Haiti, whose government this Thursday extended a state of emergency in the capital for a month, is on the brink of a civil war involving armed gangs that threatens to cause a humanitarian catastrophe.
The extension of the state of emergency in the capital Port-au-Prince came after violence in recent days forced 15,000 people from their homes in one of the world’s poorest countries and involved Prime Minister Ariel Henry absent.
Here are some important points regarding the security and humanitarian crisis in this Caribbean country:
What are the origins of the crisis?
Following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, Haiti plunged into a deep crisis.
Armed gangs have taken control of vast areas of the country of 11.6 million people, including Port-au-Prince.
More than 8,400 people were killed, injured or kidnapped by these criminal groups last year, “a 122% increase from 2022,” according to the UN.
The situation worsened last week when armed gangs attacked Haiti’s two largest prisons, from which about 3,600 prisoners, many of them gang leaders, escaped, according to news agency AFP.
The escape led to a new escalation of violence that has forced 15,000 people from their homes in recent days, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday.
“We see bodies in the streets, we hear reports of atrocities that women and many children have been subjected to,” Ulrika Richardson, the UN’s chief humanitarian coordinator for Haiti, told the BBC.
Violence spread to isolated rural areas as the state’s presence was undermined, the United Nations said.
How big is the humanitarian crisis?
The UN launched an appeal on Tuesday for $674 million (615 million euros) to help 3.6 million people in the country, which faces one of the world’s worst food crises.
“The people of Haiti are caught in the crossfire,” said UNICEF chief Catherine Russell, warning that “children’s spaces have become battlefields.”
What is the reaction of the international community?
In October, the UN Security Council finally agreed to send a multinational mission led by Kenya to the country, but its deployment has not yet been completed.
By the end of February, five other countries, including Benin, had notified their intention to participate.
What is the poverty level in the country?
Poverty is another issue affecting Haiti, which remains the poorest country in the Americas.
The World Bank estimates that in 2023, more than 60% of the population lived on less than $3.65 a day.
According to the UN Human Development Index, Haiti was ranked 163rd out of 191 countries in 2022.
Given the current problems, the country’s economy tends to deteriorate.
“The economy is choking as gangs impose restrictions on population movement; Haiti’s main drinking water supplier has suspended supplies; and at least 313,000 people are currently internally displaced,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Volker. Turk.
Source: CM Jornal
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