Source: Vatican News, HCR
Six Sisters of Sainte-Anne congregation together with an unknown number of laypeople and their driver were kidnapped by armed men in Haiti on Friday. Armed gunmen stopped and boarded their minibus as it was heading to the university and took all passengers hostage, the Haitian Conference of Religious announced in a statement. The kidnapping took place in broad daylight in the centre of the capital Port-au-Prince.
Bishop Pierre-André Dumas, the Bishop of Anse-à-Veau and Miragoâne said: “this latest odious and barbaric act that shows no respect for the dignity of these consecrated women who give themselves wholeheartedly and completely to God to educate and form the young, the poorest and the most vulnerable of our society.”
The Bishop called for the release of the hostages and an end to “these deplorable and criminal practices.” and appealed for “all of Haitian society to join hands to form a true circle of solidarity around all the country’s hostages, in order to obtain their release and grant them a swift, safe return to their families and communities!”
Bishop Dumas also has offered to take their place as a hostage.
Haiti, the poorest country on the American continent, was devastated by major earthquakes and hurricanes in 2010 and 2017 and has been in a profound political crisis for years. Gang violence and political instability have led to many demonstrations on the streets of the capital.
For the past week armed gangs have stepped up their murderous activities in Haiti, while more demonstrations against the lack of security have been organized across the country. On Thursday in the Solino district in the south of Port-au-Prince violent exchanges of gunfire took place between rival gangs, including an armed group from the neighbouring Bel-Air district. According to witnesses, the clashes left around twenty people dead.
Other districts of the capital, Carrefour Péan and Delmas 24, were also targeted by gang attacks. In the streets of Port-au-Prince, residents have set up barricades to protect themselves. For several weeks, kidnappings have been on the increase in Port-au-Prince and on the main roads. Last week, a doctor and a justice of the peace were kidnapped before being released on payment of a ransom.
At the same time, anti-government demonstrations have been causing disruptions across the country over the past several days, led by the former police chief and politician Guy Philippe, who returned to Haiti after serving a prison sentence in the USA for money laundering linked to drug trafficking.
Demonstrators are calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has been in power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, criticizing him for not doing enough to deal with the insecurity and the struggling economy.
After the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis appealed for the release of the sisters and peace in Haiti. He said: “I have learned with sorrow of the kidnapping, in Haiti, of a group of people, including six religious sisters: in my heartfelt plea for their release, I pray for social concord in the country, and I invite everyone to bring an end to the violence, which is causing a great deal of suffering to that dear population.”
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