Attachments
Haiti has been in a general shut down for 11 days, due to demonstrations and fights between national police and demonstrators that flared across the country since 7 February. Violent protests resulted in business closure and populations had narrow or no access to essential services and goods such as fuel, electricity, water, domestic gas, and food.
Economic difficulties, complications for Haitian government to pay civil servants, food and fuel price hikes (inflation of up to 30% for basic goods in last 12 months) and devaluation of the national currency (which has lost 25% of its value in the last year) have prompted Haitians to take the streets.
Situation Overview
• An "apparent calm" now reigns in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince and the regions of the country on this Monday, Feb 18th, after 9 days of high tension. However, the situation remains volatile and may change anytime as there are rumors of new protests planned by the opposition.
• Schools have not reopened due to fears of a possible resurgence of violence in the capital.
• Public services and commercial activities are picking up quite timidly in Port-au-Prince.
• Some of the major roads linking the capital to main departments remain blocked by barricades and burning tires with reports of people ransoming drivers who on inter-urban roads.
• Institutions such as hospitals, prisons and children without parental care residential centers face shortage of water and basic supplies, due to insecurity.
• Main partners NGOs have not been able to implement programming normally during last 2 weeks, due to the insecurity.
• UNICEF’s cholera response teams have limited capacity to move and respond to suspected cases, causing concerns of new possible outbreaks.