PORT-AU-PRINCE, March 4 (Reuters) – Haiti’s neighbors on Monday began shoring up their defenses and recalling embassy staff as a gang conflict in the Caribbean nation escalated and thousands fled fresh fighting.
On Sunday, Haiti’s de facto government issued a 72-hour state of emergency and imposed nightly curfews after armed men busted thousands from prison and a gang leader called for the ousting of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
The Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti and last year deported tens of thousands of Haitians, said on Monday that its defense minister was touring the border to supervise progress on a border fence, while the president ruled out opening refugee camps for Haitians in the country.
The violence erupted while Henry was absent. Doubts had risen over Henry’s whereabouts after he traveled to Kenya to seal a deal for the African nation to lead an international force to help fight the increasingly powerful gangs.
Heavy gunfire was seen near Port Au Prince’s international airport during the day, airport authorities said.
The United States urged its citizens to leave Haiti “as soon as possible.” A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said he believed Henry was returning to Haiti.
Brazil’s government called on the international community to implement the U.N.’s resolution to send a multinational force to Haiti. Brazil authorities noted in a statement that it had led a United Nations peace mission to Haiti from 2004 to 2017.
Neighboring Bahamas said it had called embassy staff back to New Providence, leaving just its charge d’affaires and two security attaches, while Mexico said its nationals should limit themselves to essential transit and stock up on water, fuel and non-perishables.
Gangs have warned residents around Port-au-Prince to keep children home, although the Haitian government has stipulated that schools will stay open.
The International Organization for Migration said that in just three days last week around 15,000 people are estimated to have fled gunfire in the capital, many of them from makeshift camps in schools, hospitals and squares to which they had already been displaced.
[1/6]Residents transport belonging on a truck while fleeing their homes as the government declared state of emergency amid violence, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Ralph Tedy Erol Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
The United Nations estimated early this year that some 300,000 people had been forced to abandon their homes, fleeing indiscriminate killings, routine sexual violence, kidnappings and lootings as well-armed rival gangs fought over territory.
AID PAUSE
The International Rescue Committee said that aid groups it works with had been forced to pause their work, given the security situation.
The Washington-based Organization of American States pushed for a faster international response, in coordination with the U.N. “It is irresponsible that the necessary measures and actions continue to be delayed,” it said.
The U.N. last October ratified the plan to send in an international force, based on voluntary contributions from member states, to help Haitian police restore security.
However, a date for deployment has yet to be set. As of the end of February, the U.N. said five nations had formally pledged troops – The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin and Chad – and less than $11 million was deposited in its fund.
The largest public pledges for personnel come from Benin, which offered 1,500 people, according to the U.N., and Kenya, which late last week sealed a deal with Henry to lead the mission with some 1,000 police officers.
Haiti’s national police has meanwhile shed staff, as poorly resourced officers face deadly clashes with gangs armed with assault weapons, believed to be largely trafficked from the United States.
Aid groups have urged the U.N.-backed force to prioritize securing routes to provide people with medical care and food.
Reporting by Sarah Morland and Valentine Hilaire in Mexico City, Harold Isaac in Port-au-Prince; Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Steven Grattan, and Andre Romani in Sao Paulo; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Rosalba O’Brien and Leslie Adler
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Sarah is a British-French journalist covering news from across Latin America and the Caribbean, including gender violence, mining developments, regional finance and conflict in Haiti. She joined Reuters in 2019 and studied investigative journalism at City, University of London. Based in Mexico City, Sarah enjoys spicy food, dad rock and befriending the local cat population.
Valentine, a French-Panamanian who majored in journalism and philosophy, joined Reuters in December 2021 after spending eight years in Spain. She studied at the University of Navarra and after graduation held different roles at Spanish news outlets ‘El Español’, ‘El Confidencial’, and ‘La Información’. Valentine has helped boost the team’s win rate, broke news on high-profile developments, and collaborated with the Spanish service and polling teams. She spends her free time producing podcasts, playing violin, trying to learn Mandarin, and searching for the best cafes in town.
