The risk of a civil war in Haiti, where gang violence continues to worsen, is very high without the intervention of an international force to help the police, a minister warned on Friday at the UN. Haitian.
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“The government has requested international assistance in the form of a presence of a robust armed force and with a clear mandate in support of the Haitian National Police,” said Ricard Pierre, Minister of Planning and Cooperation. outside during a conference on the dramatic humanitarian situation of the Caribbean country.
“In truth, if this demand is not met within a reasonable time, the risk of civil war is almost certain,” he said.
The UN continues to be alarmed by the spread of gang violence, with an increase in murders, kidnappings, sexual violence, not to mention the presence of snipers on the roofs.
And faced with a limited police presence, some residents have begun to take their safety into their own hands. In April, for example, a group of civilians seized several gang members from police custody, beat them to death and burned their bodies in the street.
But more than six months after Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s call for help, relayed by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, no country has volunteered to lead an international force in Haiti. .
On Thursday, Canada, to which eyes had once turned to carry out this mission, announced that it would head a cell to coordinate international aid in Haiti in order to better support local police forces.
The objective is to improve “the coordination and mobilization of international efforts in terms of security assistance, working in close collaboration with the Haitian National Police, international partners and the United Nations”, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. foreign Canadian.
Friday’s meeting at the UN focused mainly on the humanitarian and food situation in Haiti, where nearly half of the 11 million people do not have enough to eat.
“We emphasize that human security and food security reinforce each other and must be addressed in tandem,” insisted in a video message Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
In April, the UN appealed for $719 million for Haiti, nearly double the previous year. But only 20% have so far been funded, according to the UN.
“The situation is terrible and it is getting worse every day,” commented World Food Program boss Cindy McCain in a pre-recorded message.
“We must act now and work together to bring food to the millions of people who depend on us,” she added.