The Latest News on the Situation in Haiti Is Not Encouraging
We have been getting reports on a regular basis from our brothers and sisters in Haiti that the troubling times and civil unrest they daily face are getting worse. Pastor Osseille, the new lead pastor for the Presbyterian Church in Marin and the church network we support in Haiti reports:
The strike is continuing again today with the same demand that Jovenel Moïse, the president of Haiti, is supposed to leave the National Palace on February 7 at 12 p.m. If this does not happen, there is likely to be an all-out civil war in our country. All of the judicial departments in Haiti signed a document which declares that the president must respect the constitution and step down from power. Please keep on praying for our country, brothers and sisters, because we don’t want Haiti to become another Kosovo.
Last month there were a lot of kidnappings reported by the national police investigation (DCPJ). So many people were killed after being kidnapped, like this 15-year-old girl kidnapped on the road near her school. It was terrible to see that image on social media. Since yesterday there is absolutely no traffic on the streets in Haiti. It is a way to protest against the current government.
Editor’s Note: Following is a translation of the article on the kidnapping from iciHaiti.
UNICEF deplores the insecurity that endangers the lives of children on the way to school, stressing that in recent months, more and more kidnappings of children and adolescents and young people killed have been reported in Haiti. Recalling the death of a 15-year-old teenage girl in the 9th fundamental year shot dead on leaving school on January 25 and other cases involving children, schoolgirls and schoolboys, high school students, officially documented or no, relayed in the media, social networks and the community.
“Children need to go to school and come home without putting their lives in danger. They must study, play, live their childhood and thrive within the community,” declared Bruno Maes, Representative of UNICEF in Haiti adding “The State, families and communities must protect children more, in order to that they can continue their education in complete safety.”
UNICEF recalls that in January 2019, Haiti approved the Safe Schools Declaration, in which the country pledges to protect students, teachers, schools and universities in the event of violent conflict.
There is also an interesting article concerning the dispute over the number of years the current Haitian president is entitled to serve in office, because of disputes during the year following the last presidential election.
We ask for your continued prayers for the situation in Haiti and for God to bring about a just and compassionate government that fears God and understands that they hold their authority as ministers of God for the good of the Haitian people. We will keep you posted as the situation develops. The crucial time is between today and Sunday, February 7th.