Above: a tent camp in Haiti following the earthquake(UN Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Can Haiti close its tent camps by next year? The International Organization for Migration says it’s possible.

The number of people in Haiti displaced by the 2010 earthquake and living in tent camps has fallen to 146,000, according to data from the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration.

That number includes 146,00 “internally displaced persons,” or 39,000 households, across 271 camps in the Port-au-Prince area and wider region.

“This 89 per cent decrease is encouraging and is largely due to the resilience of the Haitian people, along with the tireless efforts of the Government of Haiti supported by the international community,” said Grégoire Goodstein, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Haiti, in a statement. “I am optimistic that these camps can be closed, but Haiti needs the support of the international community to help the displaced. This can be done by mid-2015 if the conditions are right, including making the financial resources available.”

At least 200 camps remain in what the International Organization for Migration’s Goodstein called “deplorable conditions.”

Those include issues like cholera, force evictions, gender-based violence, health issues and limited access to basic services, according to the world body.

“While we acknowledge that there have been many efforts to rebuild houses, the shortage remains very tangible and more needs to be done to sort out the land tenure issue so that we know where and for whom houses can be built in the Port-au-Prince area,” Goodstein said.

Accordingly, the IOM said it would be embarking on long-term development projects that would include housing reconstruction.

“As of December 2013, nine houses were completed and 18 earthquake-affected families assisted, while 69 houses were under construction.  An additional 36 houses will be constructed on public land in Delmas 18,” said Valeria Falaschi, an IOM Housing Project Officer.