Armed gunmen kidnap six nuns in Haiti

By Jean-Charles Putzolu

The capital of Haiti is struggling to quell an outbreak of violence that has led to some neighborhoods being totally sealed off from access. In the midst of this chaos, local sources have reported that six religious of the Sisters of Sainte-Anne congregation have been abducted along with the other occupants including the driver of the vehicle they were travelling on. Armed gunmen stopped and boarded the minibus as it was heading to the university taking all passengers hostage. The kidnapping took place on 19 January in broad daylight in the center of the capital Port-au-Prince.

Appeal of local Church

The kidnapping, confirmed in a press release from the Haitian Conference of Religious, has also been strongly denounced by Bishop Pierre-André Dumas. The Bishop of Anse-à-Veau and Miragoâne strongly and firmly condemns "this latest odious and barbaric act that shows no respect for the dignity of these consecrated women who give themselves wholeheartedly and completely to God to educate and form the young, the poorest and the most vulnerable of our society."

The Bishop calls for the release of the hostages and an end to "these deplorable and criminal practices." Bishop Dumas calls on "all of Haitian society to join hands to form a true circle of solidarity around all the country's hostages, in order to obtain their release and grant them a swift, safe return to their families and communities!" Finally, he declares his willingness to take their place as a hostage. 

Increasing violence

Since last Sunday, armed gangs have stepped up their murderous activities, while demonstrations against the lack of security have been organized across the country.

On Thursday in the Solino district in the south of Port-au-Prince violent exchanges of gunfire took place between rival gangs, including an armed group from the neighboring Bel-Air district. According to witnesses, the clashes left around twenty people dead.

Other districts of the capital, Carrefour Péan and Delmas 24, were also targeted by gang attacks. In the streets of Port-au-Prince, residents have set up barricades to protect themselves. For several weeks, kidnappings have been on the increase in Port-au-Prince and on the main roads. Last week, a doctor and a justice of the peace were kidnapped before being released on payment of a ransom.

Demonstrations against unrest

At the same time, anti-government demonstrations have been causing disruptions across the country over the past several days, led by the former police chief and politician Guy Philippe, who returned to Haiti after serving a prison sentence in the USA for money laundering linked to drug trafficking.

Demonstrators are calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has been in power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, criticizing him for not doing enough to deal with the insecurity and the struggling economy.