CARE statement following deadly violence in Pont-Sondé, Haiti

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, October 4, 2024 -"We are deeply saddened and shocked by the news of a brutal attack early this morning in the Haitian town of Pont-Sondé, approximately 60 miles north of Port-au-Prince. According to reports, at least 70 people have died (including women and small children) and dozens have been injured. Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones and all coping with the injuries and trauma brought on by such a horrific event.

This tragedy marks another incidence in a growing trend of violence spreading from Port-au-Prince, including to rural areas to the North of the capital. This brutal act also underscores the dire humanitarian situation that Haitians across the country are living through, one marked by gender-based violence (including sexual violence), mass displacement, the collapse of the medical system, and extreme hunger. And it is the most vulnerable-including women and girls, children, and the elderly-who face the brunt of it.

According to the latest IPC analysis released earlier this week, 5.4 million Haitians (approximately half the population) are suffering from acute food insecurity, with 2 million-about 18% of the population-experiencing severe hunger. Of this group, 6,000 individuals are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity. In 2014, only two percent of Haiti's population was food insecure.

CARE calls on the international community to provide the flexible and sustainable funding that is required to ensure that assistance can reach people in need, including funding to support a more robust, equitable, and resilient food system in Haiti which will help prevent increased violence due to hunger and extreme poverty. This funding must target local actors and women-led organizations who are at the forefront of response efforts. And it is imperative that the protection of civilians be urgently prioritized by all actors in Haiti.

CARE Haiti does not work in Pont-Sondé but has programs to the North in Upper Artibonite. Across the country, CARE provides cash, nutrition, livelihood, and gender-based violence support via five field locations outside the capital. In Port-au-Prince, CARE works with local partners to provide humanitarian assistance."

- Martin Dickler, CARE Haiti Country Director

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