Gang Violence Rampant, Body Found Floating In The Capital Of Haiti

PIXABAY ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - A number of bodies were found on Friday (22/3) morning in several areas in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, which has been hit by intense violence from gangs seeking to expand their control in recent weeks.

Local media reported the findings of about 12 bodies, most of which were burned, and found in downtown Port-au-Prince, in the Delmas and Petion-Ville neighborhoods, an area of wealthy people on the outskirts of the capital. Authorities have confirmed that at least 30 bodies were found in less than a week in hilly areas of the capital.

Pada Kamis (21/3) malam, terjadi beberapa perjuangan antara geng bersenjata dengan aparat kepolisian, yang menyebabkan kematian pemimpin gen Ti Greg, yang melarikan diri dari penjara pada 2 Maret lalu.

While the bodies found on Friday were reportedly the people accompanying Ti Greg, and were killed in the clashes, which civilians later burned. Photo of Ernst Julme alias Ti Greg who led the Delmas 95 gang has been circulating on social media.

Reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Saturday, March 23, in the past three weeks, the capital of Haiti has been hit by a wave of gang violence, which has caused severe food shortages, according to the United Nations.

The heavily armed gangs waged wars with other armed criminal groups as well as police and they have blockaded ports and surrounded port-au-Prince international airports.

About 1.4 million Haitians are heading for starvation, said Urrika Richardson, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti. The increase in violence in downtown Port-au-Prince has also caused many hospitals to close.

Heavy armed groups have moved forward to new areas of the capital, where more than 33,000 people have fled in the past 15 days, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The widespread attacks and insecurity forced more and more people to leave the capital to seek refuge in provinces, risk traveling through gangs-controlled streets, said Richardson, describing daily tensions, gunshots, sexual violence and fear. rising throughout the capital.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was stranded in Puerto Rico due to rising violence in his country, last week announced his resignation after the presidential transition council was formed.

A gang attack began on February 29, when Henry was in Kenya signing an agreement to encourage the deployment of the UN-backed Kenyan police force in the country.