The Fondation Pain d’Espoir is deeply afflicted by the worsening of climate security in Haiti that is increasingly affecting the population, specially children of Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. The recent violence between armed groups in Plaine du Cul-de-Sac is a flagrant evidence of an aggravated deterioration of security conditions in Haiti.

According to an initial report by a government Civil Protection’s representative, the war between two rival gangs in the Croix des Bouquets area starting on April 26th till today May 3rd, has already taken the lives of more than 20 people, a whole family of 8 people including children. Many corpses are abondonned in affected neighborhoods as authorities and families still do not have access to the areas. This merciless violence has caused thousands of families to be displaced to the public square of Clercine and elsewhere, leaving behind elderly relatives, disabled people and burned houses. This lamentable situation for the inhabitants of the northern part of the capital, who are now taking refuge in an unsuitable shelter, reminds the nightmare imposed by the violence of armed gangs for almost a year in Martissant, at the southern entrance to the capital, cutting off access to circulation of people, goods and services toward four other provincial departments of the country.

The Foundation is outraged by the indifference of the Haitian government while the population is being terrorized by multiple acts of banditry. Business and school activities are paralyzed in areas occupied by gangs which are approximatively 150 for the whole country, 90 among them are operating in Port-au-Prince’s area for a total of 600 000 illegal guns in circulation according to an expert interviewed on France 24. During the months of March and April, several children, including a girl and a boy, were hit in the head by projectiles from the gang war in Carrefour-Feuilles. During the first quarter of 2022, the illegal migration phenomenon “Boat People” has significantly increased. Children and adolescents are among the hundreds of Haitians who riskily put their lives in peril on makeshift boats to reach the offshores of Florida and neighbor islands of Caribbean region. A skyrocketing deterioration of socio-economic conditions since the assassination of late President Jovenel Moise forcing thousands of Haitians  to flee a country troubled by gang violence and careless leadership.

The outnumbered cases of kidnappings, rapes and assassinations that occur daily in the country are intolerable, 225 cases for the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 58% comparing to 2021, according to local human rights organization observing security in Haiti, CARDH.  A Dominican diplomat and two senior directors of State Agency for handicapped people have been kidnapped this week. At this regard, the Foundation condemns the extent of this unprecedented violence and the culture of impunity that prevails in Haiti. It also condemns the laxity of the Haitian authorities and urges the government to respect the right to security of every citizen recognized by the Haitian constitution. Fondation Pain d’Espoir reminds to Haitian government its prerogative to guarantee accessible education and protection of children according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child ratified by Haiti. The government must take drastic resolutions to eradicate this violence and bring the intellectual authors, arms traffickers and accomplices to justice. The Foundation Pain d’Espoir demands the authorities to take their responsibility in hands  and restore peace as soon as possible in all areas and neighborhoods affected by this crisis with the aim of every child can freely enjoy his or her right to evolve in a safe environment while making Haitian population regains the desire to live in the country.

For media inquiries, Please contact:
Mr. Jonathan René
Secretary
P:+509 37572417
Mr. Gumais Jean Jacques
Vice President Communications & External Relations
P: +50939358585
E: paindespoir@gmail.com