Haiti: church offers to intervene in crisis

As unrest continued in Haiti, Mgr Hubert Constant, Archbishop of Cap-Haitien, Haiti's second city, told the Missionary News Service yesterday that the local churches have a proposal to help overcome the crisis. Mgr Constant said: "The situation in the country is extremely worrying and it could get worse. The parties need to show great lucidity and recognise how much is at stake. Commenting on the events of the last few days, which have seen an uprising by groups opposed to President Jean Bertrand Aristide and widespread clashes with police and supporters of the Head of State, the prelate stressed that "the situation is very serious in Gonaives, which was taken by the 'Artibonite Revolutionary Resistance Front' on 5 February." He said in Cap-Haitien in the north of the country, the situation seemed a bit quieter although numerous sources report that yesterday several houses were torched and barricades were erected. Local sources also told MISNA that few children went to school yesterday. Mgr Constant, who is also President of the Haitian Bishops' Conference, added that the local Church was ready with a proposal to overcome the crisis in the event that the Caricom (Community of Caribbean Nations) plan should fail. A few months ago, Haitian bishops drew up an initial plan. However, in the light of more recent developments, Mgr Constant said that this "needs to be revised" Source: MISNA