Both Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) on Wednesday raised alarm over escalating gang violence in Haiti and its impact on food security and access to water, sanitation, and medical care for thousands of citizens.
In a statement, MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders, urged armed groups to “spare civilians” and allow humanitarian groups to “respond to the urgent needs of the people” in the Cité Soleil neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince, where it says thousands are ‘trapped.’
Following attacks on July 8, trucks carrying water and other essentials have been blocked from entering the ‘isolated’ neighbourhood. Mumuza Muhindo, the MSF’s head of mission in Haiti, noted that the security situation in Brooklyn has significantly deteriorated. Describing it as a “real battlefield,” where “corpses are decomposing or being burned,” he revealed that dozens of civilians have been shot dead as they attempted to escape the clashes. Muhindo added that “it is not possible to estimate how many people have been killed.”
❌Deteriorating security
— World Food Programme (@WFP) July 14, 2022
❌Extreme climate shocks
❌Rising costs
4.5 million people in #Haiti - nearly half the population - are estimated to be going hungry right now as Haitians face the brunt of the global food crisis and surging violence.
⬇️Here is how #WFPDelivers⬇️ pic.twitter.com/tRA2sRCksb
WFP Haiti Director Jean-Martin Bauer has seconded these concerns, stating that “the situation is spiralling out of control already,” with large parts of the district under the control of between 150 and 200 violent gangs.
Bauer said the situation has left nearly one million people in the city “acutely food insecure,” highlighting that “people are not able to work, people are not able to sell their produce and at the same time food prices are increasing.” Given that Haiti imports 70% of its food needs, the Ukraine war has already caused food inflation in Haiti to soar to 52%, with ongoing unrest in pockets further exaggerating the crisis.
If these circumstances prevail, Bauer has warned that nearly 1.3 million Haitians, specifically in the country’s northwest and south, are “one step away from famine.”
The WFP estimates that nearly 4.4 million Haitians, close to half of the country’s population, are in dire need of food assistance, and has appealed for $39 million in funding to sustain its humanitarian supplies to the country. Nearly 60% of citizens reportedly live on less than $2 per day in Haiti, the western hemisphere’s poorest country.
#Haiti🇭🇹
— UN Geneva (@UNGeneva) July 13, 2022
Surging & deadly gang violence in the Haitian capital has contributed to runaway food insecurity for well over one million people.
“@WFP set up a maritime service to bypass the gangs that are around Port-au-Prince," @CreoleBauer @WFP_Haiti said: https://t.co/9V96CzfNsj pic.twitter.com/vQR4hMDBrK
Keeping in mind the road blockades, disruptions, and attacks on aid trucks, the WFP has “set up a maritime service to bypass the gangs” and is now delivering supplies via sea and air routes. However, gangs have now acquired boats and even shot at aid deliveries arriving via the sea.
These concerns have multiplied after nearly a week of continued bloodshed in the Port-au-Prince district that left nearly 52 people dead and 110 wounded by Tuesday, according to Joël Janéus, Mayor of Cité Soleil, who described the atmosphere as “grave.” Furthermore, the National Human Rights Defense Network estimates that 127 houses have been burned down or destroyed.
In the aftermath of the killings, local authorities appealed to the gangs to allow for a “humanitarian corridor” to enable affected citizens to access medical care.
Janéus has expressed concerns over the “organised violence,” and lambasted the government over its response to the tense situation. He noted that gangs have formed strongholds within the community and now “you have the children of Cité Soleil destroying one another.” This has been corroborated by Bauer’s claims that nearly 13% of surveyed youngsters in the affected Brooklyn neighbourhood had had contact with the armed groups, who recurrently tried to recruit them.
The UN estimates reveal that nearly 20,000 Haitians have been displaced due to gang conflicts since May, with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stressing that gang violence has attained “new levels since the end of April.”
A spokesperson from Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s office has condemned last week’s unrest, claiming that “the violence appears to be the result of a confrontation between the G9 and the GPEP gangs.” The spokesperson told Reuters on Wednesday that “the security situation is an important problem” and that the PM is “working for a quick solution.”
Tensions in Haiti have sparked international concerns, with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) due to vote on a resolution tomorrow to further extend its peacekeeping missions in the country, after it was postponed on Wednesday, with China calling for closed consultations. To this end, Secretary-General António Guterres has also expressed concerns over the difficult circumstances in the Caribbean nation and has proposed increasing the number of staff at the UN Office in Haiti.
Gang wars in #Haiti are escalating at the cost of terrible bloodshed, while the state struggles to exist.
— Ivan Briscoe (@itbriscoe) July 13, 2022
On Friday the UN votes on renewing its special political mission @BINUH_UN. Some in civil society oppose any greater UN presence. Stakes are high and options are few. See🧵 https://t.co/xjBvAqd4u1
The body is also mulling an increased number of UN officers capable of training and assisting Haitian police forces in anti-gang operations. To this end, even the US State Department announced additional aid for the country’s forces.
Peacekeeping forces have been deployed in Haiti since October 2021 to tackle the widespread political, economic, and social instability in the country, particularly the escalating gang-related killings, kidnappings, and turf wars. In fact, the UN has been involved in Haiti on and off since 1990.
Today the int'l community came together to support Haitian led efforts to resolve differences & move swiftly to an inclusive political accord leading to elections as soon as conditions allow. The int’l community pledged support as @pnh_officiel work to improve Haiti’s security. pic.twitter.com/kHOh4Dp8Ga
— Brian A. Nichols (@WHAAsstSecty) July 8, 2022
Instability in Haiti has exponentially risen since the assassination of former President Jovenel Moïse last July. Matters were further heated after PM Henry was accused of being complicit in the murder. In fact, even prior to Moïse’s death, Haitians held violent protests over his economic mismanagement, “violent repression,” and decision to rule by decree for close to a year.
The country's problems were further compounded by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake last August that killed over 2,2000 people and left 30,000 families homeless.
Furthermore, gas prices have risen to as high as $10 per gallon, resulting in renewed protests across the nation.