UNITED NATIONS (CMC) – The United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) on Saturday said it is deeply concerned by worsening violence in and around the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince and rising abuse at the hands of heavily armed gangs, against vulnerable local communities.

The alert comes just hours after UN humanitarians said they were ready to provide all the assistance they could to communities caught in the crossfire of gang violence, once they can gain safe access to those impacted.

A recent upsurge in fighting between rival gangs in the Cité Soleil neighbourhood of the capital, has led to the deaths of 99 people with 135 injured according to data reported by the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) in Haiti.

On Friday night, the UN Security Council provided a boost to UN operations in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country by extending the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti, for a further year, through resolution 2645.

The Security Council also voted unanimously to ban some weapon sales to Haiti, with the resolution calling on UN member states to prohibit the sale of small arms, light weapons and ammunition to what it calls “non-state actors”.

But a proposal by China for a full embargo on weapon sales was rejected. The UN resolution proposed by Mexico and the United States, envisages sanctions in the form of travel bans and asset freezes against Haiti’s gang leaders and human rights abusers.

On Saturday, Jeremy Laurence, the OHCHR spokesperson, urged the authorities in Haiti to ensure fundamental rights are protected, and “placed at the front and centre of their responses to the crisis. The fight against impunity and sexual violence, along with the strengthening of human rights monitoring and reporting, must remain a priority,” he said.

“We have so far documented, from January to the end of June, 934 killings, 684 injuries and 680 kidnappings across the capital. Over a five-day period, from 8-12 July, at least 234 more people were killed or injured in gang-related violence in the Cité Soleil area of the city.

“Most of the victims were not directly involved in gangs and were directly targeted by gang elements. We have also received new reports of sexual violence,” the OCHHR spokesperson said.

OHCHR is calling on gang members and those supporting the violence, to immediately cease their activities, which are impacting many of the most vulnerable citizens, living in extreme poverty.

“The heavily armed gangs are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their actions, conducting simultaneous, coordinated and organised attacks in different areas”, said Laurence, adding “the right to life is the supreme right under international human rights law, and the State has a duty to protect that right, including from threats emanating from private individuals and entities,” Laurence continued.

The UN said some gangs are resorting to extreme tactics to control locals such as denying them access to drinking water and food which has made malnutrition worse.

The violence has also exacerbated fuel shortages, as the main fuel depot is located in Cité Soleil, and transportation costs have risen sharply.

For months now, the desperate socioeconomic situation coupled with political gridlock, has sparked street protests, adding to the deteriorating security situation, and many residents and businesses have shuttered themselves indoors out of fear, said OHCHR.

OHCHR welcomed the extension of BINUH’s mandate, “which will further buoy the collective international response to the human rights crisis unfolding in the country and assist with the flow of humanitarian assistance.”

In less than one week and according to a report released by OCHA, at least 2,500 people have also been forced to flee their homes because of the fighting. Twenty people have been reported missing. Every day, with continued fighting, more people will suffer and be forced to flee, often risking their lives, the agency said in a statement.

Cité Soleil, with a population of around 300,000 is one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the Haitian capital, where gangs have gained more influence over the past several years.

OCHA said that “a large proportion of the population are trapped in Cité Soleil as gangs attempt to exert their influence,” adding that “the people in some areas have not had access to food or water since July 8. One child in five is suffering from severe malnutrition a rate well above emergency thresholds.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Ulrika Richardson, said “as people continue to suffer in Cité Soleil, insecurity is preventing humanitarian agencies from entering the area.

“The UN is ready to provide assistance to the many children, women and men caught in the crossfire of gang violence as soon as humanitarian partners can gain access to the affected zones.”