Doctors without borders stops in Haitis capital due to police threats

Von WOM

An important humanitarian organization has announced that it would hire its activities in the Haitian capital on Wednesday. This happens according to a "series of threats" by the local police and could result in a further deterioration in the conditions in the Caribbean nation, which has been suffering from gang crime and political unrest for years.

statements by doctors without limits

doctors without borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), accused the authorities of repeatedly stopping their vehicles and threatening personnel with violence, including death and rape threats. MSF mentioned a fatal incident on 11. November , as civil servants and vigilante justice, supposedly attacked one of their ambulances, while these three injured patients transported to an MSF hospital in Port-Au-Prince. At least two patients were killed, as the organization announced CNN last week.

several incidents with the police

After this attack, MSF stated that they were in trouble in four further encounters with the police. "This series of incidents leaves us no choice than to expose our activities in Port-Au-Prince," said MSF in an explanation.

In recent years, the police, civilian self -justice groups and even rival gangs have been repeatedly accused by doctors and medical staff in the lawless capital to penetrate in health facilities in which they suspect that injured gang members are treated.

police and security situation in Haiti

The Haitian police previously stated that it followed the law. CNN asked for a statement by the Haitian police for the decision of MSF. "As a MSF, we will be happy to work under uncertain conditions, but if even law enforcement becomes a direct threat, we have no choice but to suspend patients in Port-Au-Prince until the conditions that allow us to resume," said Christophe Garnier, Head of the MSF representation.

effects on the health system

MSF announced that the organization will hire the admission and transport of patients in their five medical institutions in the Haitian capital on Wednesday, which affects thousands of people who need treatment. "MSF offers every nursing support based on medical needs alone. Every week, MSF treats more than 1,100 patients on average in the greater Port-Au-Prince area, as well as 54 children with emergencies and more than 80 new survivors of sexualized and gender violence ", explained the organization in a message.

General security situation and international reactions

Brutal gang crime in the capital has led to the kidnapping of hundreds of people and to the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Haitianers. MSF is the latest international group that stops their operations in the Caribbean country. Last week, US airlines Port-au-Prince were hit by balls. The interim presidential council Haitis blamed armed gangs for the fire that one of the planes hit, and accused them of "want to isolate our country on the international stage".

In the past month, a United Nations helicopter was also hit while he flew through Port-Au-Prince. In a separate incident in October, US embassy vehicles were attacked with shots, which for the Evacuation of 20 embassy employees

at the end of February and early March, coordinated gang attacks led to closing the airport and the most important seaport in the Haitian capital, which interrupted the vital food and aid deliveries to the Caribbean nation.