The NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) announced on Tuesday that it is halting its operations in Haiti due to a new wave of violence.
In a statement on its website, MSF revealed that its staff had been threatened by the police. The organisation reported that on 11th November, an ambulance was attacked, resulting in the deaths of at least two patients and the harassment of its staff. In the following week, Haitian police stopped multiple MSF vehicles and threatened staff with death or rape.
The head of the MSF mission in Haiti Christophe Garnier stated that while staff are accustomed to working in challenging conditions, “when forces of law and order become a direct threat, we have no other choice but to suspend our activities.”
Gang activity persisted on Wednesday, with gunfire and smoke from burning houses and roadblocks following a recent surge that began earlier this week. Gangs launched a new attack on Haiti’s capital, targeting an upscale community in Port-au-Prince where gunmen clashed with residents and police.
Ulrika Richardson, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, remarked that the events of Monday and Tuesday indicated the gangs’ intention “to acquire more territory in the capital.”
The attack came days after gang violence forced Haiti’s main international airport to shut down for the second time this year, as the country swore in a new prime minister amid political infighting.
The situation in Port-au-Prince deteriorated further late Tuesday when MSF announced it was suspending critical care across the capital, accusing police officers of violence and threats against its staff, including rape and death.
The aid organisation will cease patient admissions and transfers to its five medical facilities starting Wednesday, a significant blow to a country with very limited medical care.
“We are sorry and deeply concerned by this impact, but we also think here is no other way to stop this violence against us,” said Garnier.
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