UN says at least 5,700 killed, wounded in Haiti gang crisis this year
Gangs continue to expand despite the deployment of an international security force intended to help Haitian authorities restore order.
GENEVA: The United Nations' human rights chief, Volker Turk, has reported that at least 5,700 individuals have been killed or wounded due to gang violence in Haiti this year. Turk disclosed these figures, compiled by the UN mission in Haiti up to September 11, to the UN Human Rights Council. The numbers also include 230 kidnappings, although Turk acknowledged that the actual count might be significantly higher.
Despite deploying an international security force, the Gang Suppression Force, aimed at helping Haitian authorities restore order, remains significantly understrength. Currently, the force has only about 1,500 out of the planned 5,500 personnel. Turk emphasized that the gangs continue to grow, adapting, and rearming, even in expanding new areas.
He expressed serious concerns over the excessive and unnecessary use of force by Haiti's national law enforcement and self-defense groups, as more than half of all casualties occurred during security operations. Turk's designated expert on human rights in Haiti, William O'Neil, stated that while the situation is dire, it is not hopeless.
He suggested that a full-strength Gang Suppression Force, equipped with intelligence, night vision, and helicopters, could be highly effective against the gangs. O'Neil also pointed out that the gangs' power lies in a few hands and that capturing the leadership could lead to their collapse.
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