The United Nations Mission in Support of Justice in Haiti (Minujusth) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have submitted a very detailed investigation report of the information collected by the Department of Human Rights (SDH) of Minujusth on the bloody events that occurred on November 13 and 14, 2018 in La Saline, a popular district of the municipality of Port-au-Prince classified red zones by the National Police of Haiti (PNH), where about 5,000 inhabitants live in a situation of economic and social precariousness.

During these two days, described as the massacre of La Saline, armed gangs fighting for control of this deprived neighborhood attacked residents targeted for alleged affiliation to opposing armed gangs, executing at least 26 people (from 10 months old to 72 years age old, including 3 women and 3 children) and committing numerous acts of violence, including at least two gang rapes and at least 12 missing persons (aged 18 to 35) and pillaging the property of at least 53 victims

During these events, the PNH, although warned, did not intervene to put an end to the violence and protect the civilians present. In addition, the lack of intervention in the days following the violence allowed the gangs to dismember and burn the bodies of many victims to destroy the traces of their actions.

The SDH was able to meet many victims and their families, Haitian civil society actors as well as representatives of State institutions, including the judiciary, to document the events and the authorities' response to the violence and the crimes committed.

This report was shared with the Government of Haiti prior to its publication and the comments received were inserted in the text. It does not claim to be exhaustive and only presents cases documented and verified by Minujusth. However, "it raises many concerns about human rights abuses against residents of La Saline and the alleged involvement of PNH agents and State officials."

The report makes recommendations to the Haitian authorities, in particular to ensure that those suspected of responsibility for such violence, including those exercising or having exercised public positions, are brought to justice in accordance with international standards regarding fair trial and to ensure the effective implementation of appropriate disciplinary measures during the judicial proceedings.

Download the full UN report on the La Saline massacre (in french) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/minujusth_hcdh_rapport_la_saline.pdf

HL/ HaitiLibre