Haiti on ‘Brink of Civil War’, Humanitarian Group Warns

According to Mercy Corps, a humanitarian organization, Haiti is currently at the “brink of a civil war”, with frequent clashes between criminal factions and ordinary citizens, presenting a menacing threat of escalation.

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On Monday, Mercy Corps reported the emergence of a hunger crisis in the Caribbean nation, prompted by the exacerbating security situation and escalating prices.

According to the group, the surging violence, particularly in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, wherein gangs have seized substantial portions of the city, has resulted in families being deprived of essential provisions such as food and potable water.

“The population has been pushed to make impossible decisions, like choosing between taking children to a hospital or health clinics to treat cholera at the risk of being kidnapped and killed, or staying home and hoping they will get better,” said Lunise Jules, Mercy Corps country director for Haiti.

Jules added that many residents are starting to question, “Why not seek revenge and take justice into their own hands?”

During the previous week, a group of individuals carried out a violent collective act, resulting in the killing of no less than 13 individuals suspected of being involved in organized criminal activities and who had been taken into custody in the capital city of Port-au-Prince.

The escalation of violence has been further intensified by a plethora of crises that the nation, bearing a population of over 11 million, is currently grappling with.

Haiti has been subjected to recurrent occurrences of natural disasters, coupled with the scourge of gang violence, a cholera outbreak, and the persistent issue of political instability, which has been further exacerbated by the assassination of its President, Jovenel Moise, in 2021. As a result, Haiti has faced considerable challenges in its quest for social and economic development.