In Secretary-General António Guterres' report on children and armed conflicts in the world, submitted on June 3rd to the Security Council, the section devoted to Haiti is frightening... The report covers the period from January to December 2023. The UN has confirmed the accuracy of all the information provided in this report, while clarifying that it does not comprehensively account for all violations committed against children.

In Haiti, the UN confirmed and verified 383 serious violations committed against 307 children, including 32 children victims of multiple violations.

Recruitment and use of children:

The recruitment and use of 23 children (17 boys, 6 girls), by Brooklyn (5), Grand Ravine (4), Village de Dieu "5 Segond gang" (4), Team Ascenseur (2), Bas Grand Grif de Savien (1), 400 Mawozo (1), Force Résistance Chandelle (1) and Belekou (1) armed gangs, and by unidentified armed gangs (4), was verified. Children were used in attacks against the Haitian National Police or were tortured and burned alive by Baz Gran Grif de Savien and Force Résistance Chandelle armed gangs. Girls were used for sexual purposes.

Children killed and physical harm :

The gangs are involved in the death of 128 children and 78 attacks on their physical integrity. These are unidentified armed gangs (26), Belekou (18), 400 Mawozo (12), Boston (11), Canaan (9), Les Argentins de Haut Bel-Air (8), G9 Family and Allies (7), G-Pèp coalition (6) and other armed gangs (70), and by unidentified perpetrators (4) in crossfire between armed gangs and the Haitian National Police were verified. Casualties resulted mainly from stray bullets (125) and targeted killings (62), including children who were victims of gang rapes or burned alive as part of reprisals.

Sexual violence :

Sexual violence was perpetrated against 41 girls by unidentified armed gangs (11) and by Baz Gran Grif de Savien (6), Village de Dieu "5 Segond gang" (5), Canaan (4), Belekou (3), Grand Ravine (2), G9 Family and Allies (2), Krazé Baryé (2), Ti Bois (2), Bel-Air (1), 400 Mawozo (1), Kokorat Sans Ras (1), G Pèp coalition (1) armed gangs. Cases involved rape, gang rape and sexual slavery .

Child abduction:

71 children were kidnapped (30 boys, 31 girls, 10 sex unknown) by

unidentified armed gangs (22), Les Argentins de Haut Bel-Air (14), Baz Gran Grif de Savien (9), Kokorat Sans Ras (5), Krazé Baryé (4), Canaan (3), Belekou (3), Village de Dieu "5 Segond gang" (3), Grand Ravine (2), Palmis (2), Bel-Air (1), Delmas 6 Gang (1), 400 Mawozo (1) and Krache Dife (1) armed gangs were verified. Most abductions were for ransom (65) and sexual violence (4).

António Guterres welcomes the signature of a handover protocol in January 2024 between the Government and the United Nations for the transfer of children allegedly associated with armed gangs to civilian child protection actors.

"I remain deeply concerned by indiscriminate armed gang violence and grave violations against children, in particular the killing and maiming and abduction of children, and the perpetration of sexual violence against children. I call for accelerating the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission to assist the Haitian National Police in re-establishing security in Haiti, as authorized by the Security Council in its resolution 2699 (2023), and for appropriate training in child protection for its personnel."

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42472-haiti-flash-more-than-30-of-gang-members-are-children.html

HL/ HaitiLibre