UNITED NATIONS: UN humanitarians on Friday said they were deeply concerned about escalating unrest in Haiti’s major cities, where more than 1,100 people have been killed or injured in the first month of this year.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) cited the UN Human Rights Office for the tally of casualties in the capital of Port-au-Prince and other major cities, the highest for the period in two years.

“In recent days, outbreaks of deadly violence amid demonstrations have caused major disruptions to humanitarian operations, affecting our plans to reach civilians in need, especially those at displacement sites,” OCHA said. “There are more than 313,000 people displaced around the country.”
The humanitarians said that road blockages and movement restrictions impact healthcare workers and compromise access to essential social services. Difficulties accessing roads and ports also affect the delivery of life-saving relief.

“One humanitarian organization in the Department of Sud was also looted, which will have a major impact on its operations in the coming days,” said the office.

Additionally, the humanitarians said more than 1,000 schools nationwide, including in Port-au-Prince and other urban areas, were temporarily closed in mid-January because of ongoing anti-gang demonstrations.

OCHA said that violence in the country increased the price of food items by almost 25 percent.

Xinhua