Haiti 'Terrorized' By Armed Gangs As Cholera Spreads

As deadly violence and unrest continue to obstruct the nation's efforts to combat a worsening cholera outbreak, a UN official has warned that armed gangs are "terrorizing" residents in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, Al Jazeera reported.

According to Ulrika Richardson, the UN's resident and humanitarian coordinator in Haiti, 195 murders, or nearly three per day, and 102 kidnappings were reported last month.

Armed gangs in Port-au-Prince are using "sexual violence, including rape... to instill fear and to punish and to terrorize the local populations," Richardson said during a news conference.

In addition to violence and political instability, Haiti is also grappling with rising numbers of cholera cases. Richardson said that cholera has now been recorded in eight of the country’s 10 provinces.

According to the most recent statistics from Haiti's public health ministry, as of Saturday, Nov. 12, more than 7,200 individuals had been hospitalized in Haiti with cholera, and at least 155 had passed away since the outbreak started last month.

But UN and Haitian officials have expressed concern that the number of cases would increase, particularly following the lifting of a gang-led blockade of a crucial gasoline terminal that had immobilized the capital for weeks. This month, the roadblock was removed, and the petrol stations are now operating normally.

The blockage of the Varreux fuel terminal, which caused a lack of water and electricity and hindered the local response to the cholera outbreak, pushed Haitian hospitals to cut back on services early this year, according to reports.

In the aftermath of President Jovenel Moise’s assassination in July 2021, powerful Haitian gangs have been battling for control worsening the political instability in the country.

Last month, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) said nearly half of the Haitian population, a record 4.7 million people, were dealing with “acute hunger.” The violence-plagued Port-au-Prince neighborhood of Cite Soleil faced a particularly alarming situation.

After a 2010 outbreak associated with United Nations forces which resulted in about 10,000 deaths and more than 820,000 infections, Haiti has not reported a cholera case for more than three years.

According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the current cholera outbreak might put as many as 500,000 Haitians in danger of contracting the disease.