Gang Violence in Haiti Escalates, UN Reports

The United Nations recently reported that gang violence in Haiti has escalated, killing over 5,600 people last year—1,000 more than in 2023—and causing thousands more to be injured or abducted. The impoverished Caribbean nation has been plagued by political instability for decades, which has been exacerbated in recent years by gangs that have become more powerful.

UN Rights Chief Speaks Out

UN rights chief Volker Turk highlighted in a recent statement, “These figures alone cannot capture the absolute horrors being perpetrated in Haiti, but they show the unremitting violence to which people are being subjected.”

Violence Persists Despite Police Assistance

Violence has persisted despite a police assistance operation headed by Kenya and supported by the UN and the US.

Massacre in Cite Soleil Neighborhood

According to a statement released on January 7, 2025, the head of the influential Wharf Jeremie gang planned a massacre in the capital’s Cite Soleil neighborhood in early December that claimed the lives of at least 207 people.

Many of the victims were elderly individuals who were accused of practicing voodoo and of poisoning their kids by a gang boss. After being executed, the suspects were sent to a “training center,” where many of them were burnt or mutilated.

Lynchings and Summary Executions

In 2024, the UN human rights office stated that 315 lynchings of gang members and those allegedly connected to gangs had occurred, often with the help of Haitian police officials.

Furthermore, it stated that 281 occurrences of purported summary executions using specialist police units occurred in the previous year.

Call for Action

“It has long been clear that impunity for human rights violations and abuses, as well as corruption, remain prevalent in Haiti,” Turk noted.

The Kenyan-led mission should be given “the logistical and financial support it requires to successfully implement its mandate,” he remarked, adding that “restoring the rule of law must be a priority.”

Turk also demanded that personnel accused of violating human rights with foreign assistance be held accountable by the national police force.

He also demanded that a weapons embargo and sanctions be authorized by the Security Council to be fully implemented.

Turk explained, “Weapons flowing into Haiti often end up in the hands of the criminal gangs, with tragic results: thousands killed, hundreds of thousands displaced, essential infrastructure and services, such as schools and hospitals, disrupted and destroyed.”

Criticisms of Deportations

The head of UN human rights criticized ongoing deportations to Haiti, saying “the acute insecurity and resulting human rights crisis in the country simply do not allow for the safe, dignified and sustainable return of Haitians”.

Conclusion

The situation in Haiti is dire, and immediate action is needed to address the escalating gang violence and human rights crisis. The international community must work together to provide support to the Kenyan-led mission and to hold those responsible for human rights violations accountable.

FAQs

Q: How many people have been killed in gang violence in Haiti in the past year?

A: Over 5,600 people have been killed in gang violence in Haiti in the past year.

Q: What is the UN doing to address the situation in Haiti?

A: The UN is providing logistical and financial support to the Kenyan-led mission and is calling for a weapons embargo and sanctions to be implemented.

Q: What is the situation like for those being deported to Haiti?

A: The head of UN human rights has criticized ongoing deportations to Haiti, saying that the acute insecurity and resulting human rights crisis in the country do not allow for the safe, dignified and sustainable return of Haitians.