AMERICA/HAITI – Poverty, desperation and lack of adequate policies fuel violence even against the Church

AMERICA/HAITI — Violence against the Church is fuelled by poverty, desperation, lack of policies and ineligibility

Port-au-Prince – Red Clamor – The ecclesial network that works in the field emigration, refugees trafficking and displaced people, declared solidarity and full communion to the Jesuit brothers of Jesuit Migrant Service. The structure was destroyed and looted by a group of people in the “climate general chaos that does NOT end in this suffering country”.
“We know the great services you render to Haitian people, particularly to people in forced mobility who are victims of growing poverty, violence, and catastrophes linked with the climate crisis”. The message states: “We are witnesses to the love they feel and the high appreciation of most Haitians for your work. These isolated events are the results of despair and the absence of public policies to guide all Haitians on the paths to integral human development, without any one being excluded from their right of living with dignity.”
Red Clamor joins the prayer in order to end violence so that the SJM’s work in Haiti can continue in safety of property and life. It prays that the Lord touches those who perpetrate violence, “victims” of the Haitian system of governance, which degrades people and creates violence.
In recent days, the Haitian bishops have raised alarm about the graveness of the situation. This was in response to the whole Church present in Caribbean country. “The situation is grave, as well the misery. The document of the Episcopal Conference of Haiti states that the people must live and have every right and right to live with dignity and respect.
The Bishops also condemned radio hosts who wanted to involve the Catholic Church with arms trafficking. They threatened to commit violent acts against Catholic institutions, priests, nuns, and other collaborators. They insist that the Catholic Church is not involved in the arms trade and ask for the public to “stop sowing confusion.” Slander and defamation are serious sins. They reiterate that the Catholic Church in Haiti’s mission is to “serve all people in the four corners of Haiti, in cities as well as in remote areas”. We are not only engaged in the work of evangelizing and announcing the Good News, but also in the areas of education, health promotion, dignity and human rights and any other charitable works that will help the Haitian people to not allow their hope be stolen, even in a time of despair and disorder.
Since long, the Bishops of Haiti have been reminding the world and launching appeals about the difficult situation at all levels in Haiti. Violence and corruption are rampant, the population is in poverty, the natural disasters that frequently hit the island and the Covid-19 pandemic have aggravated the situation, such as political instability, which saw the assassination of the President of the Republic Jovenel Moïse a year ago (see Fides, 8/7/2021). The Church is aware of the social, institutional, and economic chaos that has been affecting the country over the past years. It also shares the pain of those who have been kidnapped, raped, and killed. Priests, nuns, pastoral workers, and other religious leaders who continue their mission are vulnerable to violence of every kind, including kidnappings (see Fides 12, 4/2021), robberies, assaults, and robbery. The last missionary to be killed was Sister Luisa Dell’Orto, Little Sister of the Gospel of Charles de Foucauld, killed on June 25 in Port-au-Prince (see Fides, 26/6/2022). Sister Luisa was a resident of the city for over twenty years and was dedicated to the service children on the streets. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 21/9/2022)

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