UN Report Calls for Urgent Deployment of Multinational Police Force to Haiti Amid Cataclysmic Rise in Gang Violence

Strategic Insights -

A report from the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) has highlighted the dire situation in Haiti, where gang violence has claimed the lives of at least 3,960 people, injured 1,432, and kidnapped 2,951 this year alone. The report calls for the urgent deployment of a Kenya-led multinational police force to help combat the situation, which is deemed "cataclysmic" by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk. The commissioner emphasizes the need for the Multinational Security Support mission to be deployed as soon as possible, with internal oversight mechanisms and safeguards to ensure compliance with international standards.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UN report highlights the catastrophic rise in gang violence in Haiti, with at least 3,960 people killed, 1,432 injured, and 2,951 kidnapped this year alone.
  • The report emphasizes the need for the immediate deployment of a Kenya-led multinational police force to help combat the situation, with a focus on the Bas-Artibonite district, where at least 1,694 people were killed, injured, or kidnapped.
  • Kidnapping for ransom by criminal groups has become a constant fear for users of public transport in Bas-Artibonite, with more than 22,000 people displaced from their villages due to gang violence.
  • The report calls for the Security Council to update the list of individuals and entities subject to UN sanctions for supporting, preparing, or committing acts contrary to international human rights law.
  • The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, emphasizes the need for the Haitian authorities to fulfill their international human rights obligations and to strengthen the country's institutions, including by tackling corruption and addressing impunity.

Statistics:

  • At least 4,393 people have been affected by gang violence in Haiti this year alone (3,960 killed, 1,432 injured, and 2,951 kidnapped).
  • Between January 2022 and last month, at least 1,694 people were killed, injured, or kidnapped in Bas-Artibonite alone.
  • More than 22,000 people have been displaced from their villages in Bas-Artibonite due to gang violence.
  • Over 45 percent of the population of Bas-Artibonite was in acute food insecurity in September.

Sources:

  • "UN report calls for urgent deployment of multinational police force to Haiti amid 'cataclysmic' rise in gang violence", UN News
  • "UN rights chief calls for robust measures to address Haiti's gang violence", UN News
  • XINHUA NEWS AGENCY, "UN report highlights Haiti's gang violence, calls for deployment of multinational force", November 28, 2023