PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Recent reports indicate that over 5,600 individuals lost their lives in Haiti last year amid escalating gang violence, sparking serious concerns as a U.N.-backed initiative led by Kenya attempts to address the profound turmoil affecting the nation. U.N. officials noted this number reflects a more than 20% increase in homicides compared to the previous year, with the U.N. Human Rights Office also highlighting over 2,200 injuries and nearly 1,500 kidnappings during this period.
Volker Türk, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasized the severity of the situation in a statement, asserting that the reported figures scarcely capture the full extent of the violence and terror faced by the Haitian population. Tragically, among last year’s victims were two journalists and a police officer who were shot dead by armed assailants during a crowd gathering on Christmas Eve, designed to mark the reopening of Haiti’s largest public hospital, which had been closed due to gang activities earlier in the year.
The pervasive gang violence has rendered upwards of 700,000 Haitians homeless in recent years, forcing many people into makeshift and unsanitary living conditions as they flee from their destroyed homes. Garry Joseph, a 55-year-old resident now living in an abandoned government building, recounted the traumatic experience of witnessing family members being murdered and the desperate flight that ensued.
Notable incidents include a massacre in early December within a gang-dominated slum, where over 200 individuals, primarily older citizens, were killed in retaliation following Vodou rituals aimed at honoring a slain gang leader’s son. This event has been identified as one of the deadliest massacres in Port-au-Prince’s recent history.
A resident, Anita Jean-Marie, expressed her frustrations with the gangs that have ruined lives, saying, “It’s time for them to die.” Now inhabiting an overcrowded shelter with her two sons due to gang violence, she articulated her confusion over the conflicts that have forced her family to live in constant fear.
The U.N. statistics also reveal about 315 individuals who were either suspected gang members or associated with gangs were lynched, and more than 280 were killed by police in suspected extrajudicial executions. Turkish highlighted the persistent issues of impunity concerning human rights violations and corruption in Haiti, calling for increased logistical and financial support for the ongoing U.N. mission initiated in early June.
Currently, approximately 400 police officers from Kenya lead the mission, recently reinforced by around 150 military police personnel from Central America, primarily Guatemala. Other nations, including Jamaica, Bahamas, and Belize, have contributed personnel, while others have made pledges to assist, although timelines for their deployment remain uncertain. The presence of forces, however, still falls short of the anticipated 2,500 officers needed to effectively manage the current crisis.
Amidst the ongoing violence, Sunrise Airways announced it would temporarily halt flights to and from Port-au-Prince, an area that sees 85% of its operations controlled by gangs. The airline cited unspecified circumstances beyond its control, prioritizing the safety of passengers and crew members. This decision marked the third instance this year where Haiti’s main international airport faced suspension of commercial flights.
The brutal reality of gang dominance is illustrated by Joseph’s observations, highlighting the perilous environment where gang members command the main roads leading into and out of the capital, randomly disrupting public transport with gunfire. “Nobody is safe in this country, especially in Port-au-Prince,” he lamented, acknowledging a prevailing sense of hopelessness among the population.
In a separate incident in November, the Port-au-Prince airport was closed after gangs fired upon three aircraft, including a Spirit Airlines plane, resulting in the injury of a flight attendant. Although the airport has since reopened, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration extended a ban on flights to the capital until March 12 due to safety concerns.
Rony Jean-Bernard, a 30-year-old former motorcycle taxi driver living in a crowded shelter, described the dire circumstances, noting that he now relies on limited food provisions since government support has evaporated. “Every day is like darkness,” he expressed, sharing his disillusionment with the government’s promises of improvement amidst pervasive violence.
The ongoing unrest has prompted Turkish to urge all countries to suspend deportations to Haiti, asserting that the nation’s current security crisis does not allow for the safe return of Haitian nationals. During President Joe Biden’s term alone, approximately 27,800 Haitians have been deported, as reported by a watchdog group.
In the meantime, the Dominican Republic, Haiti’s neighbor on the island of Hispaniola, deported over a quarter million individuals back to Haiti last year amid a sustained crackdown on migration.
