UNITED NATIONS, Jan 14 (IPS) – 2024 was a turning point in Haiti’s history, marked by widespread political instability, brutal gang violence, and widespread displacement of civilians. Since the outbreak of war in March 2024, the Caribbean nation has been in a state of emergency. In response, the United Nations Security Council (UN) authorized a Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti to assist the Haitian government in ending the activities of gangs and restoring order. However, the support operation was not very successful as the gangs continued to occupy more areas in Haiti.
On January 7, 2025, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a report detailing the deteriorating conditions currently plaguing the Haitian people. According to the report, at least 5,601 people were killed last year in Haiti due to gang violence, which represents an increase of 1,000 victims from 2023. An estimated 2,212 people were injured and 1,494 were captured.
The report also revealed at least 315 incidents of rape by gang members and people suspected of being related to gang activities. According to the OHCHR, some of these incidents were carried out by the Haitian police. Additionally, there were approximately 281 cases of summary executions involving special police agencies recorded in 2024.
“These statistics alone cannot capture the horrors that are happening in Haiti, but they show the endless violence that people are facing. It has long been clear that impunity for human rights violations and abuses, as well as corruption, remains rampant in Haiti, which includes some of the main causes of the crisis the country is facing, as well as entrenched economic and social inequality,” said UN human rights chief Volker Türk.
December 2024 marked the escalation of conflict in Haiti. On January 3, 2025, William O’Neill, OHCHR’s Designated Expert in Haiti detailed the recent attacks on health workers in Haiti. On December 17, 2024, gang members attacked the Bernard Mevs hospital in Port-Au-Prince. “Gangs have killed and kidnapped doctors, nurses and health workers, including aid workers,” said O’Neill, adding that the gangs “burned, ransacked and destroyed many hospitals and clinics, forcing many to close or suspend their operations”.
On December 24, 2024, bandits attacked the Université d’Etat d’Haiti (HUEH) Hospital, resulting in the injury of 4 people. The attack underscored the level of insecurity facing Haiti’s health sector. According to O’Neill, only 37 percent of Haiti’s hospitals are still fully operational. Additionally, criminal groups continue to issue threats to attack health facilities, making life-saving treatment efforts even more difficult.
“The people of Haiti – including hundreds of thousands of children living in dire conditions – have once again paid a high price for this violence as their right to health is severely restricted,” O’Neill said. Health care is urgently needed at this time due to the influx of injured people due to gang violence and the spread of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and cholera.
Over 2024, gang violence has led to an outbreak of internal displacement. According to a press release from the Global Center for the Responsibility to Protect, approximately 703,000 citizens have been displaced from their homes by 2024, which is almost double the number of displacements recorded the previous year. Additionally, insecurity has led to a widespread hunger crisis, as approximately 5.4 million Haitians face acute food insecurity, which is nearly half of the nation’s population.
Growing insecurity has also severely hampered response efforts from the international community since the crisis. The UN-backed MSS campaign has largely failed due to extreme gang violence. In June 2024, Kenya had sent 400 police officers to assist the Haitian government in eradicating the activities of gangs. However, they found themselves outnumbered and overwhelmed by gang members.
Himmler Rébu, a retired Haitian army colonel and former president, informed reporters of the general ineffectiveness of the Kenyan military response, saying, “I heard there are Kenyans in the country, but where are they? Why are they in Haiti if we don’t see the difference? Since the arrival of this operation, gangs have taken over several villages and at least seven important villages have been spared.”
Türk also emphasized the need to increase MSS responses going forward. “The Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti needs the logistical and financial support it needs to carry out its mission effectively,” he said, adding that there should be a strict arms control to prevent gang members from getting guns and ammunition. In addition, Türk expressed the need for strong oversight measures from the Haitian National Police (HNP) to track human rights violations and hold perpetrators accountable.
On January 3, 2025, a delegation of 150 Guatemalan soldiers arrived in Haiti as part of the MSS mission in hopes of restoring security. Normil Rameau, Director General of the HNP, told reporters that the most effective way to reduce gang violence is the “marriage” between the police and Haitian citizens.
It is also important that the MSS mission receives adequate funding to adequately respond to this problem. The UN Trust Fund for MSS missions has pledged approximately 96.8 million dollars. However, Miroslav Jen?a, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, Department of Politics and Peacebuilding and Peace Operations, warns that more is still needed, adding that further delays or gaps in implementation could bring “a big disaster. at the risk of the collapse of national security institutions.”
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© Inter Press Service (2025) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
