By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Worthy News) – Haiti’s Catholic bishops have appealed for an end to escalating violence in their troubled Caribbean nation and urged the prime minister to resign.
Their appeal came after a United Nations report said more than 1000 people were killed, injured, or kidnapped in Haiti in January, including Christians, making it the bloodiest month for the Caribbean nation in almost two years.
“Just last week, six religious brothers and a priest were kidnapped in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. In January, six religious sisters were kidnapped and subsequently released. “We’ve had enough!’,” the Vatican News service said.
Last week, Bishop Pierre-André Dumas of Anse-à-Veau and Miragoâne was wounded in an explosion in the country’s capital, marking the latest act of violence plaguing Haiti for years.
The Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti (CEH) said Dumas had been injured “by an explosion which reached the house where he was staying” while he was visiting Port-au-Prince.
“For the moment, Dumas’ health is stable. We entrust him to your fervent prayers for a speedy recovery,” the bishops said.
However, “Enough blood and tears have been shed by murders, kidnappings, and rapes committed over the past three years,” the bishops wrote in separate remarks adding, “We’ve had enough!”
INCREASED VIOLENCE
Increased violence in recent months has been linked to Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s decision to remain in power despite an earlier agreement to hold elections in February 2024.
In their statement, the bishops urged Henry to step down “for the good of the entire nation.”
Henry became prime minister in 2021 amid the political crisis following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. He pledged to hold elections on February 7, 2024, but later decided to continue with a national unity government.
The bishops asked Henry to make “a wise decision” by stepping aside “for the good of the entire nation,” which, they said, “is seriously threatened to its very foundations.”
Several people reportedly died in violence and protests in recent days. The bishop urged Haitians not to “fall into the trap of violence and fratricidal struggles that trample on our dignity”
As violence escalated, Pope Francis on Wednesday also called for prayers for the people of Haiti, “where crimes and kidnappings by armed gangs continue.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
The Trump administration has finalized a sweeping reciprocal trade agreement with Taiwan, confirming a 15 percent U.S. tariff rate on Taiwanese imports while securing broad new market access and purchase commitments for American goods.
Democrats are applauding White House border czar Tom Homan’s Thursday announcement that immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota will end next week.
Democrats in the U.S. Senate tanked the Homeland Security full-year funding bill in a last-ditch vote Thursday, all but guaranteeing a partial government shutdown starting Saturday.
Mourners in a remote Canadian town grappled Thursday with the aftermath of one of the country’s deadliest school shootings in decades, as families, survivors and leaders reacted to the tragedy that left eight victims — most of them children — dead, along with the 18-year-old suspect.
A gunman who opened fire at a school in southern Thailand’s Hat Yai city on Wednesday wounded a teacher and a student before being detained, authorities said, in a rare attack that sent students and staff into panic.
The Republican-led House of Representatives has passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, advancing legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification at the polls. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain amid strong Democratic opposition.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday that its advanced David’s Sling air and missile defense system has completed a series of complex modernized tests, a development officials say bolsters the country’s defensive posture as tensions with Iran escalate and the United States prepares military options that could include direct strikes.