A recent report from the United Nations office in Haiti (BINUH) paints a dire picture of the human rights landscape as gang violence continues to devastate the population. The figures are staggering: over 5,626 people killed and more than 2,213 injured in the last year alone, showcasing an alarming rise of over 1,000 fatalities compared to 2023. This deterioration underscores the brutal grip that armed gangs have on the capital and surrounding areas.
In the final quarter of 2024, the violence escalated sharply, with 1,732 individuals killed and 411 injured from gang-related attacks, including law enforcement actions and self-defense units. BINUH’s report also highlights three horrific massacres, the most egregious occurring in the Wharf Jérémie neighborhood, where a notorious gang brutally murdered over 207 people, responded to false accusations of witchcraft.
As these killings unfolded, the absence of law enforcement support was striking, with no interventions reported during the lengthy five-day assault. Similar coordinated gang attacks in places like Pont Sondé claimed an additional 170 lives, creating a wave of retaliation from self-defense groups that further fueled the cycle of violence.
The report also exposes state-sponsored violence, noting that Haitian security forces were involved in over 250 executions this year, including innocent children. Executions commonly follow detentions, and individuals have been brutally shot for failing to provide identification. Investigations into these abuses are stagnated, with no police officers screened since June 2023, reflecting profound oversight failures.
In a disturbing trend, child kidnappings have soared by 150%, with gangs often targeting the youngest and most vulnerable. The report highlights 94 instances of sexual violence reported in just the last quarter, exposing a systemic abuse pattern against women and girls in gang-dominated territories. Furthermore, the recruitment of child soldiers has risen sharply, with UNICEF revealing a 70% increase.
Despite the overwhelming crisis, Haiti’s judicial system remains ineffective, unable to keep up with the sheer scale of violence and corruption. Although some judicial appointments were made late in 2024, no progress on high-profile cases, including investigations into the Pont Sondé and Wharf Jérémie massacres, has been made.
Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasized the urgent need for restoring law and order, urging the international community to expedite the deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission. The UN has also called on neighboring countries to monitor arms shipments bound for Haiti, stressing that international intervention is crucial as the humanitarian crisis deepens, leaving over a million people displaced.
A UN report reveals a dire human rights situation in Haiti, with at least 5,626 deaths and 2,213 injuries in the past year due to gang violence. The last quarter of 2024 saw 1,732 killings, including numerous mass atrocities. Security forces have been implicated in extrajudicial executions, while a surge in child exploitation and kidnapping has been reported. With a crippled judicial system, urgent international intervention is deemed necessary to address the escalating crisis.
The human rights situation in Haiti has reached a critically alarming state marked by spiraling gang violence, mass executions by police, and rampant child exploitation. The report from BINUH reveals a grim reality for the population, exacerbated by a dysfunctional judicial system and the pervasive fear from both gang violence and state abuses. As calls for accountability grow louder, the international community’s intervention becomes increasingly urgent to restore order and support the suffering Haitian people.
Original Source: news.un.org
