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ACT Update
Haiti
- 1/2004
Social
- Political Crisis
Geneva,
24 February, 2004
Since October 2003, political violence in Haiti has resulted in the
deaths of 150 persons with several hundred injured. As of February
2004, the popular uprising and insurgents have spread to the north,
east and south of the country. Affected areas have become unsafe,
as pro-government armed civilians are believed to be associating themselves
with the police in trying to regain control. The exact number of casualties
remains uncertain. Many residents are taking advantage of the chaos
to go on the rampage and loot shops, public buildings, private homes,
etc. The situation deteriorated further when an armed insurgent group
called "Freedom and National Reconstruction Front" seized control
of Gonaïves, burning the city police station and freeing a hundred
prisoners.
ACT Members in Haiti - Christian Aid (CAID), Fédération
Protestante d'Haiti (FPH), Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Service
Chrétien d'Haiti (SCH) - are monitoring the situation.
They report that the rebels are making further head-way in the north
and that the prospects for the next few days are extremely pessimistic
as far as the humanitarian situation is concerned. Many embassies
and international organizations have recommended that their people
leave Haiti without delay. The border with the Dominican Republic
is closed to private vehicles. The roads to the north and south of
the country are highly insecure – the two main roads to the north
have been closed. Insecurity also reigns in the main cities and Port-au-Prince.
Cities such as Gonaive and Cap Haitien have had no fuel for a week,
consequently there is no power. Basic services such as hospitals and
clinics, water and sanitation are not functioning. The few hospitals
still operating are mostly private institutions and severely over-stretched
in their capacity to provide essential medical services. There
is an increasing risk of epidemics. NGOs are providing food to 250,000
people (among them 85,000 children).
On 9 January 2004, ACT Members in Haiti requested
support to assist victims of the political violence with medical assistance,
transport, safe accommodation, food and non food items, and the ACT
CO sent U$11,500 from the Rapid Response Fund (RRF). An appeal is
now being prepared by the members, with an estimated budget target
of US$ 300,000.
However, due to the gravity of the situation, ACT members are requesting
further immediate support (U$38,500) to provide medicines and medical
materials to the increasing victims of the political violence. The
ACT CO is urgently requesting ACT funding members to inform us of
their intention to support this request and the forthcoming appeal.
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