A report from the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office published this Thursday, March 28, stated that more than 1,500 people, including many children, have died in Haiti so far in 2024, amid serious violence. of the gangs. The figure represents almost a third of the total fatalities recorded in 2023. The crisis does not seem to have an end in the Caribbean country, despite the Transition Council's promises of stability.
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This Thursday, March 28, a report from the United Nations human rights office detailed the level of violence that Haiti is experiencing, a country that has a deep security, political and food crisis.
According to this document, So far this year, more than 1,500 people have been murderedvictims of the violence of the gangs that dispute control of the country's territories and that dominate a large part of Port-au-Prince, the capital.
Furthermore, the report highlights that Dozens of the victims died after being lynched by the so-called self-defense brigades.
“All these practices are scandalous and must stop immediately,” said Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a statement published in parallel.
The death toll represents a third of the number of victims recorded in all of 2023.. That year, 4,451 murders were documented. Most of the homicides occurred in residents' homes due to alleged police complicity.
The report covers the period between September 25, 2023 and last February 29, with data provided by the Human Rights Service. H H. from the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BIHUH) and an expert appointed by the High Commissioner.
The official stressed that the situation is “cataclysmic” and that “addressing insecurity must be a top priority to protect the population and avoid further human suffering.”
Turk denounced that gangs continue to use sexual violence to punish and control the population; that women are raped in the neighborhoods, as are hostages so that families pay ransoms, and that children continue to be recruited and sexually abused.
Corruption, impunity, poor governance, together with increasing levels of gang violence brought #Haiti to the brink of collapse.
I reiterate the need for an urgent deployment of a Multinational Security Support mission to help the National Police to stop violence – @volker_turk
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) March 28, 2024
The High Commissioner also called for greater control of the arms embargo, which continues to arrive in Haiti. The official blamed this situation on “corruption, impunity and bad governance.”
Finally, he insisted on the need to execute the multinational security support mission to support the country's overwhelmed Police.
Promise of stability
After Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his resignation on March 11, a new chapter opened in Haitian politics, albeit one marked by uncertainty.
In this framework, the Presidential Council that was left in charge of carrying out the transition, promised on Wednesday that they will return stability to the Caribbean country and put it on the paths of democratic legitimacy.
“We are determined to alleviate the suffering of the Haitian people, trapped for too long between bad government, multiform violence and disregard for their perspectives and needs,” the institution said in its first communication.
Meanwhile, they detailed that they are finishing organizing the official inauguration, which will include the appointment of a prime minister who will form a Government of National Unity.
With Reuters and EFE
#Cataclysm #Haiti #people #murdered