(VOVWORLD) -The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights demanded that Haiti not delay in establishing a transitional government to deal with rising gang violence.
 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
Addressing the Human Rights Council on Tuesday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk highlighted the urgency of ending political deadlock and restoring peace, stability, and domestic security. He called on the international community to take stronger measures to prevent the illegal supply, sale, diversion, or transfer of weapons to Haiti.
It is estimated that more than 53,000 people left Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince in the first three weeks of March. Between January 1 and March 22, more than 1,500 people were killed and 17,000 were made homeless by a wave of violence.
Violent clashes between the Haitian National Police and armed gangs continued on Tuesday at Champs de Mars square in the center of the capital. People are being urged to evacuate this area.
The governments of Germany, Canada, the US, France, Mexico, and many other countries have evacuated their citizens from Haiti and are maintaining only essential operations at their embassies. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday the successful evacuation of more than 200 Americans from Haiti.