PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, Feb 17, CMC – The union representing the Haitian National Police Union (PNH) is calling on the government to institute a state of emergency (SoE) as well as suspend all unnecessary activities such as carnivals and other festivities throughout the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
In a statement, The SPNH-17, said the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT), the government s well as the National Police Superior Council (CSPN) should provide the police with necessary means to reconquer arears taken over by criminal gangs.
The SPNH-17 has given the authorities until March 12, “to provide clear signs that the country is on the path to security” warning that “if no concrete measures are taken, we will consider that the authorities have abandoned the population and the police in the hands of criminals”
The SNPH-17 said it is calling on the CPT, the government and the CSPN to “immediatel” undertake a number of measures including declaring “a state of security emergency throughout the territory and suspend all unnecessary activities such as carnivals and other festivities”.
In addition, it wants all police officers, “especially those who worked with former officials and who are on site, to make them available within two days until further notice” as well as “release funds for security operations, namely money for intelligence, risk bonuses and food for police officers on the ground”.
The union wants place care units and ambulances in each area where operations are taking place to assist police officers and military personnel who may be victims during the interventions.
It is also calling for a re-organisation of the police and “put in place leaders who can make good decisions and support police officers on the ground”.
The union gave no indication as to what would be the next steps should the authorities not implement the measures beinng called for.
Last week, the international human rights group, Amnesty International, saidrelentless gang violence in the Haitian capital and surrounding areas has resulted in a brutal attack on childhood in the country.
It said since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, violence by armed gangs has escalated significantly in Haiti, claiming an estimated 5,600 lives last year. Gangs control the majority of the capital Port-au-Prince, while more than 5.5 million people require urgent humanitarian assistance.
CMC/af/ir/2025