonetheless, Delva stays cautious, because the choose has been allegedly utilizing nameless people to contact him for questioning concerning the case—one thing The Haitian Occasions was unable to confirm.
A damaged cadastre leaves room for corruption
Haiti’s land sector is mired in dysfunction, with solely 40% of property ownerships holding authorized titles and 5% of the nationwide territory formally recorded, based on a 2019 study supported by the Canadian authorities. Authorized land titles are uncommon, and corruption inside authorities companies just like the Nationwide Cadastre Workplace (ONACA) and the Basic Tax Directorate (DGI) is widespread.
“Land points in Haiti are extraordinarily severe as a result of the state fails to play its function,” mentioned legal professional Arnel Rémy. “The cadastre is a multitude. There’s no legislation that regulates land conflicts, and even the native administration doesn’t do its job.”
“There’s a community specializing on this follow. Actually, the Basic Tax Directorate (DGI) ought to converse as a result of there are fraudsters inside the establishment issuing a number of authentic property titles .”
Lawyer Arnel Rémy
In accordance with the World Financial institution’s Doing Enterprise rating, Haiti ranks one hundred and eightieth globally in property registration effectivity. The method may be very sluggish—14 instances longer than the Group for Financial Co-operation and Growth (OECD) common— and dear, reaching as much as 15% of the constructing’s development price. These, amongst different components, contribute to fueling land disputes and discouraging funding.
Initiatives to register landowners, such because the Fundamental Land Plan (PFB), have been carried out in pilot areas like Camp-Perrin in Haiti’s south, Bahon, Bas Peu-de-Chose and Baillergeau within the west, however they’re nonetheless restricted in scope and don’t set up a full authorized cadastre.
The financial penalties are important. Many plots stay idle or underused resulting from unresolved disputes, which restrict funding in agriculture, housing and infrastructure. Companies are hesitant to take a position, fearing that different claimants may problem land acquisitions.
Haiti’s property rights are regulated by the Haitian Civil Code of 1825. Moreover, the Structure of March 29, 1987—amended in 2012—in its Article 36, ensures each citizen the suitable to personal property. The land registration system requires a title to be registered with the ONACA and the DGI. Regardless of these legal guidelines and necessities, there isn’t any particular legislation addressing land disputes.
Instances just like the Surin household’s are widespread. Properties are sometimes offered a number of instances, authorized proceedings drag on for months, and enforcement is inconsistent. With out digitized land data or a dependable registration system, disputes simply escalate into violence or unjust imprisonment.
Networks revenue off confusion
In accordance with a supply concerned in land fraud, who spoke anonymously to The Haitian Occasions as a result of sensitivity of the matter, these practices are systematic and widespread.
Proudly owning a property title isn’t sufficient to guard land in Haiti; sturdy political help or hyperlinks to an influential community are sometimes wanted. Submitting a authorized case towards an unlawful occupant places the proprietor susceptible to threats, and authorized proceedings can take months or years—at the same time as development continues on the contested land.
“We’re nicely organized,” the supply mentioned. “We’ve obtained our personal cops, judges, public notaries, even surveyors.”
The supply added that the aim isn’t to occupy land—however to resell it rapidly and purchase different plots legally. A lot of the land in query, he added, is usually state-owned.
“An important factor, if you take over land that doesn’t belong to you, isn’t to construct on it—however to resell it and use the cash to purchase different plots legally,” the supply contained in the land fraud community mentioned.
Rémy confirmed these claims, saying senior officers and members of the judiciary are sometimes complicit.
“There’s an entire community behind this,” he mentioned. “Inside the DGI itself, some problem a number of authentic land titles. They need to converse out.”