UN envoy calls for international solidarity with Haiti as gang violence spirals

Today, it pains me to note that all the speeches and appeals have not avoided some of the worst case scenarios for Haiti becoming a reality in recent months and weeks. said Maria Isabel Salvador, who also heads the UN mission in Haiti, EAST.

Speaking from the capital Port-au-Prince, she said it was impossible to overstate the rise in gang activity in the city and beyond, along with the worsening human rights situation and deepening humanitarian crisis.

Last October, Security Council authorized the deployment of a Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to assist the Haitian police force.

Although more than five million people, roughly half the population, are starving and hundreds of thousands have been displaced, a $674 humanitarian appeal for Haiti is less than nine percent funded.

Attacks and confrontations

Ms. Salvador recalled that in early March, gangs organized coordinated attacks against key state infrastructure, including several police stations and two of the main prisons in Port-au-Prince, as well as educational and health facilities and religious facilities.

They also launched several attacks against the Presidential Palace, causing violent clashes with the Haitian National Police (HNP), leading to numerous casualties. Additionally, gang confrontations around the international airport have forced all commercial airlines to suspend services.

She noted that about 2,500 people were killed or injured in gang violence during the first quarter of the year. This represents a 53 percent increase over the previous reporting period, making it the most violent quarter since BINUH began recording statistics two years ago.

Establish the Multinational Support Mission

Ms. Salvador said the national police – aided by Haiti's modest Armed Forces and advised by BINUH and other international partners – have made extraordinary efforts to contain the violence while being targeted by gangs.

However, the severity of the current crisis highlights the gaps in capacity within national structures and the urgent need for international assistance, namely through the immediate deployment of MSS, she said.

On the political front, she noted that Haitian stakeholders have worked to put aside their differences in efforts to find a common path toward restoring democratic institutions, including the creation of a Transitional Presidential Council following the resignation announcement. by Prime Minister Ariel Henry in March.

Security critical to progress

A number of other bodies are also expected to be established, including the National Security Council and the Interim Electoral Council, which is urgently required to set plans for the organization of the elections in motion.

Ms. Salvador pointed out that despite the recent positive developments on the political front, the improvement of the security situation remains a condition sine qua non for further progress.

I cannot stress enough the need to assist Haiti in its efforts to restore security, she said.

A year and a half since Haiti requested assistance to increase security and more than six months since this Council authorized the deployment of the MSS, we must continue to emphasize the importance of its urgent deployment.

Children in question

Catherine Russell, head of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), called for greater support for the humanitarian plan for Haiti. Of the estimated 5.5 million Haitians in need of aid, three million are children.

it said boys and girls are injured or killed by violence every day. Some are being recruited, or joining armed groups out of sheer desperation. Recent UNICEF data show that anywhere from 30 to 50 percent of armed groups have children in their ranks.

“Women and girls continue to be targeted by extreme levels of gender-based and sexual violence, she added.

Thousands of cases of sexual violence were reported last year, many of which were committed against children. The true number of cases is likely much higher.

Humanitarian activities have also fallen victim to violence as access to the capital's port has been cut off due to operations by armed groups in the area.

Ms Russell said nearly 300 containers of humanitarian supplies were now blocked, including 17 UNICEF containers loaded with nutritional supplements, as well as neonatal, maternal and medical supplies.

Stay with Haiti

The Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Ghada Waly, said the violence “is made possible by the constant flow of arms into Haiti and is supported by corruption.”

Recent events also suggest signs of collusion between various gangs, she added.

The latest wave of violence saw reported clashes between gangs, but also signs of cooperation between certain groups to carry out attacks.

Moreover, attacks targeting key infrastructure were another reminder of the gangs' significantly increased firepower as weapons continue to pour into Haiti.

We must stand with the institutions and citizens of Haiti in confronting violence, corruption and chaos and in working for a more stable and secure future for the people of Haiti, she said.

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