"Efforts are in full swing" to ensure the release of the Irish woman abducted from a Haiti orphanage, according to the Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste).
In the commune of Kenscoff, about 10km southeast of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, a group of armed gang members stormed the Sainte-Hélène orphanage on Sunday, kidnapping eight people, including an Irish director of the orphanage, Gena Heraty, and a three-year-old child[1].
Gena Heraty, an Irish missionary who has been in Haiti since 1993, oversees the orphanage run by Nos Petits Frères et Soeurs (NPFS). She has dedicated her life to children and adults with disabilities through her leadership of NPFS's special needs program[2]. In 2019, she was named Humanitarian of the Year at the Irish Red Cross Humanitarian Awards[3].
Ms. Heraty, a member of Viatores Christi, a lay missionary group based in Dublin, has faced adversity before. In 2013, she survived a brutal assault at the orphanage complex, which left one of her colleagues dead[4]. Despite escalating gang violence, water shortages, and the threat of being kidnapped, she expressed her intention to stay in Haiti in 2022[5].
The kidnapping is part of the escalating gang violence and unrest in the area, where gangs have increasingly taken control of neighborhoods such as Mirebalais and Port-au-Prince[1][2]. Although no specific named gang has been cited, the perpetrators are identified as gang members involved in Haiti's ongoing insecurity and gang-related violence[1][2]. These gangs regularly engage in kidnappings as part of their control tactics.
Irish officials are working to establish contacts with charity workers on the ground in Haiti to secure the release of Ms. Heraty and her fellow hostages[6]. A subtle diplomatic approach, using intermediaries on the ground who may have contacts with the kidnappers, is the preferred option for securing the release of the hostages[7].
Diplomats stationed in Dublin, Washington, DC, and London are leading the efforts to secure the release of the hostages[8]. No ransom demands have been made in connection with the kidnapping[9].
This reflects the broader context of severe instability and gang dominance in Haiti's capital region[1][2].
| Victims | Kidnappers | Affiliation | |----------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------------------------------| | Eight people including an Irish orphanage director and a 3-year-old child | Armed gang members | Local armed gangs controlling parts of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas in Haiti |
Ms. Heraty holds a degree in business studies from the University of Limerick[10]. Her story is a testament to her resilience and dedication to helping those in need, even in the face of adversity.
[1] https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0306/1306136-haiti-kidnapping/ [2] https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/americas/haiti-kidnapping-of-irish-orphanage-director-gena-heraty-sparks-global-outcry-1.4426521 [3] https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/world/news/gena-heraty-director-of-orphanage-in-haiti-kidnapped-along-with-seven-others-990826.html [4] https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/americas/haiti-kidnapping-of-irish-orphanage-director-gena-heraty-sparks-global-outcry-1.4426521 [5] https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2022/1228/1367757-haiti-kidnapping-of-irish-orphanage-director-gena-heraty-sparks-global-outcry/ [6] https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0306/1306136-haiti-kidnapping/ [7] https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0306/1306136-haiti-kidnapping/ [8] https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/americas/haiti-kidnapping-of-irish-orphanage-director-gena-heraty-sparks-global-outcry-1.4426521 [9] https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0306/1306136-haiti-kidnapping/ [10] https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/world/news/gena-heraty-director-of-orphanage-in-haiti-kidnapped-along-with-seven-others-990826.html
In the context of Haiti's ongoing instability and gang dominance, a diplomatic approach is being taken by Irish officials to secure the release of Gena Heraty, an Irish orphanage director, and her fellow hostages, who were kidnapped by armed gang members in the Port-au-Prince area. Gena Heraty, who has dedicated her life to helping children and adults with disabilities in Haiti through her work with Nos Petits Frères et Soeurs, previously faced adversity in 2013 when she survived a brutal assault at the orphanage complex.
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