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Haitian bishops in Christmas message call on gangs to end violence

Catholic prelates plead with criminal gangs to stop their “murderous madness of hatred and of contempt for life”, and for local civil authorities to restore the rule of law

La Croix International

Haitian Bishops have released a Christmas message urging local authorities to rebuild civil institutions for a better future in the country and for armed gangs to immediately stop their violence as the country continues to experience political, economic, social and humanitarian unrest.

"The diabolical and perverse logic of weapons is the farthest from the will of God. Instead of fratricidal war, we must invest in peace and love, in the reorganization of our infrastructure, health and education systems, as well as the change of our mentalities,” the bishops said in their Christmas message issued at the end of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti’s recent general assembly. 

The bishops pleaded with criminal gangs to stop their “murderous madness of hatred and of contempt for life”, and for local civil authorities to restore the rule of law in order to guarantee a better future for the people.

Armed groups accused of killings and kidnappings 

The country has been witnessing almost daily political demonstrations and much violence following the July 7, 2021 assassination of Haiti's President Jovenel Moise and the devastating magnitude 7.2 earthquake on August 14 the same year that struck Haiti's southwestern region, killing more than 2,240 people and destroying thousands of homes.

The assassination of the president, for which no one has yet been tried, has collapsed the country's fragile political framework, leaving Haiti, which has been out of control for years, in a worsened state, paving the way for hundreds of highly organised violent criminal groups, often with links to police and politicians, to kidnap, rape, murder and loot at will.

According to Haitian human rights organizations, armed groups accused of killings and kidnappings, rape and other violence control at least 60% of the capital city and its surroundings. And according to the United Nations, between January and June of this year, the gangs killed close to 1,000 people in the country while leaving some 19,000 others homeless.

"Curb the culture of impunity"

In their message, the Haitian bishops stressed the need to rebuild civil institutions, such as  the judicial system, “to curb the culture of impunity which is the logical cause of the perpetuation of corruption and violence in the country, in order to guarantee a better future for future generations.” They also called for the urgent need to provide effective support to the National Police to help fight crime and create a normal living conditions in the country.

“The re-establishment of a security climate in the country remains one of the necessary conditions for the resumption of economic, cultural and social activities and the organization of democratic and transparent elections,” the bishops said while also calling on all Haitians to practice “the values of mutual respect, justice, harmony, fraternity solidarity” which can help to build “the new Haiti everybody yearns for.”

The Haitian Conference of Religious' appeal

Earlier, the Haitian Conference of Religious had also issued a statement in which it expressed shock, offered its support to the country's priests and religious who had recently been the victims of violence, destruction, and looting, and made an urgent plea for action. Priests and nuns have long been spared because of their work for the poor, but the current violence has affected Church personnel.

“In solidarity with the atrocious suffering and secular misery of our people, to whom we belong and among whom we live and work in almost every field, we endorse their very legitimate demands,” said the religious priests, brothers and nuns, describing the current situation in Haiti as “a humanitarian catastrophe.” “We will continue to work tirelessly at their side against misery, ignorance, insecurity, absurd violence, and in favour of social justice and integral development,” they said.