wfn.org | WCC deeply concerned about the wave of violence in Haiti

["Sheila Mesa" <smm@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches
Press Release, PR-01-49
For Immediate Use
21 December 2001

World Council of Churches deeply concerned about the wave of
violence in Haiti

cf. WCC Press Release, PR-00-19, of 6 July 2000
cf. WCC Press Feature, Feat-00-04, of 26 May 2000
cf. WCC Press Update, Up-00-12, of 19 May 2000
cf. WCC Press Update, Up-00-11, of 16 May 2000
cf. WCC Press Release, PR-00-14, of 9 May 2000

The general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC),
Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser, has called upon the government of Haiti
and the leaders of the ruling Lavalas political party to put an
end to a spiral of violence and injustice spreading across Haiti.
In an open letter addressed to the Haitian Protestant Federation
(HPF), Raiser warns that unless the spiral is halted, the
"country will descend into total chaos".   

Raiser directly addresses the political parties - president
Jean-Bertrand Aristide's Lavalas Family party as well as the
Democratic Convergence opposition coalition - urging them "to do
everything possible to bring the political agreement currently
being negotiated to a successful conclusion".  

"We would like to believe that the conclusion and the
implementation of a political agreement between the main parties
could bring hope to the Haitian people and open a way forward for
them," adds Raiser.  

He encourages the Haitian Protestant Federation (HPF) as well as
"all Christian churches and congregations to persevere in the
search for a better life for the Haitian people, through prayer,
the proclamation of the will of God and practical action... in
trying to break the vicious circle of injustice and violence in
the country".  

Raiser visited Haiti in May 2000 at a time of mounting social
and political tension there. The HPF had addressed the "serious
crisis" in the country publicly on 
several occasions.  

In his letter, the WCC general secretary assures Christian
churches and congregations in Haiti of the Council's solidarity
and continuous support:  

The text of the open letter to the Haitian Protestant Federation
follows:

The World Council of Churches is following with increasing
concern the recent deterioration of the political and social
situation in Haiti. The fresh upsurge of violence, lynchings such
as that of the journalist Brignol Lindor on 3 December at
Petit-Goave, assassinations and summary executions have created a
climate of insecurity that is unbearable for the population, and
could make it impossible to achieve the political agreement that
the government and the opposition are seeking.  

Everything points to the fact that the violence is not
gratuitous and cannot be explained only by the extreme poverty to
which the majority of the Haitian people are condemned. Groups of
people are aiming to provoke terror and to physically eliminate
certain targeted individuals. It would seem that the authorities
are not doing everything necessary to stop these actions.
Reliable witnesses say that they may even be implicated in them
or at least tolerate them.  

Information supplied by reliable witnesses and recently
published in the international press about the summary executions
perpetrated by police officers leads us to fear the worst for the
integrity and authority of the state. The principle of  "zero
tolerance" adopted by the government is understandable and
responds to the exasperation of a population that cannot stand
the situation any longer. However, there is no justification for
executing individuals suspected of criminal acts or even caught
red-handed without any form of trial.  

In the light of this worrying situation, the World Council of
Churches adds its voice to the appeals that human rights be
properly respected made by the Ecumenical Centre for Human
Rights, the Committee of Lawyers for the Respect of Individual
Freedom, and other organizations in Haiti. We demand that the
government act to improve procedures in the courts and to ensure
that the national police behave with due respect for the law.  

The World Council of Churches appeals to the political parties,
especially the Lavalas Family and the Democratic Convergence, to
do everything possible to bring the political agreement currently
being negotiated to a successful conclusion. In this context, we
ask the government and the leaders of the political party in
power to prevent violent reactions to the recently attempted coup
d'etat, such as the setting on fire of Democratic Convergence
offices, as such reactions reduce the chances of successful
talks. We would like to believe that the conclusion and
implementation of a political agreement between the main parties
could bring hope to the Haitian people and open a way forward for
them. But, without the will to put an end to the spiral of
violence and the injustices in the country, the country will
descend into total chaos.  

The World Council of Churches encourages the Protestant
Federation of Haiti and all Christian churches and congregations
to persevere in the search for a better life for the Haitian
people, through prayer, the proclamation of the will of God and
practical action, in association with all those involved in
trying to break the vicious circle of injustice and violence in
the country. We assure you of our solidarity and support.  

During Advent, when Christians throughout the world prepare to
welcome the Prince of Peace, we remember that the love manifested
in Jesus Christ is stronger than evil and makes us able to be the
ambassadors of reconciliation. Let Christmas be, for you, a time
of peace and spiritual renewal, that will allow you to continue
to fight the good fight (2 Tim.4 :7). God  bless you and the
people of Haiti.  

For further information, please contact Karin Achtelstetter,
Media Relations Officer,
Tel.:  (+41.22) 791.61.53   Mobile:  (+41) 79.284.52.12

**********
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of churches,
now 342, in more than 100 countries in all continents from
virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is
not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC. The
highest governing body is the assembly, which meets approximately
every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in
Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general
secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

World Council of Churches
Media Relations Office
Tel: (41 22) 791 6153 / 791 6421
Fax: (41 22) 798 1346
E-mail: ka@wcc-coe.org 
Web: www.wcc-coe.org 

PO Box 2100
1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland