UN human rights official says situation in Haiti is bleak

Photo: United Nations -designated expert on Human Rights in Haiti, William O’Neill. (Photo courtesy CMC).

The United Nations designated expert on Human Rights in Haiti, William O’Neill, ended a visit to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country on Friday with a warning that the human rights situation there is bleak.

O’Neill told a news conference that it is necessary to make the state accountable to fight corruption and bad governance, which continues to plunge the country into an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

On the other hand, he added, it is crucial to stifle the gangs by giving the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission the means to effectively support the Haitian National Police, as well as to implement the other measures provided for by the Security Council, including the sanctions regime and the targeted arms embargo.

O’Neill described his visits to the south of the country, saying that in the towns of Les Cayes and Jérémie, he saw that areas previously spared from gang violence are now directly impacted, with galloping inflation, lack of basic goods, and flows of internally displaced people further increasing the vulnerability of the population, particularly for children and women. The human rights and humanitarian consequences are dramatic, he said.

He said that the police still lack the “logistical and technical capacity” to fight gangs, which he said are encroaching on new territories as arms and ammunition flow into Haiti despite an international embargo.

“Humanitarian consequences are dramatic,” he said, and warned of galloping inflation, lack of basic goods and ”internally displaced people further increasing the vulnerability of the population, particularly children and women”.

The UN said that between April to end of June, at least 1,379 people were reported killed or injured in Haiti, and another 428 kidnapped. An estimated 700,000 people have been left homeless as gang violence persists.

He said he spoke with Haiti’s police chief, Rameau Normil, who said they only have 5,000 officers for a country of more than 11 million people.

“It is impossible to provide security,” he quoted Normil as saying.

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, Sept 20, CMC –

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