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Latest data from the International Organization for Migration indicates that more than one million people have been displaced across Haiti so far, up from the 315,000 recorded on 20 December 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most concrete data we have is that around 1,041,000 people are currently living in displacement in Haiti. Most of these people have been displaced multiple times<\/strong>,\u201d said IOM spokesperson Kennedy Okoth Omondi.<\/p>\n The majority of those forced to flee their homes left the capital Port-au-Prince, where heavily armed gang violence is \u201crelentless\u201d while essential\u00a0services have collapsed \u2013 \u201cparticularly healthcare and worsening food insecurity\u201d, Mr. Omondi continued.<\/p>\n Neighbouring provinces have also been impacted by gang violence and an influx of Haitians fleeing spiralling insecurity. \u201cMany are seeking refuge in Haiti\u2019s provinces, overwhelming host communities and straining limited resources,\u201d the IOM spokesperson said. \u201cIn the Artibonite department, displacement tripled in 2024, reaching over 84,000 people<\/strong>, highlighting the spread of violence beyond the Haitian capital.\u201d<\/p>\n Last week the UN human rights office, OHCHR,\u00a0reported that shocking gang violence left more than 5,600 people dead last year.<\/p>\n In recent weeks, gangs have been held responsible for killing hundreds of people in separate massacres over the course of several days.<\/p>\n In the first incident, OHCHR said that some victims were dismembered, after being accused of using alleged voodoo practices to cause the death of the leader of the Wharf J\u00e9r\u00e9mie gang in the capital\u2019s Cit\u00e9 Soleil, before their body parts were tossed into the sea.<\/p>\n The UN rights office also documented 315 lynchings of gang members and people allegedly associated with gangs, which on some occasions were reportedly facilitated by Haitian police officers.<\/p>\n On 24 December, armed men reportedly opened fire on journalists at a press conference being held to announce the reopening of the Caribbean island nation\u2019s largest public hospital, killing three.<\/p>\n IOM noted that the deportation of some 200,000 Haitians principally from the Dominican Republic has placed an even greater strain on the country\u2019s overwhelmed social services. \u201cCommunities are already struggling to basically survive,\u201d<\/strong> Mr. Omondi said.<\/p>\n As the violence continues, the UN agency explained that it has become more difficult to safely reach the most vulnerable people in a growing number of displacement sites.<\/p>\n These are mainly concentrated in the capital and have mushroomed from 73 to 108 within a year<\/strong>, IOM said, highlighting severe overcrowding and a lack of adequate access to food, clean water, sanitation and education.<\/p>\nThousands killed in 2024<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Forcibly returned to Haiti<\/strong><\/h2>\n