Haiti: 3,661 deaths since January, UN calls for urgent action against gangs
At least 3,661 people have been killed in Haiti since January 2024 according to the UN, which is demanding a strengthened response to gang violence.
Gang violence in Haiti: record death toll since the start of the year
According to news.un.org, at least 3,661 people have been killed in Haiti since January 2024, unprecedented levels of violence since 2023. These figures, documented by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), are drawn from a report published Friday, covering the period from January to June 2024.
"No other lives should be lost due to this senseless criminality," said Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. He called on Haitian authorities and the international community to intensify their efforts to protect civilians.
Port-au-Prince and Artibonite, epicentres of violence
The report identifies the capital Port-au-Prince and the Artibonite department as the most affected areas, to which has now been added the southern part of the West department — a region that has so far been largely spared. At least 860 people were killed and 393 wounded in police operations in Port-au-Prince, including at least 36 children. The report points to possible excessive, unjustified and disproportionate use of force.
Sexual violence, notably rape, also increased during the first half of the year. "Gangs continued to use sexual violence to punish, spread fear and subjugate populations," the document states. Large numbers of children were also recruited into the ranks of armed groups.
Food crisis worsening in Artibonite
In Artibonite, the country's granary, violence and extortion exercised by gangs have forced farmers to abandon more than 3,000 hectares of land. This situation undermines national food production at a time when 1.6 million people are facing acute food insecurity.
The multinational mission, deployed but under-equipped
Volker Türk welcomed certain recent advances: the establishment of a presidential transitional council, the formation of a new transitional government, and the deployment of the first contingents of the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti (MSSM). Approximately 430 members of this mission are currently deployed on the territory.
However, he warned that the mission lacks resources. "It is clear that the Mission needs adequate and sufficient equipment and personnel to effectively and sustainably combat armed gangs and prevent them from spreading and causing further devastation in people's lives," he stressed. The OHCHR is assisting the MSSM in developing a framework for compliance with human rights, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2699.
Calls to reform institutions and strengthen the embargo
The UN's human rights chief urged Haitian authorities to strengthen the police and reform institutions paralysed by corruption, including the judicial system, in order to restore the rule of law and bring those responsible for violations to justice.
He also called for protecting children from gang influence, intensifying the fight against gender-based violence and ensuring protection for internally displaced persons.
On the international front, Volker Türk urged the international community to fully implement the targeted arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze imposed by the United Nations Security Council, presented as essential leverage to curb violence in Haiti.
Source: Google News HT — Port-au-Prince