Haiti’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says 135 Haitians will return home on a special flight from Turkey after agreeing to voluntary repatriation.
According to the Ministry, after spending thousands of dollars to go to Turkey hoping for a better life, one year later, “after a failure of integration and a series of disappointments – the Haitians sought the help of the Haitian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
The operation was made possible with help from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with the support of diplomatic missions in Haiti.
According to the Ministry, “all the arrangements have already been made to welcome these compatriots with dignity upon their arrival in the country.”
Several Haitians have been fleeing the crime-plagued country as the situation worsened from January to the end of June. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights human rights office (OHCHR) says 934 killings, 684 injuries, and 680 kidnappings have been recorded across the capital. Over a five-day period, from July 8 to 12, at least 234 more people were killed or injured in gang-related violence in the Cité Soleil area of the city.
“Most of the victims were not directly involved in gangs and were directly targeted by gang elements. We have also received new reports of sexual violence,” the OHCHR spokesperson said.
The UN said some gangs are resorting to extreme tactics to control locals, such as denying them access to drinking water and food. This has simply made malnutrition worse.
The violence has also exacerbated fuel shortages, as the main fuel depot is located in Cité Soleil, and transportation costs have risen sharply.
For months now, the desperate socioeconomic situation coupled with political gridlock has sparked street protests, adding to the deteriorating security situation, and many residents and businesses have shuttered themselves indoors out of fear, said the OHCHR.
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