As the planned deployment of police in Haiti continues to delay, pressure has been piling on the international community to take action amid the recent trajectory showing the probability of worse humanitarian crisis.
On Monday, April 1, Haiti’s capital Port Au Prince witnessed a new wave of chaos with sources close to the city reporting heavy gunfire in the city’s downtown area.
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United Nations (UN) designated expert on the human rights situation in Haiti, William O’Neill, in a statement reported that gangs had taken over the entire premises of Haiti’s largest hospital.
“Today we heard that a gang has overtaken and taken over the whole premises, what’s left of it,” he said in a dialogue on latest developments in the Caribbean nation.
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According to the human rights expert, gang activities had paralyzed operations at the hospital over the past few weeks.
However, on April 1, gang attacks intensified in the area which led to the full seizure of the hospital.
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The attacks targeting Haiti’s hospital represents just a highlight of deadly violence that has transpired in the country in a span of weeks now with gangs targeting key state infrastructure.
In March, the organized gangs dealt a major blow to foreign countries seeking to intervene and ensure stability in the country’s government after they took control of the main airport.
In addition, the gangs took control of all major roads in and out of the city.
Also Read: US Clarifies on Type of Support it Will Offer Kenya in Haiti
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Tuesday described the current situation in Haiti an unprecedented violation of human rights.
He emphasized the need for a prompt response to contain the situation citing signs including the recent attacks targeting police stations, prisons, critical infrastructure and other public and private facilities.
“The scale of human rights violations is unprecedented in Haiti’s modern history,” he said in a statement.
“The Haitian population cannot wait any longer.”
In an earlier statement, the UN Human Rights agency reported that 1,434 people died and 797 others were injured in gang-related violence between January 1, 2024, and March 20 alone.
UN Human Rights Commission paints picture of the situation Haiti
According to Mr. Türk who heads the UN Human Rights watchdog commission, the wave of gang-related violence in Haiti has been the most violent period since his office began monitoring gang-related killings, injuries, and kidnappings more than two years ago.
Also Read: Haitian Gang Leader Sends Stern Warning to Kenya Ahead of Deployment
In addition to the fatalities reported, the UN agency says cases of sexual violence, particularly against women and girls, is pervasive and has most likely reached record levels.
At the same time, more than 360,000 Haitians have been displaced while a population at roughly 5.5 million, mainly children, are dependent on humanitarian aid.
Recent gang attacks and seizure of public infrastructure, UN says, has rendered delivery of relief food almost impossible to further exacerbate the situation.
This even as gangs in Haiti continue to oppose any plans to deploy foreign boots including from Kenya to contain the violence and alleviate human suffering.
Speaking in an interview with Sky News, Gang Leader Jimmy Cherizier, popularly known as ‘Barbecue’ warned that any foreign forces seeking to enter Haiti will be treated as invaders.
On its part, the international community led by the US has insisted that the mission is on course despite the delays with focus shifting to the formation of a transitional government after the resignation of former Prime Minister Arial Henry which left a leadership gap.
