He briefed reporters in New York on Wednesday about the deteriorating situation in Haiti. After the appointment of a new prime minister on November 11, the situation is getting worse.
Gang violence has killed more than 4,000 people this year, although the actual number is likely to be much higher. Seven million Haitians are internally displaced, including nearly 50 percent children, whose schooling has been cut off.
Ulrika Richardson told reporters on Wednesday that thousands of people have left their homes again in the past few days. There is deep concern about killings, lynchings and new territory grabs, and criminal gangs are tightening their grip on the nation’s capital.
tumultuous times
Volker Turk, head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), also expressed deep concern over the escalation of violence in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
At least 150 people have been killed, 92 injured and 20,000 people have been left homeless in the past week.
The OHCHR chief expressed outrage that nearly four million people have been held hostage in Port-au-Prince and that criminal groups now control all major roads leading to the nation’s capital.
Pressure on aid efforts
Despite these challenges, humanitarian aid operations in Haiti have continued and the United Nations has reiterated its commitment to provide assistance to civilians.
Resident Coordinator Ulrika Richardson said the UN is delivering daily food, clean water and medical care to displaced populations in difficult situations.
The closure of the airport has hampered humanitarian aid efforts, prompting the UN’s humanitarian helicopter service to resume flights this week.
It has provided supplies to Haiti and transported workers from one place to another.
Ulrika Richardson said efforts were being made to send international workers elsewhere so that development work could continue throughout the country.
Earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday appealed to member states to support a multinational security mission led by Kenyan security personnel to assist police forces in Haiti.
Control over criminal groups
Ulrika Richardson mentioned a recent incident where criminal gangs tried to take over an area, but were repelled by the police and local residents.
He said, it shows the willingness and ability of the police that despite all the challenges, they are trying to regain control of the entire capital’s areas.
In view of this, the senior UN official called on member states to provide the necessary support to the Multinational Security Mission, so that they could extend their assistance to the Haitian National Police. Also, it will strengthen humanitarian aid operations in the country.