Haiti Gang Violence Continues to Plague Caribbean Nation

Troubled Haiti has seen another deadly attack on its law enforcement, with two heavily armed gang members killing two Haitian police officers in Kenscoff, a once-peaceful farming community near the capital, Port-au-Prince. This latest attack comes as gangs have increasingly taken control of the city, with 90% of it now under their grip. The officers were attacked while trying to escape from an armored vehicle that had become stuck in a ditch dug by gangs. The violence in Haiti has been escalating, with some 1,520 people reported killed and 600 injured across the country from April to June, with 24% of those injuries or deaths caused by gang violence.

Key Takeaways:

• The Haitian police, who are working with a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan officers, are struggling to quell gang violence, with a multinational force that was supposed to have more than 2,500 uniformed personnel only having less than 1,000 on the ground.
• The U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Haiti, Ulrika Richardson, has described the situation on the ground as "alarming and urgent" and "horrific" in Port-au-Prince, where she noted that two out of three hospitals are not functioning.
• Haiti's gangs have now plunged into regional organized crime, including trafficking in drugs, arms, and people.
• The $900 million humanitarian response plan for Haiti is only 9% funded, the lowest level of funding for any response plan in the world.
• Some 1.3 million people have been displaced by gang violence, and 2 million people are facing emergency levels of food insecurity.
• The outgoing U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Haiti, Ulrika Richardson, noted that there's a lack of political will at many different levels and a lack of money.
• Richardson warned that the Haitian peninsula is being controlled by drug cartels and that women and children are constantly being kidnapped.

Statistics:

• 1,520 people were reported killed and 600 injured across Haiti from April to June.
• 24% of those injuries or deaths were caused by gang violence.
• 1.3 million people have been displaced by gang violence.
• 2 million people are facing emergency levels of food insecurity.
• 2 out of 3 hospitals in Port-au-Prince are not functioning.
• The $900 million humanitarian response plan for Haiti is only 9% funded.

Sources:

• Associated Press (no specific date mentioned in the article)
• U.N. report (no specific date mentioned in the article)