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Over One Million Haitians Displaced Amid Spiralling Gang Control, IOM Reports

The number of internally displaced Haitians has tripled, exceeding one million due to escalating gang violence, says the UN.

The number of Haitians displaced internally due to escalating gang violence has surged threefold to exceed one million, according to a warning issued by the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday.

In Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital, conditions are particularly severe, with displacement increasing by 87% between 2023 and 2024, IOM statistics reveal. Gangs now dominate nearly the entire city, dismantling the already fragile healthcare system and exacerbating food insecurity.

Last year alone, over 5,600 individuals lost their lives to gang-related violence. IOM spokesperson Kennedy Okoth Omondi highlighted that many displaced individuals have been forced to flee multiple times as gang factions expand their grip over Port-au-Prince. It is estimated that approximately 85% of the capital is now under gang control.

The IOM reported that the majority of those uprooted have sought refuge in rural regions where resources remain scarce. Amy Pope, the organisation’s Director-General, emphasised the urgent need for “sustained humanitarian assistance” to safeguard lives amidst the crisis.

Alarmingly, children account for half of the displaced population, with families struggling to endure in improvised shelters while contending with growing health and safety risks, the agency noted.

Haiti has been engulfed in spiralling violence since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Despite the deployment of a UN-backed multinational security force in June to support the Haitian National Police and regain control of gang-occupied areas, progress has been limited. The force reportedly suffers from underfunding and inadequate equipment, leaving it ill-prepared to confront the heavily armed gangs.

Compounding the crisis, the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), tasked with steering the country towards long-overdue elections and restoring democratic governance, remains in disarray. After replacing the interim prime minister in November, the TPC has made little headway in addressing the political vacuum or organising elections, further deepening Haiti’s turmoil.

Frances Ibiefo

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