Gang violence is increasing at an alarming rate in previously considered safe areas of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and outside the city, with a dramatic increase in crime and abuse, and police able to handle the situation.
At the same time, almost half of the population, 5.2 million people, need humanitarian assistance, amid an ongoing influenza epidemic that has generated nearly 40,000 suspected cases since October.
Work now
He warned that any further delay in addressing the “unprecedented insecurity” in Haiti could lead to disaster in the region.
“Time is of the essence, and the people of Haiti deserve your swift action. If not supported, the vicious circle of violence, political, social, and economic crisis, in which people struggle every day, will continue to change,” he said.
Ms. Salvador was appointed in March and assumed her position this month. He held a first week meeting with civil society representatives, especially women’s groups, national leaders and senior government officials.
“During my first exchanges and interactions, I noticed a way for Haitians to communicate towards restoring democratic institutions in the country that has been charted. However, that is the general idea it will be difficult to move forward without focusing on safety effectiveness,” he said.
The terrorists are terrorizing the citizens
The ambassador also managed to circulate some of the streets of the capital in the first days of his arrival, saying “I feel the tension and know the fear that Haitians experience every day.”
He told the delegation that the worst violence in the areas where the terrorists have ridden, including sexual violence especially against women and girls, is the epitome of terror that affects the majority of the population.
During the first quarter of the year, 1,647 criminal events – murders, rape, kidnappings and lynching – were recorded, according to data from the Haitian National Police and the UN mission in the country, BINUH, which is headed.
The number is more than seven The number was recorded during the same period in 2022, and last month saw the highest incidence rates in almost two decades.
The police force is not equipped
In the face of limited or no police, some residents in the capital have begun to take matters into their own hands. This week, 13 people suspected of being gang members were beaten and burned to death by a group of civilians.
Although the Government continues to invest in the Haitian National Police, the force is very understaffed and ill-equipped to fight violence and crime, he said.
The number of employees in position should be around 14,800 but when you take into account deaths, withdrawals or an increased number of layoffs, the current strength stands at 13,200, including only around 9,000 performing police duties.
Furthermore, There are about 3,500 officers on public safety duty at any time throughout the country, and recruitment has been halted due to deteriorating security and logistical restrictions.
“I would like to emphasize the urgent need for the deployment, authorized by the Security Council, of an international specialized force, as the Secretary-General stated in his letter of 8 October 2022. We need to find innovative ways to explain the power. to support the Haitian National Police,” he said.
A man walks through Cité Soleil, one of the neighborhoods of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, most affected by gang violence.
Sexual violence, kidnappings and murders
Haitians have also continued to suffer one of the worst human rights crises in decadeswith people living in areas under group control exposed to the highest amount of abuses.
Gangs continue to use sexual violence, including terrorist coercion, to terrorize and cause pain to the population living in areas controlled by their rivals. They have also been subjected to various types of sexual violence and abuse against women and girls living in the area under their control.
Mrs. Salvador said Children are among the victims of the worst crimes, including murder, kidnappings and rape. They were beaten when they were in class or when they were dropped from school.
Also, many schools were forced to close last year due to violence and harassment by groups. Although most have reopened, many students have not returned, either due to insecurity or inability to pay.
Weapons and drug trafficking
The commission was also briefed by Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), who said that the flow of illegal weapons and drugs into Haiti is increasing insecurity and violence.
An industry study, published last month, reveals that increasingly sophisticated and high-caliber guns and weapons are transported by land, air and sea, into a country with limited maritime control and a lack of border surveillance.
“It’s armed criminal groups critical research in infrastructure such as stations, grain storage, customs offices, police stations, courthouses, prisons, businesses and communities. They still have take control of important roads and paths provide access to capital,” he said.
Meanwhile, Haiti’s law enforcement and border control challenges make it an attractive hub for drug traffickers moving mainly cocaine and cannabis to the United States, the Dominican Republic and Western Europe.
Stop the wrong streams
“The international community and investment partners need to rapidly develop and support large-scale actions to assist law enforcement and border managementto prevent illegal flows and help stabilize the situation,” he said.
Mrs. Waly noted that the Council has repeatedly emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacity of the Haitian National Police, including its special units on borders, drugs and weapons.
He also emphasized the need for greater investment in community policing and criminal justice reform to combat this corruption and money-laundering.
“Black markets rely on corruption and patronage networks to thrive, with a complex web of public and private actors involved in trafficking, while corruption in the criminal justice sector leads to impunity, ” he said.
“The conditions for a political process leading to peace can only be held when Haiti has strong institutions and capabilities to meet these challenges. ”
