The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Haiti has reported that a minor seminary of the Spiritan Religious was attacked by gangs. They set fire to cars, vandalized and stole from the school, where hundreds of children and youths are educated.
The United Nations has called for immediate action to avoid further suffering.
Immediate and bold action is needed to address the cataclysm in Haiti, where corruption, impunity and poor governance, compounded by rising levels of gang violence, have eroded the rule of law in the Caribbean country and led to State institutions are on the brink of collapse, according to the UN Human Rights Office ( OHCHR ) in a report published on Thursday.
(The School released the video below showing the vandalism)
The report covers the period from September 25, 2023 to February 29, 2024 and includes information provided by both the Human Rights Service of the UN Special Political Mission in Haiti (BINUH) and the expert appointed by the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in the country, William O'Neill. The impact of widespread insecurity on the population is dire and is deteriorating, seriously affecting human rights . "Addressing insecurity must be an absolute priority to protect the population and prevent further human suffering. It is equally important to protect the institutions essential to the rule of law, which have been attacked at their very core," he declared when announcing the report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.
The report covers the period from September 25, 2023 to February 29, 2024 and includes information provided by both the Human Rights Service of the UN Special Political Mission in Haiti (BINUH) and the expert appointed by the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in the country, William O'Neill. The impact of widespread insecurity on the population is dire and is deteriorating, seriously affecting human rights . "Addressing insecurity must be an absolute priority to protect the population and prevent further human suffering. It is equally important to protect the institutions essential to the rule of law, which have been attacked at their very core," he declared when announcing the report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.
FULL TEXT from the Bishops' Conference of Haiti
The following text is a note from the Provincial of the Spiritans in Haiti. Addressed to colleagues and friends, she describes to us the extremely distressing situation experienced by her colleagues and those who were on the vast campus of Collège Saint Martial, a high-level educational establishment administered by members of this religious congregation in Haiti, in moment of the invasion of members of criminal groups on their property which is located a few meters from the National Palace, also targeted by these groups.
Looting, arson, theft and other acts of vandalism... such was the result of this invasion.
Let us recall, for the sake of history, that this intrusion was the second that the Spiritans had to face. A little over 54 years ago, at the height of the dictatorship of François Duvalier, they were targeted by the regime and subsequently expelled.
We are publishing their text dated April 2, 2024 and entitled “Evolution of the situation of the Spiritans in Haiti: Attack of Saint Martial” for history and to inform alumni of the College and their friends in the diaspora who are not yet aware of their situation…
The following text is a note from the Provincial of the Spiritans in Haiti. Addressed to colleagues and friends, she describes to us the extremely distressing situation experienced by her colleagues and those who were on the vast campus of Collège Saint Martial, a high-level educational establishment administered by members of this religious congregation in Haiti, in moment of the invasion of members of criminal groups on their property which is located a few meters from the National Palace, also targeted by these groups.
Looting, arson, theft and other acts of vandalism... such was the result of this invasion.
Let us recall, for the sake of history, that this intrusion was the second that the Spiritans had to face. A little over 54 years ago, at the height of the dictatorship of François Duvalier, they were targeted by the regime and subsequently expelled.
We are publishing their text dated April 2, 2024 and entitled “Evolution of the situation of the Spiritans in Haiti: Attack of Saint Martial” for history and to inform alumni of the College and their friends in the diaspora who are not yet aware of their situation…
FULL TEXT Message from the Minor Seminary:
Dear confreres and friends, the situation in Port-au-Prince is getting out of control and we are more than ever the victims.
Monday, 1st April 2024, at 5 p.m. local time, armed bandits broke into the Petit Séminaire Collège Saint Martial by climbing over a poorly protected wall in a back street.
After neutralising the two guards, they began burning vehicles parked in the courtyard and vandalising the premises.
There were 4 confreres present at the time: Fathers Isaac Aujour, Migenson Saint Germain, Rodel François and Werby Mitial, in addition to the house staff, two members of the school administration and two mechanics.
Two other confreres, members of the St. Martial community, were not on site: Fathers Jean Patrick Eugène and Benjamin Osio.
The confreres present did not have time to flee and had to hide in the residence or other premises, hoping for police intervention.
The police, who are currently very weak and overwhelmed by the attack on the nearby Palais National, did not intervene despite repeated calls from us.
For more than 6 hours, the bandits continued to loot, set on fire, steal…
Finally, the confreres and staff were able to escape, some taking refuge in the Spiritan Formation House, a thirty-minute walk away, others in the street or in the Cathedral, next to the school.
There were no physical casualties in the attack, but the material damage was considerable: four cars burnt, the others vandalised, the school administration set on fire, the Procure looted, as well as the community residence and the school premises: refrigerators, solar panels, batteries, inverters, a water purification system, mattresses, computer and electronic equipment, etc.
The Haitian Spiritan Library, a national heritage site, was not affected.
But it is likely that other intrusions will take place in the coming hours or days if the school, by one means or another, is not secured.
We are devastated, and we are still very worried about the continuing deterioration of the situation in our country.
We thank you for your fraternal support through your thoughts and prayers.
Fraternally yours,
The Spiritans of Haiti
Dear confreres and friends, the situation in Port-au-Prince is getting out of control and we are more than ever the victims.
Monday, 1st April 2024, at 5 p.m. local time, armed bandits broke into the Petit Séminaire Collège Saint Martial by climbing over a poorly protected wall in a back street.
After neutralising the two guards, they began burning vehicles parked in the courtyard and vandalising the premises.
There were 4 confreres present at the time: Fathers Isaac Aujour, Migenson Saint Germain, Rodel François and Werby Mitial, in addition to the house staff, two members of the school administration and two mechanics.
Two other confreres, members of the St. Martial community, were not on site: Fathers Jean Patrick Eugène and Benjamin Osio.
The confreres present did not have time to flee and had to hide in the residence or other premises, hoping for police intervention.
The police, who are currently very weak and overwhelmed by the attack on the nearby Palais National, did not intervene despite repeated calls from us.
For more than 6 hours, the bandits continued to loot, set on fire, steal…
Finally, the confreres and staff were able to escape, some taking refuge in the Spiritan Formation House, a thirty-minute walk away, others in the street or in the Cathedral, next to the school.
There were no physical casualties in the attack, but the material damage was considerable: four cars burnt, the others vandalised, the school administration set on fire, the Procure looted, as well as the community residence and the school premises: refrigerators, solar panels, batteries, inverters, a water purification system, mattresses, computer and electronic equipment, etc.
The Haitian Spiritan Library, a national heritage site, was not affected.
But it is likely that other intrusions will take place in the coming hours or days if the school, by one means or another, is not secured.
We are devastated, and we are still very worried about the continuing deterioration of the situation in our country.
We thank you for your fraternal support through your thoughts and prayers.
Fraternally yours,
The Spiritans of Haiti
Image of the Minor Seminary from their Facebook Page
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