UNITED NATIONS, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A UN spokesperson expressed deep concern on Friday over the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Haiti, while noting that police have managed to repel some gang attacks on crucial infrastructure.
"We remain deeply concerned by the rapidly deteriorating security situation amid ongoing gang violence and sporadic confrontations between heavily armed gangs and police forces in some parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince," said Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Dujarric's colleagues reported from Haiti that national police pushed back coordinated gang attacks on critical infrastructures, including the airport.
"We are, however, very worried about reports of gangs having breached and looted Port-au-Prince's seaport," he said. "Port operations have been suspended for some days now."
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said it received reports on Thursday that the country's main port, Caribbean Port Services, was looted. Several humanitarian organizations have containers of medicine, food, and other goods at the port. Efforts are being made to protect the humanitarian stocks.
"The secretary-general reiterates his calls on the government and all national stakeholders to agree on immediate steps to advance the political process that will lead to elections," the spokesman said. "He also reiterates the need for urgent international action, including immediate financial support for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, which is desperately needed to tackle insecurity in Haiti."
The Kenya-led MSS force is made up of police contingents from nations volunteering formed units to serve in Haiti to aid Haiti's law enforcement officers in fighting gang violence. While the UN Security Council authorizes it, it is not a UN mission. However, it is financed by a trust fund established by the world body.
Dujarric confirmed that the United Nations is attending a Monday meeting organized by CARICOM (Caribbean Community) at the CARICOM headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica.
He said the secretary-general's chef de cabinet, Courtenay Rattray, will attend, along with several international partners, to foster support toward restoring democratic institutions in Haiti in the shortest possible time.
The spokesman briefed correspondents at the UN headquarters on the humanitarian front in Haiti, saying that despite the violence and limited access, the world body and its partners continue to support civilians.
"In a statement issued this morning in Port-au-Prince, the UN team said that gender-based violence protection and services have been reduced or suspended for security and access reasons," Dujarric said. "They say that if violence continues in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, about 3,000 pregnant women could be denied access to essential healthcare."
He said that the World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners managed to deliver food to over 7,000 people.
"Earlier this month, food rations were also provided to 9,000 people in Cite Soleil, including pregnant women and orphans, through local faith-based organizations," the spokesman said. "More aid distributions are planned in the coming days."
Dujarric also corrected what he reported earlier, and that is, WFP suspended its maritime transport service on Feb. 23, not on Thursday, due to increasing insecurity.
He said while WFP has other means outside of Port-au-Prince to bring in or to purchase food, suspension of the maritime road service presents a challenge for humanitarian and development organizations to deliver food and medical supplies from the capital to the Great North and Great South areas of Haiti.
"For example, in Gonaives and Jeremie, the WFP used mobile money to send cash to 14,000 vulnerable people in the first week of March," Dujarric said. "The humanitarian community reiterates the call to all parties to allow for safe, unhindered access to all people in need, in line with humanitarian principles and norms and, frankly, basic decency." ■
