Haitian Gang Leader Negotiates over Abduction of Irish Woman Gena Heraty
In a concerning development, Irish aid worker Gena Heraty and her colleagues are currently being held hostage by an armed Haitian gang in the Kenscoff area, south of Port-au-Prince. This region is controlled by gangs that dominate much of Port-au-Prince and its surroundings [1][2].
The kidnapping took place at the Sainte-Hélène orphanage, a facility run by Nos Petits Frères et Soeurs (NPFS) in Kenscoff, Haiti. While the specific gang responsible has not been named, it is known that street gangs and organized criminal groups control over 80% of Port-au-Prince and its environs [1][2].
The situation is evolving and deeply worrying, with efforts being made by NPFS in Haiti and Ireland, the Irish Government, and international partners to ensure the safe and immediate release of Gena and her colleagues [4]. The European Union is closely monitoring the situation, and the gang believed to be responsible for the kidnapping is associated with the Viv Ansanm group in the town of Kenscoff, Haiti [5].
Viv Ansanm, a coalition of multiple gangs, has been sanctioned by the United Nations and the EU, and the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has also sanctioned the group [6]. The abduction occurred during a period of deep crisis in Haiti, where law and order have collapsed, and crime gangs control vast parts of the country [7].
Tánaiste Simon Harris has raised Gena Heraty's case with the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Kaja Kallas, and has been in constant contact with the Heraty family, providing them with necessary support [8]. An EU diplomat in Haiti will serve as the point of contact in the case following a conversation between Tánaiste Simon Harris and Kaja Kallas [9].
If Gena Heraty and her colleagues continue to be held for some time, the Irish Government has the option to create an "emergency consular assistance team" (ECAT) to coordinate local release efforts [3]. Gena Heraty is from a well-known family in Westport, Co Mayo, and is one of 11 siblings [10]. She has been working in Haiti since 1993 and is the director of special needs programs for NPFS, which supports children and young adults living with disabilities [11].
Direct contact has been established between the kidnappers and NPFS management, but contact has been limited and has not yet resulted in any breakthrough [12]. The gang leader has made contact with their organization, indicating it is an organized criminal gang rather than another faction or group [4]. Gang violence and kidnappings for ransom are commonplace in Haiti’s capital region due to the lawlessness and lack of effective state security [1].
The Irish Government, NPFS, and international partners will continue their efforts to secure the safe and immediate release of Gena Heraty and her colleagues. The public is asked to keep the family in their thoughts during this difficult time.
References: [1] https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0328/1328689-irish-aid-worker-held-hostage-in-haiti/ [2] https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/americas/irish-aid-worker-gena-heraty-kidnapped-in-haiti-1.45912971 [3] https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/americas/irish-aid-worker-held-hostage-in-haiti-1.45912971 [4] https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0328/1328689-irish-aid-worker-held-hostage-in-haiti/ [5] https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/americas/irish-aid-worker-held-hostage-in-haiti-1.45912971 [6] https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0328/1328689-irish-aid-worker-held-hostage-in-haiti/ [7] https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/americas/irish-aid-worker-gena-heraty-kidnapped-in-haiti-1.45912971 [8] https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0328/1328689-irish-aid-worker-held-hostage-in-haiti/ [9] https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/americas/irish-aid-worker-held-hostage-in-haiti-1.45912971 [10] https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0328/1328689-irish-aid-worker-held-hostage-in-haiti/ [11] https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/americas/irish-aid-worker-gena-heraty-kidnapped-in-haiti-1.45912971 [12] https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0328/1328689-irish-aid-worker-held-hostage-in-haiti/
In light of the ongoing crisis in Haiti, where law enforcement has deteriorated and crime gangs hold significant control, this recent kidnapping of Irish aid worker Gena Heraty and her colleagues by an armed gang in Kenscoff, a region affected by gang violence, has fuelled general-news concerns. The gang responsible for the abduction is believed to be associated with the Viv Ansanm group, a coalition of multiple gangs that has been sanctioned by international organizations due to its criminal activities.
