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Two North American Missionaries Kidnapped in Haiti Are Released

  • Members of the 400 Mawozo gang, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 2021.

    Members of the 400 Mawozo gang, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 2021. | Photo: Twitter/ @Jeapam

Published 22 November 2021
Opinion

During the first 10 months of the year, the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights recorded 803 kidnappings, among which 54 foreign citizens from four different countries were involved.

On Sunday, the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries (CAM) announced that 2 out of 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haity by the "400 Mawozo" criminal gang were released.

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"Although we have limited information, we can confirm that two hostages were released, are safe, and in good spirits," CAM said, although it did not indicate the names of the missionaries or the reasons why they were released.

On Oct. 16, a Canadian missionary and 16 American missionaries visited an orphanage on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, where they were kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo, a urban gang controlling the Croix-des-Bouquets district of the capital city.

Three weeks ago, the White House claimed it had seen "proof of life" of some of the missionaries, for whom the criminals were asking for US$17 million in ransom. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was sent to try to locate the victims.

The Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights (CARDH), a non-governmental organization that monitors kidnapping cases, revealed that the 400 Mawozo also demand the release of one of their leaders, who is serving a sentence in the National Penitentiary.

In Haiti, a country mired in a deep economic and political crisis that has lasted for at least four years, kidnappings have become commonplace, affecting people from all socio-economic strata.

During the first 10 months of the year, CARDH recorded 803 kidnappings, among which 54 foreign citizens from four different countries were involved. Unlike what has happened with the group of North American missionaries, kidnappings tend to be short-lived, as criminals do not ask for very high amounts of money.

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