AMERICA/HAITI - 184 people killed last weekend: the Bishops call for an end to the violence that destroys society

Port-au-Prince (Fides) - At least 184 people were killed in Port-au-Prince last weekend alone, according to Volker Türk, UN Human Rights Commissioner for Haiti. "Last weekend alone, at least 184 people were killed in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince in acts of violence carried out on the orders of a powerful gang leader in the Cité-Soleil district," Türk said, without giving any further details, but stressed that "these latest murders bring the death toll in Haiti this year to the incredible number of 5,000 people."
Previously, the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (Réseau National de Défense des Droits Humains, RNDDH) reported that at least 100 alleged voodoo practitioners were killed on the orders of Monel Felix, a local gang leader who believed that voodoo practices were responsible for the illness of his son, who died on December 7. Just earlier this month, Haitian bishops had launched a new appeal to stop the violence of armed gangs. "Let us stop fueling this blind violence that plagues our society every day," the bishops wrote in their message, which concluded their 142nd Plenary Assembly.
Addressing gang members, the bishops urge: "Stop these cruel acts. They are not good for the country, nor for the people, nor for you who commit them." The message calls on local authorities and the international community to stop the arms trade, which further fuels the spiral of violence.
The bishops propose the upcoming Jubilee Year, which begins in Haiti on December 29, as a sign of hope. Under the motto "Pilgrims of Hope", the bishops invite Haitians to become "witnesses of hope" and not to be discouraged by the dramatic situation in the country. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 9/12/2024)

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