Residents of the capital, Port-au-Prince, are facing a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by surges of gang violence
A new report by the UN describes the “outrageous practices” used by gangs in Haiti to brutalise, punish and control the civilian population.
It says that the gangs, which are estimated to control more than 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, recruit and abuse children, sometimes killing those who try to escape.
UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk chief said the situation was “cataclysmic”.
He warned that weapons continue to pour into the country.
Warning: Some readers may find the details in this article distressing.
The report published on Thursday found that there had been a significant increase in armed violence caused by criminal gangs in the five months leading up to March.
Gangs used sexual violence in particular to spread fear in areas where they fought for control, it says: “During gang attacks, several women and girls have been subjected to rape, including collective rape, in their homes, often after having witnessed the killing of their husbands.”
It adds that some of the rape victims had been mutilated or killed after the attacks.
According to the report, Haiti’s armed criminal gangs also inflicted violence on children.
The victim in one particular incident was a three-month-old baby while in a surge of violence in an area of the capital previously considered relatively safe, entire families were burned alive in their homes.
The studied September 2023 to the end of February. It found that armed violence caused by criminal gangs had “significantly increased in intensity” and the gangs had expanded their geographic reach.
Many people have been confined to their homes due to the violence, so getting aid in is crucial
Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation for Haiti, Marisela Silva, said that almost 90% of Port-au-Prince, the capital, was now controlled by or under the influence of armed groups.
Ms Silva described how there had been a shift in the violence in recent weeks as rival armed groups appeared to have united and were now attacking the police rather than each other.
She warned that the population was caught in the crossfire.
With so much of the capital under gang control, access to emergency services has become almost non-existent.
“There are only two ambulances that are able to circulate in the proximity of the areas affected by the armed violence,” she said.
Aid operations in the capital have also been hampered by ambushes along key access routes.
Ms Silva said the ICRC had managed to get access its medical supplies after “a very complex operation that included dialogue with various armed groups”.
The ICRC follows strict security protocols when moving around Port-au-Prince
“We need to be able to bring what is needed to those in the field,” she stressed, recognising that even though the ICRC’s neutral and impartial approach had succeeded in building trust it was not always possible to gain access to areas controlled by the armed groups.
“We don’t have armed protection, our only way of preventing security incidents is through a dialogue with all actors,” Ms Silva said.
The Haiti delegation head said that she was worried the humanitarian situation in Haiti could deteriorate even further as more and more people are displaced and struggle to access safe drinking water, food and even the most basic health services.
“Haiti is prone to epidemics, such as cholera. If there is no safe water, if there is no minimum hygiene, then there is a risk of that,” she warned.
News Related
-
Anyone who’s purchased gift baskets to hand out to loved ones this holiday season might need to find a backup present after the latest food recall that involves festive cookies. Gift basket company Wine Country Gift Baskets just announced that it is voluntarily recalling all gift baskets that feature Acorn Baking ...
See Details:
Recall Just Announced For Popular Cookies Featured In Holiday Gift Baskets
-
LOS ANGELES: Quarterback Jalen Hurts ran in an overtime touchdown to give the Philadelphia Eagles a 37-34 NFL win over the Buffalo Bills Sunday (Monday in Manila) and move them to 10-1 on the season. The Eagles, who lost the Super Bowl to Kansas City last season, trailed at half-time ...
See Details:
Eagles rally past Bills in overtime as Chiefs win
-
Yen Makabenta First word WHILE UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other promoters of the climate emergency are preparing to convene the 28th conference of the parties (COP28) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in the United Arab Emirates, starting on November 30 and stretching to December 12, ...
See Details:
Reality bites the green energy agenda
-
Sandigan orders Marcos Sr. pal to pay workers The Sandiganbayan has ordered the enforcement of a July 2023 ruling ordering a Marcos Sr. associate to pay a lumber company’s workers P2.1 million in damages as well as return 60 percent of their company’s shares and pay all unpaid benefits. The ...
See Details:
Sandigan orders Marcos Sr. pal to pay workers
-
DSWD: Shear line, LPA affect 1.2 million people; over 18,000 families evacuated MANILA, Philippines – More than 18,000 families have fled to evacuation centers across flood-affected regions in the country due to the impact of the shear line and low pressure area. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) gave ...
See Details:
DSWD: Shear line, LPA affect 1.2 million people; over 18,000 families evacuated
-
-
MANILA, Philippines: The entire Luzon, including Metro Manila, is expected to experience isolated rain showers and thunderstorms as the northeast monsoon (“amihan”) and easterlies will be affecting the country over the next 24 hours, the state-run weather agency said on Tuesday. Weather specialist Patrick del Mundo of the Philippine Atmospheric ...
See Details:
Rain showers, thunderstorms over Luzon, including Metro Manila — Pagasa
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
'Naruto' live-action film adaptation is in the works
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
NASA Highlights Stingray Nebula
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
Manila's Lagusnilad underpass opens
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
China probes debt-ridden financial giant
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
China's VUCA situation
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
Unraveling the mystery that is diabetes
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
Bangladesh's nuke plant is not going to steal PH investments
OTHER NEWS
ALIW Awards Foundation Inc. President Alice H. Reyes has released the names of finalists for the 2023 Aliw Awards to be presented on Dec. 11, 2023, at the Manila Hotel ...
Read more »
WhatsApp Web gains the feature of single-view photos and videos (Photo: Unsplash) The WhatsApp Web, the desktop version of the popular messaging app from Meta, has received an update allowing ...
Read more »
Young athletes’ time to shine in Siklab Awards MANILA, Philippines — The future heroes of Philippine sports will be honored during the third Siklab Youth Sports Awards on Dec. 4 ...
Read more »
Graphics by Jannielyn Ann Bigtas A local government official said Monday that five to 10 barangays in Northern Samar are still isolated following the massive flooding in the area last ...
Read more »
DyipPay app lets you pay jeepney fare, book tricycles “Barya lang po sa umaga.” Everyone who rides jeepneys knows this rule: it may not be an actual law, but it’s ...
Read more »
Updated In-Season Tournament Bracket ahead of pool play finale Tuesday will mark the last day of pool play for the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. From there, six first-place teams and ...
Read more »
PCG forms teams for maritime emergency response MANILA, Philippines — Recent incidents of fishermen lost in the waters off Southern Tagalog have prompted the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to form ...
Read more »