CNN
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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the international community to consider deploying forces to Haitian to address the growing humanitarian and security crises in the country.
Guterres’ comments come just days after the Haitian government requested international military assistance as the country deals with rampant gang violence, a deadly cholera outbreak and anti-government protests. The government has paralyzed the country since the end of August. The e-country has mostly been shut down as Haitians protested against chronic gang violence, poverty, food insecurity, inflation and lack of fuel.
“I am calling on the international community to help us, support us in any way necessary to avoid the situation from getting worse. We need to be able to distribute water and medicine because cholera is on the rise again. We need to reopen businesses and clear the way for doctors and nurses to work. We ask for their help to be able to distribute fuel and for schools to reopen,” Prime Minister Ariel Henry said on Wednesday.
Guterres on Sunday called on the international community to “consider the urgent matter of the Government of Haiti regarding the immediate deployment of an international specialized armed force”.
What exactly forces consist of is still unclear.
The capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, is the scene of brutal gang battles this summer that saw entire neighborhoods on fire, displacing thousands of families and leaving others stranded in their homes, afraid to leave even in search of food and water.
Hundreds of people are dead, injured or missing. Crime still controls or affects parts of the country’s most populous city, and kidnappings for ransom threaten the daily mobility of residents. In recent weeks, protesters in several cities have called for Henry’s resignation in the face of high fuel prices, soaring inflation and unchecked crime.
Their anger was further fueled last month when Henry announced that he would cut fuel subsidies to fund the government – a move that would double pump prices. Haiti’s powerful gangs have exacerbated the fuel crisis by blockading the country’s main port at Port-au-Prince.
Jean Junior Joseph, Henry’s adviser, told CNN on Monday: “We hope the international community quickly dispatches specialized armed forces to respond to our request before things become a mess. worse than.
