A Statement of Religions for Peace International in Solidarity with the People of Haiti
November 4, 2019FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(United Nations Plaza, New York, USA) Religions for Peace (RfP) International joins RfP Haiti in solidarity with the people of Haiti in their quest for peace, security and strong institutions for their nation. RfP International supports RfP Haiti in their role creating an open space for inclusive dialogue among all stakeholders, especially those most effected by the crisis. RfP calls upon religious communities and members of civil society to support and engage in the process of dialogue for the common good.
RfP International calls for the establishment of an effective humanitarian corridor for those whose lives have been deeply affected by both direct violence and its related effects, including institution closures and unsafe communities. It is imperative for the realization of the dignity within each person that this humanitarian response be effective and timely. RfP further encourages all religious communities and people of good will within Haiti to support RfP Haiti, both in its convening of stakeholders for dialogue, but also in its humanitarian response.
RfP expresses its appreciation for, and hope in, the work of RfP Haiti to mediate this inclusive dialogue and wishes to draw the attention of the international community to join in solidarity for peace and prosperity in Haiti.
In solidarity,
Rev. Kyoichi Sugino, Secretary General, a.i.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Port-au-Prince, Haiti) The political crisis in Haiti, and the violence associated with it, is leading the Haitian people towards an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
Religions for Peace Haiti (RfP Haiti), a coalition of people of faith in Haiti, urges our fellow citizens to strengthen the spirit of dialogue, negotiation and understanding in our political culture. This strengthening is necessary for the facilitation of a peaceful resolution to the conflict and for the prevention of even greater civilian casualties, particularly of those who are in most need of care.
RfP Haiti is deeply concerned by the unfruitful resistance of the conflicting parties and calls upon the parties to engage in a process of peaceful conflict resolution through multi-stakeholder dialogue, addressing the concerns of all involved and impacted by this crisis.
The crisis has already claimed the lives of many innocent victims, blocked streets, closed schools and deprived millions of children access to education. These effects will only exacerbate the injustices and social inequalities experienced by the poorest among us.
In order to transform the crisis and uphold the dignity within each member of our society, RfP Haiti calls for:
- – An immediate cessation of violence in all its forms
- – Key stakeholders to establish an inclusive and open space for dialogue with the objective of building respect across divides in order to find a solution representative of the Haitian people
- – Civil society organizations within Haiti to actively support any initiative for dialogue and peace, and to actively discourage hate speech and further violence
- – Friends of Haiti to provide emergency humanitarian support and to assume an active and concrete role in the dialogue process, in order for it to be both timely and effective
- – People of faith and the international community to unite in solidarity with the Haitian people
In solidarity,
Rev. Clement Joseph, Secretary General, Religions for Peace Haiti