Haiti is in the grip of “extreme brutality”, with gang-related violence continuing to force thousands from their homes amidst widespread suffering, said the UN’s top humanitarian official there.
The desperate situation prompted a tweet on Friday from Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths calling for an immediate end to the fighting.
“This carnage needs to stop” said the UN relief chief.
Major escalation
In the past two weeks alone, 71 people have been killed and injured in capital Port-au-Prince, marking a major escalation, according to UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, which Mr. Griffiths heads.
“Entire families, including children, were executed while others were burned alive. This upsurge in violence has caused unspeakable continued suffering of Haitians,” Philippe Branchat, acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country said in a news release on Thursday.
So far this year, gang violence in the Caribbean country has claimed more than 2,500 lives, with over 1,000 injured.
At least 970 Haitians have been kidnapped, and 10,000 forcibly displaced from their homes.
The latest wave of violence has also resulted in the forced displacement of over ten thousand people who have sought refuge in spontaneous camps and host families.
Brazen human rights violations
Also on Thursday, the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) issued a report outlining the dire human rights situation there, including brutal killings and lynchings.
The report noted that frustrated by lack of security and functioning government, residents armed with machetes, rocks, and fuel cans have resorted to brutal measures to prevent gang members and anyone associated with them from entering their neighbourhoods.
Between April and June, nearly 240 alleged gang members were killed by these self-proclaimed “self-defence groups.”
“While some killings appeared to be spontaneous, others were encouraged, supported, or facilitated by high-ranking police officers and gang members belonging to the G-9 and allies,” the report said.
The report also documented 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 concern about the forced recruitment of children by gangs and the severe mental and psychological toll the 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.
Massive humanitarian needs
According OCHA, nearly half of Haiti’s population needs humanitarian and food assistance.
Despite access challenges due to insecurity, humanitarian partners are reaching the displaced people with immediate aid such as food, water, shelter, sanitation, health, and psychosocial support, particularly for victims of sexual violence.
“The people in Haiti cannot continue to live trapped in their homes, unable to feed their families, find work and live in dignity,” OCHA said.
The relief agency added that humanitarians are committed to stand with the people in Haiti and assist in providing immediate assistance to alleviate human suffering.
SOURCE: UN News
Right on cue: The US’ “man-in-the-UN” puts the screws on Pip to “do the humanitarian thing” – send our Tradewinds 2023 alumni to join the Kenyans in the invasion of Haiti, as “interpreters”.
It’s the regime-change scenario, à la Grenada, but with a twist: The US puppet is already installed, but Haitians are not thrilled with this “third coming of Papa Doc.” The well-coordinated press releases touting gang violence against ordinary Haitians is highly suspect! When did the US starting caring about the well-being of Haitians? Never! They don’t even care about the hosts of tent cities that have sprung up in all major US cities; where hapless, homeless US citizens survive, after being evicted from their homes by corporate ‘gangs’, to accommodate gentrification of Black, Latino & white trash neighborhoods!
I am convinced now that we are seeing a new scourge of “tonton macoutes” (pretending to be local gangs, this time) in the pay of the CIA, who have been preparing the way for a “humanitarian” invasion of Haiti, by terrorizing Haitians. And, just as the OECS gave cover for the invasion of Grenada, the treacherous Caricom leaders (Pip included) will meet for staging the charade/kabuki of begging Biden to intervene on behalf of our brothers in Haiti. What a farce!
The situation in Haiti is not a new one; It was not as bad under ‘Papa Doc’ Duvaliere and his son ‘Baby Doc’ took it to a higher level, who, on his return from exile in France, did not receive the usual prominence given to his father, and his life was short lived.
Under many Elected leaders afterwards, most of them assassinated, the usual corruption got worse. The U.N. over the years have tried in many ways possible, but no cigars; the social brake down now is the worse since Baby-Doc, It would only take (as soon as possible) a Fidel Castro like swift invasion by land and sea, and without mercy to put an end to this savagery. There will be a great loss of life on all sides, the good, the bad and the ugly but, a peace will be achieved.
This nonsense about sending Kreoyle, Patoise speaking people from the Islands to Romanticize the Histry Books of these Caribbean Statesmen, is utter nonsense. B.W.I. people should stay out of this. For a permanent peace, many will have to die, sorry to say, on both sides. What is required, is a non compromising bunch to go in, fight and put down the “Tonton Maco” the criminals, defeat them, have some semblance of peace, till the ‘Voodoo’ Spirits rise again from their evil domain.{Lord our Lord, yours is the Victory}
As of August 1, 25,198 people have died by gun violence in the USA. Perhaps the UN needs to place an observant official who will recognize the need for a CARICOM peace force to go to the US to negotiate with those gun toting hypocritical idiots.
@andrew, everything is always someone else’s fault right ? The population of the USA is over 330 million so what is your point ?
Haitians themselves are the reason their country to be in such inhumane state. Straight up
@Cautious: You’ve either been living under a rock your entire life & have not been familiar with something called ‘reality’; or you use to make beast during History or Current Affairs classes!
United states of America is a WARDOG I learnt that at a very young age right here in st lucia althought i didn’t fully understood what it meant this thing in haiti if the population was the majority white so its doesn’t bother America or Americans one bit what’s going there in other words not in Americas interest to do anything just like what’s going on in Africa so black people is not in Americas interest to anything to save them or make life better them
If you doubt what am saying just google the Urkraine war and see how many billions of American tax payers dollars goes to urkraine and come to america and see how people living in the streets so America is a wardog they don’t have money to do anything positive for black nations its not in their interest