THE Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) on Wednesday said it notes with grave concern the deteriorating security situation in Haiti and its impact on the practice of independent journalism in the country.

“Journalists are being killed, threatened and attacked and otherwise forced into acts of self-censorship for purposes of personal security. In the process, the rest of the world is being denied a complete picture of the state of affairs in Haiti,” the regional umbrella organisation said in a statement.

“We applaud all colleagues who have courageously stuck to the task against all odds and call for more wholesome solidarity and support from the regional and international communities for the work being done by Haitian journalists to tell stories of the Haitian condition,” added the ACM.

In its statement, the ACM said that the near complete breakdown in law and order in the country has the potential to grossly undermine the work of the free press and to establish an environment of fear and accompanying silence.

“The ACM has maintained contact with key collaborators there and is hopeful for the safe conduct of their work. We call for more urgent regional and global attention and action on the situation in Haiti and the positive impact this would have on all issues of governance, including the protection of press freedom and the professional conduct of journalists,” the ACM added.

Haiti has imposed a seven-hour curfew as well as a state of emergency after criminal gangs last weekend stepped up their fight to remove Prime Minister Dr Ariel Henry from office.

Up to late Wednesday, Henry remained stranded in Puerto Rico after having travelled to Kenya where he signed an agreement allowing for a United Nations Security Council sanctioned international force led by the African country to restore peace and security in his troubled country.

But the criminal gangs, which have all but taken over the capital, Port-au-Prince, said a new government would soon be installed with a judge, Durin Duret Jr, as chairman assisted by former rebel leader and former police commissioner Guy Philippe, and Francoise Saint-Vil Villier, from the religious sector.

“PM Henry and all the other members of the government must resign or they will face the consequences,” the outspoken and leftist political leader Jean-Charles Moise told journalists on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, in a brief video statement, Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali, who is also the Caricom chairman, said the 15-member regional grouping is engaged in discussions with the various stakeholders in Haiti.

“Caricom has been singularly focused on the events unfolding in Haiti over the last few days,” he said, adding “the expanded Bureau [of Heads] has been meeting separately with Prime Minister Henry, the stakeholders in Haiti and our international partners to bring resolution to this highly complex matter where persons lives and livelihood are at stake”.

Ali said that the “complexity requires us in these consultations to ensure that a Haitian led and Haitian owned solution may be achieved as soon as possible”.

The criminal gangs are threatening to gun down any aircraft flying Prime Minister Henry back to the troubled Caribbean country.