Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon, Staunch Defender of Community Amid Gang Violence, Dies

Jean Massillon, the longtime mayor of Kenscoff, a Haitian mountain community that has endured relentless gang attacks in recent months, died Friday. Deputy Mayor Jean Max Duvivier confirmed the death to Radio Métropole Haiti, attributing it to health-related causes.

Massillon was widely recognized for his unwavering advocacy on behalf of Kenscoff’s residents. As gangs laid siege to the once-peaceful farming town, he consistently pressured the central government for protection and used local radio appearances to amplify the community’s desperate pleas for security.

“Jean Massillon was a man who never shied away from his responsibilities,” the Haitian government said in a statement. “Even as insecurity weighed on the daily lives of his fellow citizens, he chose to remain present alongside his community and to make his voice heard so that Kenscoff would never be abandoned.”

The region has been the site of horrific violence. Two major massacres in July and August left at least 164 people dead, while more than 70 others were kidnapped and dozens remain missing. The attacks displaced approximately 10,000 residents. A recent report by a Haitian human rights group concluded that a timely reinforcement of security forces could have prevented or limited the bloodshed.

Earlier this week, Massillon urged displaced residents to remain patient, stressing that their neighborhoods must be secured before they can return safely. He noted that several areas had recently been retaken by government forces and commended the Haitian National Police for their courage and determination in those operations.

Kenscoff sits in the hills overlooking Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital. The government acknowledged that Massillon’s passing “leaves a deep void within his family and the community he served with such dedication.”

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