The recent surge in violence in Haiti has claimed at least 150 lives in the capital, Port-au-Prince, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, who expressed deep concern and condemned the actions of “gangs.”
“At least 150 people were killed, 92 others were injured, and approximately 20,000 were forced to flee their homes during the past week,” Türk stated, according to a statement from his office in Geneva.
These deaths bring the toll in Haiti this year to at least 4,544 killed and 2,060 injured, according to the UN, which warns that the actual figures are “likely higher.”
The same source reported that about 700,000 people are internally displaced in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, half of whom are children.
“The latest surge of violence in the Haitian capital signals even worse to come,” warned Türk. “Gang violence must be brought to an end as quickly as possible. Haiti must not sink further into chaos,” he added.
Haiti has been mired in chronic political instability for decades. However, this year, it has faced an unrelenting escalation of gang violence, with these groups believed to control 80% of Port-au-Prince.
Some of these heavily armed groups, accused of countless murders, rapes, looting, and kidnappings for ransom, united earlier this year to overthrow the then-de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
The new Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, was sworn in on November 11, pledging to “restore security” to the country. His predecessor, Gary Conille, was removed from the transitional presidential council, which holds partial executive authority in a nation without a president since 2021 and where elections have not been held since 2016.
Despite the deployment of an international armed force led by Kenya since the summer, gangs frequently target civilians.
Türk also referred to reports of increasing incidents of lynching.
Authorities announced on Tuesday that police and civilian “defense” groups had killed 28 gang members in Port-au-Prince.
“Gang violence must not overpower state institutions,” Türk emphasized, calling for “tangible measures (…) to protect the population and restore an effective rule of law.”
© ANA-MPA
