In the central city of Saint-Marc in Haiti, residents have been warned by authorities to stay vigilant for escaped prisoners after a prison break resulted in the deaths of at least 11 inmates. This is the third such incident in the country this year, occurring in the midst of a humanitarian crisis fueled by gang violence. The prison break occurred in Saint-Marc, about 55 miles north of the capital, Port-au-Prince, with 11 suspected escaped inmates killed in shootouts with police and one arrested. The State Prosecutor reported that all the cops’ dormitories and archives were burnt down, and urged residents to watch for escapees.
Local government official Walter Montas stated that the incident stemmed from a protest by prisoners who were lacking food and facing poor health conditions. The squalid conditions in Haiti’s overcrowded prisons have led to numerous escapes and deaths due to lack of basic necessities, with 109 inmates dying so far this year. In March of this year, prison breaks at Haiti’s two largest jails reduced the imprisoned population from nearly 12,000 to 7,500 by June. This surge in violence prompted the government to declare a state of emergency, with an increase in gang attacks leading to the resignation of the prime minister, the formation of a transitional council, and the deployment of Kenyan police as part of a UN-backed mission to address the situation.
Haitian prisons have been reported to be severely overcrowded, with many cells filled to quadruple their capacity. Conditions within the prison system have been described as dire, with a lack of basic necessities contributing to the high death toll among inmates. Additionally, prison officials have gone on strike to demand better treatment and working conditions. The ongoing crisis in Haiti has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes, with approximately half of the country’s population facing severe hunger as a result of the violence and instability.
The prison break in Saint-Marc is just one of a series of incidents that have occurred in Haiti this year as a result of the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis and escalating gang violence. The government has struggled to maintain control and provide security for its citizens, with police facing difficulties in holding off gangs and maintaining order. The UN-backed mission to address the security situation has faced delays in the delivery of necessary resources, leading to continued unrest and instability in the country. As the crisis continues to unfold, residents in Saint-Marc and other parts of Haiti are urged to remain vigilant and take precautions to ensure their safety in the face of ongoing violence and insecurity.
