Church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti: End to violence, impunity, and intimidation
In the heart of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the Sainte-Hélène orphanage was the scene of an alarming event on August 3, 2025. Nine individuals, including an Irish missionary and a disabled child, were abducted in what the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince denounced as a "new act of barbarism", an "ignominious" act, and an expression of a "moral collapse" affecting Haitian society [1].
This abduction is not an isolated incident. According to a report published by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, at least 185 abductions occurred between April and June 2025 [1]. The broader human rights situation remains "extremely worrying," with escalating gang violence claiming over 1,000 lives since October 2024 and causing mass displacement, especially outside Port-au-Prince in areas such as Centre and Bas Artibonite [3].
The Church, in its statement, expressed "profound sadness" and "great indignation" over the abduction, viewing it as an "attack on the most noble aspects of society", undermining civil coexistence and human dignity [2]. Violence, according to the Church, does not just affect direct victims but also the foundations of society [2].
The Church calls on the faithful to react with prayer and concrete commitment, and on institutions to guarantee order, security, and justice. The Church urges civil, military, and police authorities to ensure the safety and immediate release of those abducted [2]. The Church also invites reflection on the importance of not falling into indifference and internal disputes, emphasizing the importance of not allowing the country to be built on bloodshed, impunity, and fear [4].
The UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence urgently called for immediate action to address surging violations, indicating a grave societal breakdown that threatens regional stability as well [3]. Both the Church and UN emphasize a worsening climate of impunity and violence in Haiti, highlighting an urgent need for restored order, justice, and protection of vulnerable populations.
The Church warns against becoming insensitive to the sufferings of the victims and becoming complicit in the slow destruction of the country. The Church calls on all the faithful, all men and women of good will to unite in prayer and adopt measures to reject the climate of dehumanization [4]. The current situation in Haiti is a cry of alarm about the worsening climate of impunity, a call for the international community to take action and help Haiti restore peace, justice, and human dignity.
References: [1] Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince. (2025). Statement on the abduction of nine individuals from Sainte-Hélène orphanage. Retrieved from https://www.archidiocesepapouaprince.org/statements/ [2] Church of Haiti. (2025). Statement on the worsening climate of violence and impunity in Haiti. Retrieved from https://www.eglisedechaite.org/statements/ [3] United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. (2025). Report on the human rights situation in Haiti. Retrieved from https://unohaiti.org/reports/ [4] Vatican News. (2025). Church calls for action to combat violence and impunity in Haiti. Retrieved from https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2025-08/church-calls-for-action-to-combat-violence-and-impunity-in-haiti.html
- The alarming abduction at the Sainte-Hélène orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, serves as a reminder of the prevailing unrest in the country, as it falls under the category of general-news and crime-and-justice.
- The Church's urgent call for action to combat violence and impunity in Haiti, in light of the abduction of nine individuals from Sainte-Hélène orphanage and the escalating gang violence, underscores the critical state of Haitian politics.
