Haiti Gang Crisis: Leading Rights Expert Condemns Hospital Attacks

UN Expert Condemns Violent Attacks on Hospitals and Journalists in Haiti

William O’Neill, a specialist reporting to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has raised alarm over escalating violence in Haiti, spotlighting recent attacks on healthcare facilities and journalists. His latest statement emphasized two tragic incidents: an assault on Bernard Mevs Hospital in Port-au-Prince on December 17 and the killing of several journalists, along with a police officer, during the General Hospital’s reopening on December 24.

The victims of the December 24 attack had been present to mark the hospital’s official reopening.

“Criminal gangs have murdered and kidnapped physicians, nurses, and healthcare workers, including humanitarian personnel,” O’Neill said. He further condemned the destruction of critical medical infrastructure, noting that gangs have burned, ransacked, and destroyed hospitals and clinics, forcing many to shut down or significantly curtail operations.

As the rights expert reported, only 37 percent of healthcare facilities in Port-au-Prince remain fully operational, a dire situation exacerbated by the unchecked violence gripping the capital and endangering millions of residents.

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Healthcare in Crisis

O’Neill highlighted the “precarious conditions” millions of Haitians now face, as rampant gang violence has severely limited access to essential health services. He also revealed reports of repeated threats to attack medical premises, with allegations that some police officers may also be complicit in the violence.

“The Haitian people – including hundreds of thousands of children living in very precarious conditions – are once again paying the high price of this violence, with their right to health severely hindered,” O’Neill lamented. He voiced particular concern over the potential spread of diseases like cholera and tuberculosis due to the breakdown of healthcare services.

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Journalists in Danger

The December 24 attacks also underscored the increasing risks faced by journalists in Haiti, O’Neill noted. Many reporters have been killed or forced to flee the country amidst death threats and targeted violence.

In light of these grave developments, O’Neill appealed to the international community to assist Haitian authorities in restoring security and safeguarding fundamental rights.

“I urge the international community to do everything it can to help Haitian authorities combat rampant insecurity and ensure the realization of the right to health, including unhindered access to health facilities, goods, and services,” he said.

O’Neill also stressed the urgent need for the Haitian government to investigate these violent acts and hold the perpetrators accountable.

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Call for Accountability

O’Neill concluded by emphasizing the importance of justice for the victims of these attacks, urging both national and international actors to collaborate in addressing Haiti’s deepening crisis.

In an October 2023 visit to Haiti, he had met with local authorities, including police officers, to discuss the challenges faced by the country. His latest comments reflect an ongoing concern for the protection of basic human rights amid the nation’s rampant insecurity.