Reports from international news agencies and official government announcements

Haiti Seeks UN Peacekeepers as Gang Violence Kills 150; MSF Halts Operations

Nov 20, 2024, 06:22 PM

Escalating gang violence in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, has led to at least 150 deaths in the past week, according to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. Gangs, which now control 85% of the capital, have intensified attacks, including a recent assault on the upscale community of Pétion-Ville, where armed gang members clashed with residents who fought alongside police. In the confrontation, police and civilian self-defense groups killed 28 suspected gang members, authorities said. The violence has forced over 20,000 people to flee Port-au-Prince within four days, and over 800,000 people have been internally displaced. Hospitals have now closed due to the insecurity, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. The city's estimated 4 million residents are effectively held hostage as gangs control all main roads in and out of the capital. Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) announced the suspension of its operations in Port-au-Prince due to "violence and threats from police," including death and rape threats against its staff. This decision comes just over a week after two of its patients were shot and killed. In response to the escalating crisis, Haiti's government, represented by Ambassador Antonio Rodrigue, has requested the transformation of the Multinational Security Support mission into a UN peacekeeping operation. Dr. Jean William "Bill" Pape addressed the UN Security Council, highlighting the unprecedented levels of murders, kidnappings, rapes, and severe malnutrition, and warning of a potential "massive genocide." The MSS mission currently has only 416 of the planned 2,500 personnel. The UN Security Council convened to discuss the situation, with several member states expressing support for increased international involvement, including the United States. However, some members, such as Russia and China, expressed skepticism about deploying a new peacekeeping mission.