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Haiti - Religion : CEH's Position on the Country's Security Crisis and the 2025 Draft Constitution 24/07/2025 09:40:45
CEH Position on the Security Crisis "[...] As our country sinks deeper each day into widespread chaos, and the pillars of social and political life crumble one by one, we, the Catholic Bishops of Haiti, feel more urgent than ever the urgency to address a prophetic word so that 'But let justice run down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream' (Amos 5:24). It is with gravity and compassion that we raise our voices: to warn of the extent of the disaster, to denounce what degrades human dignity, and to propose, in the light of the Gospel, paths of conversion, justice, and hope. [...] We are witnessing a decline in society and a decadence of the institutions that are its pillars: • A failing State that no longer ensures security, justice, or the bare minimum for its people; • A fragmented territory, abandoned to the rule of arms and the terror of armed gangs; • A population in flight, displaced, humiliated, impoverished, wounded in body and soul. In addition to the trivialization of life, the transgression of the sacred testifies to a collapse of moral and social order. No one is exempt from the atrocities committed by armed gangs; No place or symbol is spared: places of worship are desecrated, sanctuaries are violated and ransacked, the country's historical and cultural heritage is vandalized, set ablaze without any regard for what it represents as a sign of collective memory, shared faith and national identity. These attacks do not only destroy stones or objects; they strike at the living heart of our people, their moral conscience, their capacity for hope. We denounce these acts of barbarism; they are the sign of a people losing their sense of God, and with it, their sense of humanity. We ask ourselves once again what lies behind this dehumanizing project that brings an already wounded people to its knees. And above all, why are the State Authorities not making every effort to protect what remains of our territory and what should be inviolable, namely: life, liberty, culture, and memory? CEH Position on the Draft New Constitution: In a situation 'plagued by violence and insecurity, marred by so much discord," the CEH is closely observing the process initiated by the transitional government with a view to adopting a new Constitution in Haiti. 'While challenging each of us, this Draft Constitution raises hopes, debates, but also deep concerns' and address the collective conscience of the Nation. "The draft bill proposes several noteworthy innovations: • A clear desire to modernize the state and streamline public governance; • A promising opening toward recognizing the rights of Haitians living abroad, and the participation of women and youth; • Strengthened recognition of fundamental social rights: education, health, social security, and housing; • Mechanisms promoting transparency, the fight against corruption, and more legitimate representation of political parties. [...] However, beyond these advances, the text presents major shortcomings that risk undermining the democratic balance: • A process that is both largely uninclusive and elaborated without an elected Constituent Assembly or genuine public debate; • A greatly strengthened presidential power, concentrating prerogatives that weaken legislative and judicial checks and balances; • A dangerous vagueness surrounding the territorial model, with a federalism that risks fragmenting national unity; • Social rights proclaimed but without recourse mechanisms, thus risking remaining a dead letter; • A complex institutional governance model that may prove difficult to apply in a country with limited administrative and budgetary capacities. In the face of all this, we solemnly recall that a country's Constitution is more than a legal text: it is a social pact. The question of the Constitution requires a very broad debate leading to a true national consensus that takes into account the historical, cultural, and social reality of our people. And this must be done at an opportune time. This is not the time for a process leading to the adoption of a new Constitution. Today, the priority is security, peace, and governance for the good of the people. The renewal of the Nation will not come from a text, however well-written, if it is not driven by a collective and renewed civic conscience, a shared moral imperative, and a culture of dialogue and solidarity. We urge everyone, at all levels, to work harder to build not a Constitution that unilaterally breaks the mold, but a founding charter for our common future. Let's actively engage in the moral and structural reconstruction of our society. Let's resist resignation, revenge, and anarchy. Let's raise our voices for truth, justice, and peace. To all of you, Haitian sisters and brothers, we say that there is still time to avoid irreparable harm. But every day of silence, hesitation, or duplicity is one too many. Too much blood has been shed. Too many families have been destroyed. Too many young people have lost hope. [...]" Signatures of the Bishops of the CEH : Bishop Max Leroy MÉSIDOR Metropolitan Archbishop of Port-au-Prince President of the CEH Bishop Pierre André DUMAS (Hospitalized) Bishop of Anse-à-Veau / Miragoâne Vice-President of the CEH Bishop Joseph Gontrand DÉCOSTE, SJ Bishop of Jérémie Secretary General of the CEH Bishop Désinord JEAN Bishop of Hinche Treasurer of the CEH Chibly Cardinal LANGLOIS Bishop of Les Cayes Councilor Bishop Marie Érick Glandas TOUSSAINT Bishop of Jacmel Bishop Launay SATURNÉ Metropolitan Archbishop of Cap-Haïtien Bishop Charles Peters BARTHELUS Bishop of Port-de-Paix Bishop Yves Marie PEAN, CSC Bishop of Gonaïves Bishop Sander LOUIS-JEAN Auxiliary Bishop of Port-au-Prince Bishop Quesnel ALPHONSE, SMM Bishop of Fort-Liberté Bishop Wismick JEAN-CHARLES, SMM Auxiliary Bishop of Port-au-Prince HL/ HaitiLibre
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