Haiti – FLASH: “Cataclysmic” situation in Haiti (report)
29/03/2024 10:02:30
A report from the United Nations Human Rights Office published Thursday March 28, 2024, calls for immediate action in Haiti.
“Corruption, impunity and poor governance, compounded by increasing levels of gang violence, have eroded the rule of law and driven state institutions […] on the verge of collapse. The impact of widespread insecurity on the population is terrible and deteriorating and the population is seriously deprived of the enjoyment of its human rights,” the report states.
“The fight against insecurity must be an absolute priority to protect the population and avoid further human suffering. It is equally important to protect institutions essential to the rule of law, which have been under attack at their core,” said Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The report covers the period from September 25, 2023 to February 29, 2024, and includes information provided by the Human Rights Branch of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), as well as information collected by William O’Neill , Designated Expert of the High Commissioner on the human rights situation in Haiti.
“The number of people killed and injured due to gang violence increased significantly in 2023: 4,451 killed and 1,668 injured. The number of victims increased sharply during the first three months of 2024: 1,554 killed and 826 injured until March 22. »
“Gangs continued to use sexual violence to brutalize, punish and control the population. Women have been raped by gang members during neighborhood attacks, often after seeing their partners murdered before their eyes. »
According to the report, some women are forced to have sex with gang members. Additionally, the rape of kidnapped hostages continues to be used to force families to pay ransoms.
Gangs continue to recruit and abuse children (boys and girls) who are unable to leave gang ranks for fear of reprisals, which has sometimes led to the killing of young gang members who try to escape.
Download the full report (PDF 17 pages, French): https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/A_HRC_55_76_unofficialtranslation_FR.pdf
Video of Volker Türk’s intervention (in English): https://vimeo.com/928008184/814945aaf9?share=copy
HL/ HaitiFree
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