US Calls Americans Home; Leave Haiti

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer 

#USA, July 29, 2023 – The United States has ordered non-emergency government personnel and their families to leave Haiti “as soon as possible” as the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen.  The order was given in a travel advisory issue on Thursday July 27th, 2023,

The State Department said US citizens not working for the Government should also leave “as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges.”

The travel advisory highlighted the worsening conditions throughout the republic, referring to reports of widespread kidnapping which regularly includes U.S. citizens.  They say that victims’ families have been made to pay thousands of dollars to rescue their family members.

The advisory said, “Kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include US citizens.”  It further explained that violent crimes including armed robbery and carjackings are also common.

Also, “Protests, demonstrations, tire burning, and roadblocks are frequent, unpredictable, and can turn violent.  The US government is extremely limited in its ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in Haiti.”

Haiti has seen no ease in gang violence especially in the capital Port-au-Prince particularly after the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise; and the almost non-existent government system has made the situation worst

It is unfortunate to report that the country’s situation has worsened and with it the access to human essential services such as healthcare facilities which have been impeded by the violence.  Schools and clinics have been forced to close, food insecurity has worsened as residents of gang controlled areas have been cut off from critical supplies.

As the US urges its citizens to leave, Haitians continue to run for their survival to get help or going to other countries or trying to go to other countries.

In fact, this week, groups of displaced Haitians gathered outside the US embassy in Port-au-Prince to try to seek safety from the gangs.

A woman outside the Embassy speaks on their experience.  She said, “Gangs just shoot and they ask for control of the area.  They took our house and we are in the street.”

The “Do Not Travel” advisory informed US citizens trying to leave to take caution.

“U.S. citizens wishing to depart Port-au-Prince should monitor local news and only do so when considered safe.”