Residents of Cité Soleil Demand Protection After Weekend Violence
On Tuesday, dozens of men, women and children filled the narrow streets of Cité Soleil, a densely populated district of Port-au‑Prince, to call for urgent government protection. The demonstration followed a weekend of armed clashes that forced hundreds of families to flee their homes, leaving many unsure of the fate of loved ones.
Human Toll and Displacement
Protesters described scenes of burning vehicles, dead livestock and bodies strewn across the neighborhood. Michel‑Ange Toussaint, who briefly returned to her home to collect clothing, said she witnessed seven people killed and others shot during the violence that began around 6 p.m. on Sunday. Lorgue Dorsaint, another resident, told reporters he has been wandering the streets since Sunday searching for his children, fearing they may have been killed.
Although Haitian authorities have not released an official casualty count, the testimonies align with broader patterns of gang‑related violence in the capital. According to a 2024 report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), gang activity has displaced more than 1.4 million people nationwide, with roughly 200,000 now living in overcrowded and underfunded shelters in Port‑au‑Prince.
International Response and Ongoing Challenges
The humanitarian situation prompted Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) to evacuate its hospital in Cité Soleil on Monday after violent clashes damaged the facility and endangered staff and patients. The organization cited the inability to provide safe medical care amid ongoing gunfire.
In April 2024, the first contingent of foreign troops arrived in Haiti alongside a United Nations stabilization force, aiming to curb the surge of gang activity that has engulfed the capital since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021. Later that year, the UN Security Council authorized a multinational force of up to 5,550 personnel; however, deployment remains incomplete, with only an undisclosed number of troops from Chad currently on the ground.
Police officials acknowledge that gangs have expanded their operations beyond Cité Soleil, engaging in looting, kidnapping, sexual assault and rape across the country. The absence of a functioning presidential authority has hampered coordinated security efforts, leaving civilians to rely on ad‑hoc community protection.
Calls for Action
Residents’ demands center on three immediate steps:
- Deploy additional Haitian National Police units to Cité Soleil with clear rules of engagement to protect civilians.
- Accelerate the arrival and full operationalization of the UN‑backed multinational force to restore a semblance of order.
- Increase humanitarian access for medical NGOs and ensure safe passage for displaced families seeking shelter and basic services.
As the situation evolves, local leaders urge both national authorities and international partners to move beyond statements and deliver tangible security and aid measures. Without swift intervention, the cycle of violence and displacement in Cité Soleil—and across Port‑au‑Prince—risks deepening further.
