The United Nations (UN) representative in Haiti, Helen La Lime, told the Security Council that the island nation is experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe, as the situation reached a new level of desperation after weeks of violence.
“An economic crisis, a gang crisis, and a political crisis have converged into a humanitarian catastrophe,” La Lime said, noting that some 4.9 million Haitians needed humanitarian assistance before the new outbreak.
The situation is expected to worsen before the end of the year. At the same time, insecurity makes it difficult and dangerous to set up a humanitarian program, particularly after the recent looting of warehouses and depots of international organizations.
Given the deteriorating climate of violence, the UN Security Council is to prepare a package of measures to respond to the phenomenon, which should be ready in the coming days.
“We cannot wait for something worse to happen. It is necessary that both the Security Council and the international community urgently take additional measures,” said the Mexican ambassador to the organization, Juan Ramón de la Fuente.
The diplomat described the violence recorded in recent days as alarming and considered that the international community’s response should focus on containing the situation.
The Chinese representative called for sanctions and punishments against the armed gangs and their leaders and the imposition of an embargo on arms sales to groups associated with the gangs.
In the last two weeks, protests against the increase in fuel prices intensified, and the capital and other cities remained blocked, while barricades limited passage.
There were scenes of looting in humanitarian institutions, schools, churches, businesses, stores, and government offices.
The situation is compounded by the blockade of the country’s main oil terminal by the G-9 gang federation and allies, which threatens medical assistance and endangers the continuity of services in hospitals and other institutions.
With information from Sputnik