SW News: The Catholic bishops of Haiti have issued a Christmas message in which they appealed to criminal gangs to put an end to their “murderous madness of hatred and contempt of life”. They also sought the restoration of the rule of law for a better future for coming generations.

Haitian bishops have constantly reminded the authorities to put an end to the political, social and humanitarian crisis plaguing the nation, which is one of the poorest in the world. Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021, the internal security in Haiti has gone from bad to worse. Since the killing of the head of state, turf wars and gang violence appear to be the order of the day. Things became all the more worse following the devastating earthquake in August last year.

Armed gangs who control vast swathes of territory have also started targeting the Catholic Church. The country has witnessed an uptick in the number of kidnappings for ransom of missionaries. Gang violence has curbed access to healthcare and other essential services resulting in the rampant spread of cholera.

In their Christmas letter, the bishops exhorted gangs to get rid of “the diabolical and perverse logic of weapons which is the farthest from the will of God”.
The prelates urged them to “invest in peace and love, in the reorganization of our infrastructure, health and education systems, as well as the change of our mentalities.” They also emphasized the need to have civil institutions, especially the judiciary to put an end to 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.

The bishops also invited the attention of the authorities to the migration of Haitians to other nations and the fact that they are not always welcome there.