Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, has become unstable due to gang violence, and UNHAS, managed by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), is now the only option for humanitarian workers to safely enter and exit the city. Critical equipment and relief supplies can be transported and distributed domestically.
Robine JNBaptise, who works at UNHAS, and Christine Blais, who works for Construction Helicopters, the aviation company that operates the aircraft, said: united nations news Talk about your experience working in a high-conflict area.
Robin JNB Baptist: We have two aircraft here in Haiti. A helicopter can seat about 19 people or carry up to 2 tons of cargo, while a fixed-wing jet 45 can carry 9 people. I am a flight and reservation assistant, so I am responsible for getting people on and off the aircraft. I also assist in securing management and operating permits.
Christine Blais: I flew flight mechanic and flight attendant chief flight duties around Haiti. On any given day we would fly between two and six hours. Our aircraft are currently based in Cap Haitien, but have also flown in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Dominican Republic.
Robin JNB Baptist: It’s a stressful job, but luckily I thrive under pressure. On some days, we help up to 100 people, mainly (non-governmental) NGO staff, but also UN staff. We are moving people to safer areas while also bringing essential staff back to Port-au-Prince. It ended up being rewarding because we relocated approximately 200 people to destinations outside of Haiti.
Christine Blais: Minimize time on the ground to mitigate risk when landing in Port-au-Prince. We can land, load, and take off in 2 to 5 minutes, which is very fast. We have very good ground crews who keep us safe. In areas of high conflict, we must remain flexible while responding to UN demands.
A helicopter flies over a city in Haiti.
Robin JNB Baptist: One of the biggest challenges we face is flying over Port-au-Prince where gangs are fighting with each other and the police. Although we do not believe that our aircraft are being intentionally targeted, there is always a risk that one of our aircraft will be hit by a grenade.
Christine Blais: My colleagues were at an international airport when the security breach occurred. It was definitely a dangerous and scary moment for them as gunshots were fired while they were working on the plane. A commercial plane that was on the ground at the time crashed.
Robin JNB Baptist: The international airport has been closed for several weeks, so we set up a landing strip somewhere else. One big concern is that gangs could move into the area and take over landing sites, disrupting our operations.
This can be scary, but we try not to take risks, but now we are used to risk and stress. You have to keep in mind that anything can happen to you or to the plane.
Christine Blais: In conflict-affected areas, there are always unknowns, so we must always be aware of the threats. I rely a lot on my team, and I understand that if something happens, we have to deal with it as it happens.
Passengers arrive via UNHAS helicopter.
Robin JNB Baptist: The service we provide is truly life-saving, so it would be a disaster if the landing zone were to close. At UNHAS, we must always remind people that we provide humanitarian services and do not take sides. Our role is to transport humanitarian workers and relief supplies to help people in crisis.
I have never once thought about leaving this country. Who will be left when I leave? As a Haitian and a humanitarian worker, I want to come here and help this country get back to what it used to be.
At some point, things will get better. Because when we hit rock bottom, there’s nowhere to go but up. This is my home. I want to be part of a brighter future for Haiti.
