UN warns of alarming increase in forced displacement in Haiti – JURIST
The UN warned on Wednesday that the recent surge of gang violence in Haiti has led to the forced displacement of over 60,000 citizens, marking a record in the country’s already dire humanitarian situation.
The UN noted that the escalation of gang violence in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, has spread to several neighborhoods outside the capital and even reached the remaining secure areas. This has compelled local communities to flee in search of safety, creating an internal displacement crisis. The number of forcibly displaced Haitians has hit a record, amounting to three times the number of refugees recorded last year.
Grégoire Goodstein, the chief of the UN migration agency (IOM) in Haiti, described the situation, “We have never observed such a large number of people moving in such a short time. Families are being uprooted time and time again, forced to leave everything behind as they flee for safety.”
This displacement crisis is occurring on top of a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country ravaged by ongoing conflict between government security forces and armed gangs. In its statement, the UN explained that displaced communities in Haiti still require protection and immediate access to vital services. However, humanitarian agencies struggle to meet these needs due to the increasing number of displaced people and a lack of resources.
The IOM affirmed that it will continue its efforts to provide relief and support for displaced Haitians despite the challenges. However, it emphasized that restoring security and stability in Haiti by ending the ongoing armed clashes is the only way to alleviate the refugee and humanitarian crises the population is experiencing. The agency further stressed that this requires international cooperation to increase funding for humanitarian work and enhance the resources of the country’s police.
The humanitarian crisis in Haiti stems from the gang violence that has escalated since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. The government’s efforts to quell the conflict and restore order have proven ineffective. In October 2023, the UN Security Council issued Resolution 2699, which established a Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti to aid Haiti’s National Police.
These conflicts have led to a deterioration of the country’s healthcare system and have unleashed a wave of abuses targeting vulnerable individuals, such as children and women. These abuses include the forced recruitment of children into armed gangs, along with instances of kidnapping and sexual violence. In January, the UN reported an escalation in gang violence in Haiti with an increase of 1,000 deaths compared to the previous year. Consequently, the UN expert on human rights in Haiti urged the international community to enhance its efforts to assist the Haitian government in re-establishing order and security.
