Haiti’s gang violence has surged, with over 5,600 deaths last year, raising concerns about the US response and strategy in the region.
Port-au-Prince: Gangs in Haiti have been on a rampage, killing at least 5,600 people last year alone. A recent UN report highlighted that around 3,700 others were either injured or kidnapped. This has led to some serious criticism of the Biden administration for not stepping up its efforts.
Andrés Martínez-Fernández from The Heritage Foundation pointed out that the US response has been more about managing the situation politically rather than actually solving it. He mentioned that the focus seems to be on keeping things under control until after the elections.
In terms of support, Biden has allocated $629 million to Haiti, with most of it already spent. In contrast, Ukraine has received over $113 billion from Congress. It raises questions about the strategy behind these financial decisions.
One of the most shocking incidents occurred in December when the Wharf Jérémie gang killed at least 207 people in Port-au-Prince. Many of the victims were older folks accused of using voodoo against the gang leader’s son. The brutality was horrific, with bodies mutilated and some even thrown into the sea.
Currently, gangs control about 85% of Port-au-Prince, which is just staggering. The UN’s Volker Türk emphasized that the violence is beyond comprehension and called for urgent action to restore law and order.
Türk also stressed the need for strong support for the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) to help them do their job effectively. Although the MSS promised over 2,500 personnel, only around 500 have actually been deployed, and many of them haven’t been paid in months.
The State Department pointed to a recent operation that took down a major gang leader, but even they admit that more needs to be done. The spokesperson acknowledged that the current number of personnel isn’t enough to bring back law and order.
Martínez-Fernández expressed skepticism about transitioning the MSS to a UN Peacekeeping Operation, citing challenges, especially with China opposing such moves in the Security Council.
In the UN report, Türk reiterated the need for sanctions and an arms embargo to stop weapons from flowing into Haiti, as they often end up in the hands of gangs, leading to tragic outcomes.
