UN calls for international support for Haiti

UN deputy secretary general Amina Mohammed on Wednesday urged every country to meet the Haitian government’s October request for armed forces. Armed gangs have expanded their activities and are using killings and rape to intimidate villages, Mohammed said. The UN special envoy for Haiti told the Security Council that there were 280 intentional homicides in November. The envoy also said the number of kidnappings for ransom doubled this year to 1,200.

What happened to Haiti’s police force? The Haitian National Police are underfunded and do not have sufficient equipment, Mohammed said. The force is down to 13,000 personnel with less than 9,000 available as active duty officers. Some Haitians oppose international involvement and accuse UN peacekeepers of doing more harm than good the last time they were in Haiti.

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Russell’s report in Word Tour on Haiti’s request for assistance.