UN warns Haiti crime hitting all-time records amid persistent gang violence

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Major crimes in Haiti have hit all-time records amid continued gang violence and political instability in the Caribbean nation, the UN warned Monday.

"Unfortunately, the security situation on the ground continues to deteriorate as growing gang violence plunged the life of the people of Haiti into disarray and major crimes are rising sharply to new record highs," Maria Isabel Salvador, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' Special Representative for Haiti, told the Security Council.

Salvador pointed to last week's kidnapping of Anthony Virginie Saint-Pierre, the Secretary-General of Haiti's High Transition Council, "in broad daylight" by gang members masquerading as police officers.

She also said killings and sexual violence, "including collective rape and mutilation, continue to be used by gangs every day, and in the context of ineffective service support for victims or a robust justice response."

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of a multinational security support mission to Haiti, one year after the Caribbean nation asked for support to fight gang violence.

The force will be led by Kenya, which has pledged the deployment of 1,000 police officers, with the Bahamas committing 150 people. Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda also announced that they were willing to help.

Haiti has been grappling with gang violence for years. From October 2022 to June, nearly 3,000 people were killed in gang warfare, and more than 200,000 Haitians have been displaced, according to official figures.

Estimates suggest gangs currently control 80% of Port-au-Prince, the capital, where 3 million people endure daily rights abuses, including rape, torture, kidnappings, extortion and murder, according to rights organizations.

Access to essentials like drinking water, food and medicine has become increasingly challenging, exacerbating the crisis.