UN warns of escalating gang violence and humanitarian crisis in Haiti – JURIST

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed alarm on Friday over escalating gang violence and the deteriorating human rights situation in Haiti. all national stakeholders and government authorities to take immediate action.

An intermediate step report presented at the 57th session of the Human Rights Council describes a marked increase in gang-related violence by 2024, with criminal organizations expanding their control over key parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince and other areas. From January to June 2024, at least 2,652 people were killed, including 52 children. Another 1,280 people were injured and nearly 900 kidnapped, underscoring the systematic brutality inflicted on the population. Human rights violations were most concentrated in the Western Department, with the Artibonite region also severely affected. Earlier this year, three members of the American organization Missions in Haiti were present shot and murdered by a gang, underscoring the severity of the ongoing crisis.

The UN’s focus on the rule of law in Haiti continues to be at the forefront of its efforts as state institutions struggle to respond to this crisis. The collapse of law enforcement allows gangs to operate with impunity, attacking public institutions, police stations and even prisons. More than 4,600 inmates escaped during coordinated gang attacks on Port-au-Prince prisons in March, many of whom rejoined criminal networks, further aggravating the situation. Haiti’s justice system has also been paralyzed, with courts and prosecutors’ offices across the country unable to function due to violence and insecurity.

This destabilization has fueled a growing humanitarian crisis. By mid-2024, more than 580,000 people had been displaced – many of them children – as gang-controlled areas became uninhabitable. The situation has created a food security emergency, with an estimated 1.6 million Haitians facing acute food insecurity, exacerbated by disruptions to agricultural production and the loss of more than 3,000 hectares of agricultural land due to gang-related extortion and theft. “This situation is beyond intolerable for the people of Haiti,” said UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk.

The international community’s obligations under IHL have been brought into sharp focus by the UN’s call for increased humanitarian assistance and protection for the vulnerable Haitian population. The report urges countries to act quickly, especially in preventing the illicit flow of arms into Haiti. Despite a UN arms embargo, weapons continue to enter the country, fueling gang violence and undermining efforts to restore order.