Editorial Staff
29/01/2023

Editorial Staff
29/01/2023

CARICOM concerned about situation in Haiti

CARICOM says it is deeply concerned that the contrasting incidents involving the Haitian national Police indicate the severity of the challenges that the police face as well as a further breakdown in security in Haiti.

The Haitian government is under mounting pressure amid violent protests by police who accuse interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry of inaction. The UN is considering sending troops to stabilize the nation in crisis.

In a statement released last night, CARICOM strongly condemns the killing of police officers and expresses its condolences to the families of the officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

The anger and dismay of the police at the gruesome killings of their colleagues, 78 killed since July 2021 and 14 to date this January, are shared by all.

However, abandoning the role of the security forces to protect every citizen and maintain public order further destabilizes the country. The protest actions by members of the police service against the Prime Minister cannot be condoned. 

CARICOM urges the members of the Haitian National Police to safeguard peace and order and refrain from actions that could only serve to foster even greater damage to the country and its people.

According to reports from the BBC, Rebel police officers rioted in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince on Thursday in protest at the killing of more than a dozen colleagues by criminal gangs.

“The rioting officers blame the government for not taking action. More than 100 demonstrators blocked streets, burned tires, broke security cameras, and damaged vehicles. Local media said several officers broke through the gates of the prime minister’s residence and attempted to enter Haiti’s international airport,” the article said.

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