March 14th 2024.
The Caribbean leaders are deeply concerned about the current state of affairs in Haiti and have decided to hold an emergency meeting in Jamaica. The situation in Haiti has been described as "dire" and leaders from the 15-member intergovernmental community, known as Caricom, have extended invitations to the United States, France, the United Nations, and Brazil to join the discussion. The meeting is scheduled for March 11th and the main topic of concern will be the ongoing attacks that have left Haiti in a state of crisis for over a week.
The violence in Haiti has reached a new level, with Haitian gangs launching massive attacks on three police stations in the capital city of Port-au-Prince on March 8th. These attacks continued the next day and have left the city paralyzed. In response to these events, the Caricom released a joint statement acknowledging that efforts have been made to bring opposing parties and civil society groups together to form a unified government. However, they also recognize that these efforts have not been successful yet and that urgent action is needed.
The Caricom statement also emphasized the importance of a high-level engagement between the regional leaders and the international community. This will send a clear message of unity as they work together to provide critical support to the people of Haiti during this time of crisis. The lack of progress in forming a transitional government has caused frustration among the residents of Haiti, who are tired of waiting for a solution. Many have been forced to leave their homes due to the violence and are now taking matters into their own hands.
One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed their frustration by saying, "We are the ones who pay taxes, and we need to have shelter." Another resident, also choosing to remain unidentified, stated, "They came with big guns. We have no guns and cannot defend ourselves. All of us, including the children, are suffering." These words paint a grim picture of the current situation in Haiti, where the violence has become so intense that even the European Union has been forced to evacuate their staff.
The European Commission has released a statement explaining their decision to move their staff to a safer location outside of Haiti. "As a response to the dramatic security deterioration, we took the decision to reduce our activities on the ground and we moved the staff of the EU delegation in Port-au-Prince to a safer location outside the country," said European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano. However, this move has been met with criticism as it is not helping the people of Haiti, who have been suffering for a very long time.
Haiti has been struggling with economic and structural crises for years, and the current situation has only made things worse. According to the World Food Programme, close to five million people in Haiti are suffering from acute hunger, which is half of the island's population. With limited food and water supply and a dysfunctional government for over a year, the people of Haiti are facing a dire situation. The country's previous president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated in July 2021, and the unelected current prime minister, Ariel Henry, is refusing to step down. However, Henry has agreed to hold general elections by mid-2025, with the help of the international community, who have been working to find foreign armed aid willing to fight against gang violence.
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