May 27 (Bloomberg) -- A surge in carjackings, kidnappings and gang roadblocks prompted the U.S. Embassy in Haiti today to evacuate all non-emergency workers and family members.
U.S. citizens were advised to defer travel to the Caribbean nation and depart Haiti ``if they can do so safely,'' in a statement on the State Department's Web site. The travel warning noted the lack of an effective police force.
``There's no one incident that prompted this,'' State Department spokeswoman Susan Pittman said. ``It's an increase in violent crime in general.'' It's at least the second time since October that U.S. embassy workers were advised or ordered to evacuate.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has depended on United Nations, U.S. and foreign troops for security since President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was forced from power during a February 2004 rebellion. The former French colony has a history of political instability since declaring independence in 1804 after a revolt by a half-million black slaves.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a May 20 report that security in Haiti is ``fragile'' and periods before and after elections have been ``historically volatile.'' He asked the Security Council for an extra 750 soldiers and 125 police to aid the UN peacekeeping mission. The world body has 7,413 troops and police in Haiti already.
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05-27-05, 03:29 PM
Haiti Violence Spurs U.S. to Evacuate Embassy Workers, Families
Lisa Bettencourt
ça n'arrête pas d'arriver. La situation serait-elle aussi terrible que veulent le faire croire les partisans du régime déchu ?
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