Violence in Haiti and extensive looting, including that of a United Nations warehouse – Liberation

One of the looted warehouses contained 1,400 tons of food intended for school meals for the poorest children. Port-au-Prince recorded its fourth consecutive day of violence on Friday.–

New violence and looting erupted on Friday in several Haiti cities following the government’s decision to raise the price of fuel, with protesters going so far as to loot a United Nations World Food Program (WFP) warehouse. This warehouse located in Gonaives, the third largest city in the country, contained 1,400 tons of food. He was targeted by protesters on Thursday, while street anger was expressed in the capital Port-au-Prince and various other provincial towns.

In a statement released on Friday, WFP condemned the attack on his office and the looting of his warehouse in Gonaives, noting that the food was destined for school meal programs and for the most vulnerable families and children in Haiti, a nation that it sinks deeper. crisis every day. “This incident is simply unacceptable. The looted food was supposed to feed nearly 100,000 schoolchildren by the end of the year. “ deplores Jean-Martin Bauer, director of WFP in Haiti, quoted in the press release.

Scenes of looting have been seen elsewhere in Gonaïves and Saint-Marc, two main towns in the Artibonite department. According to the newspaper the novelist, the premises of the United Nations Office for Project Services, several congregational schools, a public university and several businesses were looted and looted.

Shops and stores burned down

The Haitian capital recorded its fourth consecutive day of violence. Since Tuesday, protesters have attacked companies and buildings housing public institutions. On Thursday, protesters attacked and ransacked the premises of Haiti’s national television and an office of the national archives. Several shops, stores and other businesses were also looted and burned. Between Wednesday and Thursday, the homes of two neighbors to the government, lawyer André Michel and former senator Edmonde Beauzile, were looted and looted. The residence of Ricard Pierre, the government’s Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, was also attacked. A press release released by André Michel, one of these victims, confirmed these three attacks.

In a message released on Friday, the United Nations Secretary General said “concerned about the situation in Haiti”, from the voice of his spokesperson. Antonio Guterres asked for calm and maximum restraint, urging “all parties concerned to take immediate action to reduce the situation, avert violence and enable the Haitian National Police to fulfill its mandate to protect the population”, according to this press release.

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