Gangs attack, hunger gets worse, politicians argue: the latest on the situation in Haiti

It’s week seven into the gang insurgency in Haiti and the armed violence continues to upend life in Port-au-Prince and drive a deepening humanitarian crisis, as 5.5 million Haitians remain in need of help. Medical care continues to be disrupted as hospitals remain closed and the few that are operating face supply and staff shortages. Port-au-Prince remains a no-go zone for commercial U.S. flights, but helicopters are buzzing as those with deep pockets — and visas or foreign passports — make their way to Cap-Haïtien in the north to catch the only airline currently flying into the United States.

They are being joined by scores of Haitian nationals who have qualified to come to the U.S. as part of the two-year-humanitarian parole program launched by the Biden administration in January 2023.

On Wednesday, there were reports of shots being fired along the Airport Road. Amid the ongoing violence, political tensions are running high as former political allies become foes in the ongoing attempt to introduce a new governing structure that the U.S., Caribbean leaders and others hope will help create a path out of the crisis.

After more than a month of negotiations, Haiti’s new governance structure has finally been established and members of a new presidential council have been named, though some observers are concerned that the seeds of the next crisis may be taking root. The council was named without any verification that they meet the legal requirements to serve in the executive leadership of the country.

And the dire humanitarian crisis remains front and center. The United Nations is still struggling to raise $674 million from an international community that has only managed to send in $45 million; the main seaport in Haiti remains closed, meaning store shelves are increasingly bare, and Haitians are trying hard not to break under the pressure as mental health emerges as problem amid the deepening hunger.

Here is the latest update on the ongoing crisis since Feb. 29:

▪ Gangs: The heavy gunfire and attacks continue across Port-au-Prince, where the latest massacre occurred in Cabaret, a rural town just north of the capital. Local media reported that 10 people were killed by gunmen on April 11 at a public market. After the killings, the gunmen looted businesses and stole vehicles. Haiti’s police forces continue to thwart attempts by armed groups to overtake the presidential palace and the international airport.

▪ The displaced: There are currently 362,500 people who have been displaced by gang violence, the U.N. said in its latest report. In the Port-au-Prince there were 89,007 people spread across 87 campsites as of April 5. Of those only 57% have access to drinking water.

▪ Outside of Port-au-Prince: The International Organization for Migration is assisting migrants, particularly in Cap Haïtien in the north and near the border areas of Ounaminthe and Belladère.

▪ Humanitarian crisis: Since March 1, more than 5.2 million liters of drinking water have been distributed to displaced people in Port-au-Prince. However, constraints remain due to access, transport costs and lack of funds. These are major challenges to helping the homeless. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, reminded reporters in New York on Wednesday that “more than half of those displaced are women and a third of them are children.” The response continues: On Tuesday, the World Food Program delivered more than 14,000 hot meals to Haitians who have been forced out of their homes by the violence as well as 226,000 school lunches across the country.

▪ Air bridge: Gang-controlled roads remain risky and costly, as armed groups set up tolls to allow passage. Even the sea is becoming dangerous after gangs hijacked a boat carrying several tons of rice. That has left helicopters as one of the few solutions. The World Food Program is facilitating air transport of humanitarian supplies into Haiti through Cap-Haïtien. The operation began Friday with supplies from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization in Panama, as well as the International Organization for Migration.

▪ Food: While the World Food Program reports that it’s ramping up food assistance in Haiti, it also warns that its supplies may run out by the end of this month. “WFP only has enough food in the country to feed 175,000 people for one month and the closure of Haiti’s main port and airport [in Port-au-Prince] about a month ago has disrupted the flow of aid coming into Haiti,” Dujarric said.

▪ Politics: After a tense war of words and accusations against Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s government, the nine members of the transitional presidential council have finally been officially named. Henry and his council of ministers formalized their appointment in a decree that was published Tuesday in Le Moniteur, the country’s official gazette. There is still no date yet on when the seven voting members and two non-voting observers will actually be sworn into office. In the meantime, a commission with four subcommittees has been set up to plan the installation and transition. Each of the nine sectors on the presidential commission has designated a member. The subcommittees are logistics, protocol, security and transfer of files from current government ministries.

▪ Good news: Open Society Foundation, the philanthropic group founded by billionaire George Soros that has been funding initiatives in Haiti since 1995, announced Wednesday that it will provide millions of dollars to help deal with urgent needs in Haiti.

The private human-rights group is giving $20 million to Boston-based W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which last fall launched a Pockets of Hope campaign to continue providing grants to grassroots organizations in Haiti to help them make a difference in their communities.

Open Society’s investment will support a range of initiatives: human rights, women’s rights and gender equality advocacy; protecting the well-being of small farmers; promoting arts and culture, and facilitating collaboration between universities and institutions to promote critical thinking, academic freedom and intellectual inquiry.

“Haiti is in urgent need of support, and philanthropic organizations need to step up and offer meaningful assistance,” said Alex Soros, chair of the Open Society Foundation. “By combining our resources with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, we can amplify our impact and provide vital support to Haitian civil society organizations working tirelessly to address these challenges.”