The United Nations and partners have called for the opening of a “humanitarian corridor” in Haiti, as armed gangs block access to the main fuel terminal amid the ongoing economic crisis, insecurity, and a deadly cholera outbreak.
The UN said the Varreux Terminal, located in the capital, Port-au-Prince, is the main entry point for fuel in Caribbean country, “but gangs have been blocking the entrance since mid-September”
The UN deputy special representative in the country and the Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator, Ulrika Richardson, said the situation has led to a fuel shortage that has forced many hospitals and health centers to close, and affected water distribution.
“We have called for a humanitarian corridor to be established for fuel to flow into the city and into the rest of the country so that we can ensure our response. Without fuel, there is no clean water. Without clean water, there will be more cases and very difficult to contain this outbreak,” she added.
Since Haitian authorities confirmed two positive cases of cholera on Sunday, the UN said there have been 11 cases, seven deaths and an estimated 111 suspected cases, though numbers could be higher.
Richardson feared there could be “quite an exponential, if not an explosive increase of cholera cases,” given the current conditions.
“One could even say that perhaps the conditions are there for a perfect storm, unfortunately,” she told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York.
The UN said the rising insecurity in Haiti in recent months has affected the lives of ordinary citizens, who face movement restrictions, lootings, sexual violence, and other horrors.
Due to the crisis at the terminal, the UN said people in the capital have resorted to buying fuel on the black market at exorbitant prices.
“Sanitation and healthcare are really severely impacted. We haven’t had a waste collection for months because of the violent situation, the violence on the streets caused by the armed gangs, but also because of the fuel shortage.”
The UN said the dire humanitarian situation has underscored the need for action to protect and save lives.
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