Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths issued a desperate plea for an immediate cessation of the ongoing violence. In a tweet on Friday, he declared, "This carnage needs to stop," emphasizing the urgent need for intervention.
Over the past two weeks, the capital city of Port-au-Prince has witnessed a major escalation in violence, resulting in the death and injury of 71 individuals, according to the UN's humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, led by Mr. Griffiths.
Philippe Branchat, the acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, decried the situation, stating, "Entire families, including children, were executed while others were burned alive. This upsurge in violence has caused unspeakable continued suffering for Haitians."
In 2023 alone, gang violence in Haiti has claimed the lives of more than 2,500 people, with over 1,000 others sustaining injuries. Additionally, at least 970 Haitians have been kidnapped, and 10,000 have been forcibly displaced from their homes.
The recent wave of violence has driven over ten thousand people to seek refuge in spontaneous camps and with host families.
On Thursday, the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) released a report outlining the dire human rights situation in the country, highlighting brutal killings and lynchings. Frustrated by the lack of security and a functioning government, residents have armed themselves with machetes, rocks, and fuel cans, resorting to extreme measures to prevent gang members and their associates from entering their neighborhoods.
Between April and June, nearly 240 alleged gang members were killed by self-proclaimed "self-defense groups." The report also uncovered horrifying instances of sexual violence, including collective rape and mutilation, perpetrated by gangs to spread fear, punish rivals, and target women and girls under their territorial control.
BINUH expressed grave concern about the forced recruitment of children by these gangs and the severe mental and psychological toll that violence is exacting on the population. The office reiterated its call to the international community to deploy a specialized international force to address the crisis.
According to OCHA, nearly half of Haiti's population requires humanitarian and food assistance. Despite access challenges due to insecurity, humanitarian partners are reaching out to displaced individuals with immediate aid, including food, water, shelter, sanitation, health services, and psychosocial support, particularly for victims of sexual violence.
OCHA emphasized that the people of Haiti cannot continue to live trapped in their homes, unable to feed their families, find work, and live with dignity. The relief agency reaffirmed its commitment to standing with the people of Haiti and providing immediate assistance to alleviate their suffering. (ILKH
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