UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council convened on Wednesday to address the escalating crisis in violence-plagued Haiti, expressing grave concern as armed gangs intensified efforts to destabilize the country.
The meeting, called by Ecuador, underscored the critical nature of the situation as Haiti teeters on the brink of widespread conflict.
Armed gangs, wielding significant control over various regions, launched a coordinated campaign to remove Prime Minister Ariel Henry from power. Last week’s attacks on key infrastructure, including the airport, prisons, and police stations, have raised fears of a full-scale civil war.
While the United States urged Henry to facilitate free elections, it stopped short of demanding his resignation, a move advocated by powerful gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherisier. Henry, who assumed office following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, had previously agreed to a power-sharing arrangement with the opposition until new elections could be organized.
Cherisier’s ominous warning of impending civil war and widespread violence unless Henry steps down has heightened tensions further. The deteriorating security situation has already prompted the displacement of at least 15,000 individuals from the most affected areas of Port-au-Prince.
United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk described the situation as “beyond untenable,” citing a staggering death toll of 1,193 people killed nationwide this year due to gang violence.
Amid the turmoil, Prime Minister Henry finds himself unable to return to Haiti, further complicating efforts to address the crisis and stabilize the country.
