A driver in a hearse, accompanied by two relatives of the deceased, drops them off at the cemetery before leaving. Without rituals, fanfare, or final words, this is how a funeral ceremony unfolds at the grand cemetery of Port-au-Prince, under the watchful eyes of heavily armed men. Everything has been planned and negotiated by the funeral company down to the smallest detail. Only two close relatives of the deceased have access to the cemetery. Surely, they are the bravest. "The armed men are not aggressive. They just indicate the steps," confided a man who recently experienced this at the capital's grand cemetery.

Traditional funeral rituals at the grand cemetery of Port-au-Prince have practically ceased for several months. This resting place, Haiti's 254-year-old heritage, is no longer under the control of Port-au-Prince's municipality due to armed bandits who have made it their home. The location has become a secure hideout for gang leaders, who have dug holes in the walls to use as escape routes during police interventions.