OHCHR / HAITI HUMAN RIGHTS

A new UN report details a further rise in gang violence in Haiti as criminal gangs forge alliances and expand to rural areas previously considered safe. OHCHR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:05:06
• Production Date: 28 November 2023
• Asset Language: English; French
• Corporate Name: OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - OHCHR
• Subject Topical: HUMAN RIGHTS
• Geographic Subject: HAITI
• MAMS Id: 3149272
• Parent Id: 3149272
• Alternate Title: unifeed231128j

Description

STORY: OHCHR / HAITI HUMAN RIGHTS
TRT: 5:06
SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: 28 NOVEMBER 2023 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

1. Various shots, exterior, Palais Wilson, Geneva
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, UN Human Rights:
“A new report we issued today details a further, shocking rise in gang violence in Haiti as criminal gangs forge alliances and expand to rural areas previously considered safe – killing, raping, kidnapping, and destroying property. We call for the urgent deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission authorized by the UN Security Council in October. The Bas-Artibonite district, located in Central Haiti, has seen a significant rise in gang violence in the last two years. Kidnapping for ransom by criminal groups has become a constant fear for users of public transport across Bas-Artibonite. The story of Darleine, a 22-year-old woman is one of many: She was dragged off a bus in March this year by gang members, who held her captive for over two weeks and repeatedly beat and raped her. A few weeks after she was released, she committed suicide. The report documents criminal groups rampaging through ‘rival’ villages, executing local people and using sexual violence against women and even very young children. They also loot farmers’ properties, crops and livestock and destroy irrigation canals, contributing to the displacement of more than 22,000 people from their villages and significantly reducing the amount of cultivated land, heightening food insecurity. Across Haiti, at least 3,960 people have been killed, 1,400 [1,432] injured in gang-related violence this year alone. The situation in Haiti is cataclysmic. With terrible violence against the population expanding – within and outside Port-au-Prince – and the inability of the police to stop them, the much-needed Multinational Security support mission needs to be deployed to Haiti as soon as possible. The support mission must include internal oversight mechanisms and other safeguards to ensure its compliance with international human rights norms and standards.”
3. Various shots, exterior, Palais Wilson, Geneva
4. SOUNDBITE (French) Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, UN Human Rights:
« Notre nouveau rapport publié fait état d'une nouvelle augmentation choquante de la violence des gangs en Haïti. Ces gangs criminels forgent des alliances et s’étendent désormais jusqu’aux zones rurales, auparavant considérées comme sûres - tuant, violant, kidnappant et détruisant des propriétés. Nous appelons au déploiement urgent de la mission multinationale d'appui à la sécurité autorisée par le Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies en octobre.
Le rapport se concentrent sur le district du Bas-Artibonite, situé dans le centre d'Haïti, qui au cours des deux dernières années a connu une augmentation significative des violences perpétrées par des gangs. Au total, plus de 1 600 personnes ont été tuées, blessées ou kidnappées. Les enlèvements contre rançon par des groupes criminels sont devenus une source de crainte constante pour les usagers des transports publics du Bas-Artibonite. Darleine, une jeune femme de 22 ans, a été traînée hors d'un bus en mars dernier par des membres de ces gangs. Ils l'ont gardée captive pendant plus de deux semaines et l'ont battue et violée à plusieurs reprises. Quelques semaines après sa libération, elle s'est suicidée. Les groupes pillent également les propriétés, les récoltes et le bétail. Ils détruisent les canaux d'irrigation, contribuant ainsi au déplacement de plus de 22 000 personnes de leurs villages et réduisant considérablement la superficie des terres cultivées, ce qui accroît l'insécurité alimentaire. Depuis le début de l’année au moins 3 960 personnes ont été tuées, 1,400 [1,432] blessées et 3000 kidnappées dans des violences perpétrées par les gangs en Haïti. La situation en Haïti est catastrophique. Face à l'augmentation de la violence contre la population - à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur de Port-au-Prince - et à l'incapacité de la police à y mettre fin, la mission multinationale de soutien à la sécurité, dont nous avons tant besoin, doit être déployée en Haïti le plus rapidement possible", La mission de soutien doit inclure des mécanismes de contrôle interne et d'autres garanties pour s'assurer qu'elle respecte les normes et standards internationaux en matière de droits humains.»

Storyline

A new UN report published today (28 Nov) details a further rise in gang violence in Haiti as criminal gangs forge alliances and expand to rural areas previously considered safe.

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said, “We call for the urgent deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission authorized by the UN Security Council in October.”

“The Bas-Artibonite district, located in Central Haiti, has seen a significant rise in gang violence in the last two years,” Shamdasani added.

She continued, “Kidnapping for ransom by criminal groups has become a constant fear for users of public transport across Bas-Artibonite.”

The human rights spokesperson also said, “The story of Darleine, a 22-year-old woman is one of many: She was dragged off a bus in March this year by gang members, who held her captive for over two weeks and repeatedly beat and raped her. A few weeks after she was released, she committed suicide.”

“The report documents criminal groups rampaging through ‘rival’ villages, executing local people and using sexual violence against women and even very young children. They also loot farmers’ properties, crops and livestock and destroy irrigation canals, contributing to the displacement of more than 22,000 people from their villages and significantly reducing the amount of cultivated land, heightening food insecurity,” Shamdasani said.

Across Haiti, at least 3,960 people have been killed, 1,432 injured in gang-related violence this year alone, according the OHCHR.

“The situation in Haiti is cataclysmic,” the human rights spokesperson reiterated.

She said, “With terrible violence against the population expanding – within and outside Port-au-Prince – and the inability of the police to stop them, the much-needed Multinational Security The support mission needs to be deployed to Haiti as soon as possible.”

She concluded, “The support mission must include internal oversight mechanisms and other safeguards to ensure its compliance with international human rights norms and standards”.