United Nations set to activate rapid armed force to help end Haiti crisis

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres submitted a proposal to the Security Council urging them to send a rapid action force to Haiti which is suffering from a major cholera outbreak as well as rampant gang activities. According to the Associated Press, the RAF will assist Haiti’s National Police.

The proposal was drafted after the Haitian government urged the UN for “the immediate deployment of a specialized armed force, in sufficient quantity” in order to combat the ongoing crisis. On one hand, gang activity has gone up considerably and on the other, protests have erupted all around the county demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry for his “inability to control the situation”.

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Guterres said on Monday that the force would“remove the threat posed by armed gangs and provide immediate protection to critical infrastructure and services” and secure the “free movement of water, fuel, food, and medical supplies from main ports and airports to communities and health care facilities.”

The cholera outbreak in the country has already claimed several lives with the hospitals completely filled with infected people. Fuel crises as well as food shortages have become quite common in recent months and doctors believe that the situation is getting worse due to the lack of proper water.

According to the latest data published by the UN, around 150 people have been affected till now, and added that “three-fourths of major hospitals across Haiti were unable to provide critical service". The report also said that patients have not experienced proper conditions in several hospitals.

(with inputs from agencies)