AMERICA/HAITI - "Just like the Holy Family, many Haitian families continue to flee risking their lives": the Bishops' message

Monday, 16 December 2013

Lilavois (Agenzia Fides) - "The socio-political drama of many countries, including our own, is similar in many respects to that of Jesus’ country. The tragic destiny of our people is marked by great situations of suffering and conflict that have a heavy impact on the lives of all Haitians and the entire nation, making our life as a people increasingly difficult": are the Bishops of Haiti’s words in their Message for Christmas, sent to Fides Agency.
The Episcopal Conference of Haiti stresses that "even today, we continue to create situations of mistrust and exclusion that paralyze our present, threaten our future and contribute to alienate our relationship with God, with ourselves, with others and with the environment". They mention: "the endless fratricidal struggle for power, the lack of respect for others, for the rules and laws; negative criticism and destructive moral degradation; administrative mismanagement and corruption, political polarization, which causes paralysis; growing intolerance to contempt for others, and the widening gap between rich and poor".
The message goes on to mention that "the Child was the victim of threats and exclusion. Mary and Joseph fled with him to Egypt. Like him, many Haitian families continue to flee facing the sea, risking their lives by crossing the border, suffering humiliation, rejection, exclusion and the denial of their fundamental rights. In their travel abroad in search of a better life they find abuse, degradation, xenophobia and even death".
Finally, the Episcopal Conference of Haiti calls for hope: "The celebration of the Emmanuel, which gives families the opportunity to meet, for us Haitians, men and women, sons and daughters of the same land, is an occasion of fraternal meeting". (CE) (Agenzia Fides 16/12/2013)


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