UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations Thursday said that last week’s deadly attack in the commune of Cabaret, in the West Department, has forced thousands of people to flee their home in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
Displaced Haitians (File Photo)Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, told the daily news briefing that Guterres had strongly condemned the reported killing of at least 40 people, including women, children and the elderly in that attack.
According to the International Organization of Migration (IOM), the attacks drove more than 4,700 people from their homes. More than two thirds of them sought refuge in the nearby commune of Arcahaie.
The IOM said that while the majority of the displaced are being hosted by families, 23 percent of them have taken shelter in four schools.
“These attacks underscore once again the worsening security and humanitarian situation in Haiti,” said Dujarrric, adding that “these attacks also come less than a month before the start of the new school year, further deepening the education crisis as several schools already under strain are being used as displacement sites, which is of course disrupting the lives of both students and teachers”.
He said forced displacements, destruction and attacks against people are driving up humanitarian needs, compounding existing crises in health, nutrition and education.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is coordinating the response to ensure that assistance reaches the most vulnerable, despite extremely challenging conditions.
But Dujarric said that the humanitarian response in Haiti remains severely underfunded, with only 13 per cent per cent of the US$908 million needed in the bank.
