Nine people, including an Irish missionary and a three -year -old child with disabilities, were abducted on Sunday in Haiti, officials of this Caribbean country said in prey to the violence of criminal gangs.
• Read also: More than 3000 people killed in Haiti since the start of the year, according to the UN
They were kidnapped in the middle of the night in Kenscoff, commune south-east of the capital Port-au-Prince, within their Sainte-Hélène orphanage of the organization “Our little brothers and sisters”, established in many countries of Central and South America.
Among these victims are the head of the establishment, Gena Heraty, missionary of Irish nationality, seven Haitian employees and a three -year -old child with disabilities, the mayor of Kenscoff, Masillon Jean, and a source close to the humanitarian organization.
“The attackers broke into the orphanage around 3:30 am (7:30 am GMT), without opening fire. They pierced a wall to enter the property before heading to the building where the manager lived, and leaving with the nine hostages, “said the councilor, evoking” a planned action “.
No claim or ransom request have been made.
Ms. Heraty was able to briefly come into telephone contact with employees on Sunday morning to confirm the kidnapping, said the source close to the orphanage.
Sainte-Hélène welcomes around 270 children, including fifty living with a handicap.
On the website of “Our little brothers and sisters”, Gena Heraty is presented as an Irishwoman “responsible for children’s and young adult programs with disabilities in Haiti” and living in the poorest country of the Americas since 1993.
In recent years there have been a number of abductions of foreign missionaries in Haiti.
In April 2021, ten people, including two French priests, had been kidnapped bouquets by the gang “400 mawozo”, before being released 20 days later. This same group had been behind the abduction six months after 16 American missionaries and a Canadian from the organization “Christian Aid Minister”.
Since January, the municipality of Kenscoff has been the target of the criminal coalition “VIV ANSANM”, which has already taken control of several localities and has made their inhabitants flee.
The police are struggling to restore security in this area.
At least 3141 people were killed in Haiti between 1is January and June 30, the UN High Commission for Human Rights, feared that the violence of the gangs, which has intensified since 2024, has destabilized other Caribbean countries.
