UN Security Council approves police mission in Haiti

Fight against gang crime
UN Security Council approves police mission in Haiti

Gang wars have been plaguing Haiti for years, and there is no end in sight. Especially in the capital Port-au-Prince, the population is being harassed by local gangs. Now an international police force is supposed to provide relief.

An international police operation with the support of the United Nations is intended to stabilize the crisis country of Haiti, which is torn apart by gang violence. The UN Security Council approved the deployment of more than 1,000 police units to the Caribbean country for twelve months.

The most powerful body in the United Nations, which is otherwise so often divided, voted in favor of the deployment with 13 votes, with only Russia and China abstaining. The mission is not an operation by the United Nations itself, but rather a troop deployment led by Kenya and officially supported by the Security Council.

Problems are getting worse

Haiti has been suffering for years from fighting between gangs that, according to the UN, control much of the capital Port-au-Prince and terrorize the population with great brutality and sexual violence. The number of kidnappings has also increased dramatically. Recently there was a vigilante movement by residents against the gangs. The violence is also exacerbating the already precarious supply situation in Haiti. According to the United Nations, almost half of the poor island nation’s eleven million residents suffer from acute hunger.

According to the United Nations-affiliated Organization for Migration (IOM), almost half of the displaced people in Port-au-Prince now live in makeshift accommodation where hygienic conditions are extremely poor. Many would have sought shelter with friends or family. However, the ability of host communities to share their scarce resources will decrease as the crisis continues. According to IOM, there are almost 200,000 displaced people nationwide. In addition, there are around 100,000 Haitians who were deported from surrounding countries this year.