Sister Jeanne Voltaire and Sister Evanette Onézaire, like so many nuns of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus, are both martyrs, savagely murdered in the city of Mirebalais on Tuesday 1st April. They are the victims of blind hatred, of a form of dehumanisation against which there seems to be no resistance in Haiti, forgotten by the rest of the world. Monsignor Jean Désinord, Bishop of Hinche, capital of Haiti’s Centre Department, which includes Mirebalais, is still shocked and distraught by the murder of the two nuns, in a context of widespread violence in the city, some fifty kilometres north-east of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Armed gangs have unleashed a veritable full-scale war. According to the bishop, these gangs have seized control of 85-90% of the territory in and around the capital, Port-au-Prince, with the aim of extending their grip to the rest of the country. The ‘fault’ of the Church consists in remaining close to the people, in being the last remaining bulwark of education. The nuns’ murder, among other incidents, can also be explained in this manner. Msgr. Désinord, who agreed to answer a few questions from SIR, said: “At least one of our presbyters was attacked by the same gunmen who forced the priests to let them into the church before shooting the guard in front of them.”
Which activity were the two murdered nuns committed to? What legacy do they leave in their wake?
Like many of the nuns of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Sr Jeanne Voltaire and Sr Evanette Onézaire had devoted their lives to education. They carried out this service with joy, passion and love, relentlessly working for the intellectual, human and spiritual formation of children and young people. Adhering to the principles and guidance of the founder, Father Farnèse Louis Charles, they firmly believed in the development and fulfilment of the Haitian person and offered young people the opportunity to develop their potential through comprehensive education. Their service of education, practised as a second vocation, planted seeds that sprouted, grew and bore fruit. The many generations of young people educated by them are the footprints they left on the social map of the country.
Their mission, lived with a spirit of self-giving and commitment, their life totally dedicated to the service of the most vulnerable, is an eloquent testimony to their faith, which has become a beacon of hope for our society.
What has happened and what has been happening in Mirebalais in the past days?
Last year, several gangs attempted to attack Mirebalais, but they were pushed back by the local population and by the police. On the night of 31 March, they attacked again, with increased numbers and weapons. Despite the efforts of the police and the local population to resist, organising themselves into local militias, the gunmen succeeded in gaining the upper hand after a terribly violent attack. They stormed the town, shooting at anything that moved and setting fire to residential and commercial buildings. In the aftermath of the attack, Sister Jeanne Voltaire and Sister Evanette Onézaire tried to flee their home and seek shelter with the school’s caretaker. The assailants arrived at the house and, in their murderous frenzy, executed the two nuns and several other occupants of the house in cold blood.
This heinous crime represents an irreparable loss, a sign of moral degradation and a challenge to the fundamental principles of human coexistence. Such atrocious crimes, perpetrated with impunity, foster the notion that human lives can be sacrificed without consequences, thereby causing widespread injustice and destabilising society. The bodies of the victims have not yet been recovered. In fact, the bandits are still in the area where the murders took place.
By Thursday 3 April, the criminals had occupied most of the town of Mirebalais. Thanks to reinforcements flown in by helicopter from Port-au-Prince, security forces are now engaged in a fierce battle against the bandits in the hope of breaking their grip on the area. Several thousand residents of Mirebalais have fled the town, taking only the bare necessities with them. Most have sought refuge in other towns in the Haut-Plateau Central region, including Thomonde, Hinche, Maïssade and Los Palis.
Is the violence spreading outside the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, into the central part of the country?
The gangs are constantly trying to conquer new territory. The city of Mirebalais in particular has long been their coveted target. Mirebalais is strategically important to the bandits, allowing them to stash weapons and ammunition across the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Controlling the border town of Mirebalais would ensure that these weapons would not be detected. Additionally, they could then set up their checkpoints along this heavily trafficked road.
The presence of these gangs in the town of Mirebalais could pave the way for them to take over other areas.
Should they decide to continue their march towards Haut-Plateau in order to reach Hinche, the capital of the Centre department, and should they not encounter any resistance, they could proceed to Cap-Haïtien without much difficulty. Whenever the gangs succeeded in emptying a prison of its inmates, they reinforced their ranks with battle-hardened criminals. This was their first move when they stormed Mirebalais, resulting in the escape of over 560 prisoners. In addition to controlling 85% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, the gangs continue to spread their tentacles into other cities across the country.
How does the Church plan to continue to transmit and spread their witness?
In this Jubilee Year, in which we are called to be signs of hope, it is high time for the Church to stand up in the face of such suffering, to walk alongside the people of God and to be a sign of hope for them. The murder of Sister Jeanne Voltaire and Sister Evanette Onézaire, which amounts to martyrdom, is an eloquent witness for the Church. Do not the words “witness” and “martyr” have the same Greek root, “martyros”? Christian witness comes with trials and tribulations. The Church will therefore pursue her mission with the same determination. She will not hesitate to denounce the causes of gang violence, such as poverty, unemployment, lack of education and social inequality. The Church will continue to play her part in the promotion of social justice, making her voice heard before public authorities in order to implement fairer and more inclusive public policies that offer alternative options to young people lured by gang violence. The Church will continue to carry out her mission, faithful to her message of love, reconciliation and justice, bearing witness to hope in situations of despair.
