Haiti on the brink: bishops issue a ‘cry of alarm’ for peace
November 27, 2024
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CWN Editor's Note: Lamenting catastrophic gang violence in Haiti and its beleaguered capital of Port-au-Prince, the nation’s bishops called upon government officials to provide security and upon all people of good will to seek peace.
“We appeal to those who are in charge of governing the city to act with determination to reestablish security and guarantee the protection of citizens, in line with their primary mission of serving the common good,” the bishops said in their message. “We also invite members of the government, members of civil society, and protagonists from all sides, armed or unarmed, to recognize that it is time to resolve this problem of ongoing violence. Something must be done.”
Archbishop Max Leroy Mésidor of Port-au-Prince said that “everyone is on their guard. We all feel threatened. For two years, we have been operating a pastoral strategy of survival, but since November 11, the violence has taken a serious turn.”
The Vatican newspaper also devoted the most prominent front-page coverage in its November 26 edition to the violence in Haiti. Federico Piana’s article cited recent reports by UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund) and the IOM (the International Organization for Migration).
The Caribbean nation of 11.5 million (map) is 94% Christian (67% Catholic).
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