In recent months, an unprecedented 1.3 million residents have been displaced across Haiti due to increasing gang violence, highlighting the challenges facing both local authorities and the global community in managing the widespread crisis.
According to a recent report from the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM), the number of displaced people has surged by 24% since December, with gunmen displacing around 11% of the nation’s close to 12 million population.
While Port-au-Prince remains a hotspot of such violence, it’s reported that more than 230,000 individuals have lost their homes in large regions to the north of the capital, which are under siege from gang activities.
Amy Pope, director general of the IOM, emphasized the urgent need for action, noting the remarkable strength of the Haitian people but cautioning that their resilience shouldn’t be their only refuge. Data reveals that there has been a significant increase in makeshift shelters by over 70%, rising from 142 in the past to 246.
What’s remarkable is the spike in shelters in the once calm central region of Haiti as ongoing violence extends to areas like Mirebalais and Petite Rivière, for the first time surpassing the number in Port-au-Prince.
A vast majority, over 80%, of those displaced are currently residing with friends or family. However, in Port-au-Prince, most displaced individuals are crowded in makeshift shelters that are often unsanitary and include abandoned government buildings.
The IOM raised alarms regarding the many who are forced to live without essential services like healthcare, education, and clean water, severely challenging families that are already in a vulnerable state.
Shortly after this alarming report was published, representatives from the United Nations, the Inter-American Development Bank, and key figures in Haiti’s government and civil society met privately to deliberate on the escalating situation.
Ahead of these discussions, Bob Rae, the head of the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council, remarked on the deteriorating crisis, emphasizing that addressing Haiti’s issues solely through security measures will not suffice. With gangs controlling a daunting 85% of Port-au-Prince and recruiting numerous children, the state’s socioeconomic conditions remain at risk.
“A sustainable future calls for a tandem approach: development and security need to go hand in hand,” stated Rae. A U.N.-backed initiative spearheaded by Kenyan police forces is helping Haitian authorities combat gang presence, yet the mission is lacking sufficient funds and resources, deploying only about 1,000 personnel where 2,500 were initially projected.
Bob Rae also pointed towards the necessity of international collaboration beyond the U.N. Security Council, highlighting the need for more direct discussions with countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and others in Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean.
Conversations also continue with the Organization of American States (OAS), urging them to contribute towards the effort.
In a recent development, Leslie Voltaire, a key figure in Haiti’s transitional presidential council, praised the OAS’s secretary general for supporting Haiti while firmly stating a position against negotiating with armed gangs, labeling them as terrorists.
Peaceful resolutions, he insisted, must not be built through agreements with such entities.