Haiti and Endless Instability (Gang Voilence and Failed State)
Nuray Lydia Oglu, Kanako Mita, and Sawako Utsumi
Modern Tokyo Times
Haiti has become one of the most devastating humanitarian disasters in the world—a place where ordinary life has been overtaken by criminal violence, political collapse, and systemic breakdown. United Nations-designated human rights expert William O’Neill has described conditions in the country as “hell on earth”—a stark but accurate summary of the lived reality for millions of Haitians.
These groups levy extortion, obstruct commerce and humanitarian aid, and administer brutal, arbitrary rule over civilians. Their presence has turned once-normal streets into zones of fear and impunity.
The scale of killing is staggering. According to United Nations human rights data, at least 5,600 people were killed in gang violence in 2024 alone. In early 2025, more than 1,600 murders were documented in just a single quarter, underscoring that the violence remains relentless and shows no sign of abating (little hope of stability in 2026).
Lee Jay Walker, an analyst at the Modern Tokyo Times, states: “The UN reports a harrowing reality marked by extrajudicial killings, human trafficking, murder, child exploitation, gang rape, and other severe human rights abuses.”
Gang violence in Haiti hasn’t just taken lives—it has weaponized violence against civilians. Sexual violence is now pervasive; gang rape is the predominant form of documented sexual assault, and often accompanied by murder and mutilation.
Doctors Without Borders reports a tripling in sexual violence victims treated at one Port-au-Prince clinic, with more than 2,300 cases in the first nine months of 2025 alone—half involving multiple attackers.
Health services are collapsing, and many clinics and hospitals have shut down under pressure from insecurity and supply disruptions.
Haiti has not held credible general elections in over a decade. The Transitional Presidential Council’s mandate expired in early February 2026 without a clear path forward, deepening political uncertainty.
Political infighting and attempts to remove leadership have compounded the security vacuum, leaving Haitians without effective governance or basic public services and eroding what little trust remained in state institutions.
Despite the scale of suffering, Haiti’s humanitarian response remains chronically underfunded. The United Nations’ appeals for emergency assistance have been financed at historically low levels—among the worst-funded response plans globally, limiting relief for food, shelter, protection, and healthcare.
On the security front, the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, initially led by Kenyan contingents, is being transitioned into a larger Gang Suppression Force (GSF) authorized by the UN Security Council—but even this effort faces funding and deployment challenges.
The Haitian population’s mistrust of politicians, international bodies, and charities is rooted in a long history of failed interventions and scandals—from political corruption to UN-linked public health disasters (such as the cholera outbreak). This mistrust now fuels reluctance to cooperate, undermining potential solutions and eroding the social fabric necessary to rebuild.
Haiti today is more than just a country in crisis—it is a place where the basic structures of society, law, and human dignity are eroding under relentless pressure. Armed gangs have supplanted public institutions; civilians face violence as routine; hunger stalks millions; women and children bear the brunt of human rights abuses; and international support remains woefully inadequate.
While international missions and limited aid persist, short-term stabilization without deep political reform, sustained humanitarian commitment, and accountable governance risks leaving Haiti mired in a cycle of suffering with no viable exit.
Modern Tokyo News is part of the Modern Tokyo Times group
http://moderntokyotimes.com Modern Tokyo Times – International News and Japan News
http://sawakoart.com – Sawako Utsumi’s website and Modern Tokyo Times artist
https://moderntokyonews.com Modern Tokyo News – Tokyo News and International News
PLEASE JOIN ON TWITTER
https://twitter.com/MTT_News Modern Tokyo Times
PLEASE JOIN ON FACEBOOK