The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calls for immediate action to address the crisis in Haiti.
In a report dated March 28, 2024, the United Nations High Commission for human rights called for immediate and bold action to address the alarming situation that has prevailed for months in Haiti.
Through this report, he highlighted that corruption, impunity and poor governance, compounded by increasing levels of gang violence, have eroded the rule of law and brought state institutions to the brink. collapse, and the impact of widespread insecurity on the population is disastrous and the population is seriously deprived of the enjoyment of their human rights.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, in his statements clarified that the fight against insecurity must be an absolute priority to protect the Haitian population and prevent further human suffering.
“It is equally important to protect the institutions essential to the rule of law, which have been attacked in their very essence”
Still according to the report, the number of people killed and injured due to gang violence in Haiti increased significantly in 2023 with 4,451 killed and 1,668 injured, and the number of victims skyrocketed in the first three months of 2024, i.e. 1,554 killed and 826 injured as of March 22.
“Gangs continued to use sexual violence to brutalize, punish and control people. Women have been raped in neighborhood gang attacks, in many cases after seeing their husbands killed before their eyes.
The report also notes that some women are forced to have sex with gang members and the rape of hostages continues to be used to force families to pay ransoms.
Faced with this situation where gangs continue to recruit and abuse child boys and girls who cannot leave their ranks for fear of reprisals, which in some cases has led to the death of young gang members who tried to escape, High Commissioner Volker Türk declared that all these practices are scandalous and must stop immediately.
Furthermore, the report highlights that, despite an arms embargo, there is a reliable supply of weapons and ammunition for gangs crossing porous borders, often allowing them to have more firepower than of the Haitian National Police. Volker Türk therefore calls for a more effective implementation of the arms embargo.
Furthermore, the report reiterates the need to urgently deploy a multinational security support mission to help the national police put an end to the violence, effectively protect the population and restore the rule of law in the country, position supported by the High Commissioner who emphasizes that it is essential that the mission effectively integrates human rights in the conduct of its operations and establishes a compliance mechanism to mitigate and minimize harm.
Regarding the political crisis, High Commissioner Volker Türk called on all Haitian national stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue to facilitate a political agreement allowing a democratic transition leading to free and fair legislative and presidential elections.
The charred remains of burned vehicles near a garage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 25, 2024. AFP – CLARENS SIFFROY
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