Criminals kidnap a secular missionary and 8 other orphanage people in Haiti

On the morning of Sunday, August 3, 9 people who work in an orphanage of Port -au -Prince, the capital of Haiti, including a secular missionary and a child of just three years with disabilities were kidnapped.

According to the FIDES Pontifical Agencythe orphanage is located in Kenscoff, a commune on the outskirts of the capital. It is managed by the international beneficial organization Our little brothers and sisters (Our little brothers and little sisters) and houses more than 240 children. The other 7 kidnapped people are workers of the institution.

The kidnapped missionary is Gena Heraty, who has more than 30 years of work in the Caribbean country. According to Fides, he was inside the orphanage when the criminals broke out, taking it with a 3 -year -old disabled child.

In recent months, Haiti has seen wrapped in a spiral of violenceunleashed by the criminal gangs that operate freely and control around 80% of the territory of Port -au -Prince.

Haitian bishops have launched several orders for urgent help to the international community to reverse the situation and serve the most needy.

“It is not the first time that the secular missionary lives a similar tragedy. In 2013, she was the victim of an armed attack within the same orphanage. On that occasion, a partner of his was murdered to hammer while trying to protect her,” reports Fides.

The Haitian authorities, together with UNICEF and the Haitian Institute for Social Welfare, activated a plan to relocate the children of the orphanage to a safer place. The area where the institution is controlled by the band Live togetherwhich was recently classified as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.

The Irish minister, Simon Harris, referred to the kidnapping of Heraty as “deeply worrying” and demanded the release of all the kidnapped. FIDES points out that, so far, no criminal group has claimed the attack.

In addition, it ensures that the authorities have maintained the secrecy about what happened and the inquiries, despite the fact that the relatives of the victims expect news of their loved ones. “The Ireland embassy also closely follows the evolution of events,” reports the Pontifical Agency.