25 February 2024 , 12:59
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Six members of a religious congregation in Haiti and a teacher have been kidnapped from outside a school in the capital, officials said.
The members are men from the Congregation of Brothers of Sacred Heart, according to a statement on Friday from religious officials. As a result of the kidnapping, the school where it occurred has temporarily closed. The congregation criticized what it called the "absurd and unjustified" violence that has gripped Haiti for many years, noting that no one is spared.
Last month, six nuns and two other people were kidnapped while traveling aboard a bus in the capital, Port-au-Prince. They were later released. Nearly 2,500 people were kidnapped last year in Haiti, a more than 80% increase compared with the previous year, according to U.N. statistics. Gangs that control an estimated 80% of Port-au-Prince have been blamed for the surge in kidnappings and killings.
According to a UNICEF statement: "In most instances, children and women are forcefully taken by armed groups and used for financial or tactical gains. The victims who manage to return home grapple with deep physical and psychological scars, possibly for many years."
UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Garry Conille added: "The stories we are hearing from UNICEF colleagues and partners on the ground are shocking and unacceptable. Women and children are not commodities. They are not bargaining chips. And they must never be exposed to such unimaginable violence. The growing trend in kidnappings and abductions is extremely worrisome, threatening both the people of Haiti and those who have come to help.”
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The overall situation in Haiti is equally concerning. A report from August last year said that an estimated 5.2million people, including three million children, need humanitarian assistance. Local hospitals and healthcare facilities are "teetering on the brink of collapse", "schools are under attack", which leaves "civilians under constant terror".
"The increase in violence, looting, road blockades, and the pervasive presence of armed groups severely obstruct humanitarian efforts, making it difficult to deliver much-needed aid to affected communities. As months go by, it adds an increasing layer of fear and complexity to an already challenging environment for those delivering life-saving aid," UNICEF adds.