Mon Dec 09 11:11:57 UTC 2024: **Haiti Gang Violence Leaves 184 Dead in Weekend Massacre**
GENEVA — A surge in gang violence in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, left at least 184 people dead over the weekend, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk. The massacre, orchestrated by a powerful gang leader in the Cite Soleil slum, brings the total death toll in Haiti for 2024 to a staggering 5,000. The UN also reports that 600,000 people have been displaced by the violence this year, and that a total of 3,661 Haitians have been killed.
Cite Soleil, a densely populated and impoverished area, has been severely impacted by the gang’s control, which includes restricting mobile phone use, hindering information flow about the violence. This latest massacre follows a similar incident in October, where at least 115 people were killed in Pont-Sonde.
The Haitian government, weakened by political infighting, has struggled to contain the escalating violence. While an international security mission, partially deployed in 2023, was intended to provide support, it is severely under-resourced. Calls to upgrade the mission to a UN peacekeeping force have been met with opposition from China and Russia in the Security Council. The situation highlights the urgent need for increased international support and a comprehensive strategy to address the ongoing crisis in Haiti.
First Piper 