Haiti American nurse and daughter freed following abduction in Haiti

Alix Dorsainvil, an American nurse, and her daughter were released on Wednesday after nearly two weeks of captivity in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as reported by the aid organization El Roi Haiti

Founded by Dorsainvil’s spouse, the Christian group El Roi Haiti has implored the public to respect the privacy of the Dorsainvil family, emphasizing their need to process and heal after this harrowing event

Expressing immense joy and gratitude, the group confirmed their safe return However, specifics about the release, including potential ransom payments, remain undisclosed

Reacting to the news of their freedom, the US State Department emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and security of American citizens abroad

They lauded both their Haitian counterparts and US interagency teams for playing pivotal roles in ensuring the duo’s release

According to media reports, armed men had abducted the nurse, originally from New Hampshire, and her daughter last month from a clinic situated in a region of Port-au-Prince dominated by gangs

Dorsainvil was an active member of the community, dedicating her time and expertise to offer essential services, including medical care and education, to some of Haiti’s most underserved populations through El Roi Haiti

Haiti’s gang violence: Rights group pleads for swift international intervention

Human Rights Watch has sounded the alarm on Monday over escalating gang violence in Haiti, pressing the international community for swift intervention

The plea arrives as the UN Security Council deliberates Haiti’s plea, made in October, for an immediate international armed force deployment in response to the rising violence

Concerns are deepening as the Security Council’s response remains pending

Ida Sawyer, the group ’ s crisis and conflict director said that delays could lead to more Haitians becoming victims of violence, including acts of murder, rape, and abduction

Sawyer also pointed out that more people will suffer without enough to eat

Earlier in the month, the US proposed a UN Security Council resolution to empower Kenya in spearheading a multinational police force targeting Haitian gangs Nevertheless, details on when such a resolution would be implemented remain uncertain

“The main message we want to get across is that Haitian people need support now,” Sawyer said “We heard again and again that the situation is worse now in Haiti than it’s been at any time people can remember ”

Human Rights Watch paints a grim picture, suggesting that gangs currently have the upper hand in the capital, Port-au-Prince, controlling an estimated 80 percent of the city

The strained state of Haiti’s police force

The island nation’s police force, numbering roughly 10,000 for a population exceeding 11 million, has been hard-pressed to maintain order Between January and June, the violence claimed the lives of over 30 officers, and a staggering 400 police facilities have been rendered non-operational due to criminal onslaughts

Reports are that approximately 5 2 million Haitians now require aid, marking a 20 percent rise from the previous year Sawyer also called for strict oversight of Kenyan police if they are deployed

Public outcry and protests

Demonstrators have voiced their dissatisfaction with the current administration, decrying the rise in violence and worsening economic conditions Many echo the sentiment of longing for the arrival of international forces as a potential reprieve from the chaos

Human Rights Watch further emphasized the necessity for countries like the US, Canada, and France to back the formation of an interim Haitian administration Haiti has been mired in uncertainty since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021

The advocacy group also underscored the historic role of countries like France and the US in Haiti’s struggles, advocating for a reparation process steered by Haitians

Haiti’s past is marked by its 1804 declaration as the world’s inaugural Black republic, followed by a burdensome financial obligation to France as compensation for lost colonial assets

This debt, adjusted to 90 million gold coins, was settled in 1947 but has had lasting implications on the nation’s economic health