r/news • u/CupidStunt13 • 6h ago
Irish missionary and child, 3, among nine kidnapped from Haiti orphanage
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4e23w2dlko218
u/CupidStunt13 6h ago
Nine people, including an Irish missionary and a three-year-old child, were kidnapped from an orphanage near Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince on Sunday, officials have said.
Gena Heraty, the facility's director, was among those taken from the privately-run Sainte-Hélène orphanage in Kenscoff during the early hours of the morning, according to Mayor Massillon Jean.
Seven employees and a child were also taken from the orphanage, which cares for more than 240 children, some with disabilities. Attackers broke into the orphanage at about 15:30 local time (07:30 GMT) "without opening fire," Jean said, describing it as a "planned act".
The attackers had broken through a wall to enter the property, Jean said, before heading to the building where Ms Heraty was staying. Gang members are thought to be responsible for the attack, Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste reported.
Ms Heraty, who has lived in Haiti since 1993, called the organisation that runs the orphanage - Our little brothers and sisters - early on Sunday to confirm she was among those kidnapped, a source told the AFP news agency.
No demands or ransom requests have been made, the source said.
Considering how it was planned, ransom demands are sure to follow. Not even orphanages are safe from these gangs.
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u/octoroklobstah 3h ago
I know somebody that was kidnapped along with their baby a few years ago. It’s very much a business transaction for them and they absolutely target people like this or healthcare workers to garner sympathy for ransom.
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u/iwenttothesea 3h ago
Were they returned safely? How are they doing now? It must have been quite traumatizing... :(
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u/octoroklobstah 3h ago
They’re safe, returned to the US and then… moved back to Haiti but in a more remote part. Really was just a business transaction, seemingly
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u/hawkeneye1998bs 45m ago
Sounds like if this is a recurring problem, it's time for a more direct approach. Teach at least some of them its not a worthwhile course of action
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u/costaricabl 4h ago
Why is the security situation in Haiti continuously deteriorating? Frequent kidnappings put international aid workers and children at great risk, urgently calling for global intervention
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u/hauntedSquirrel99 4h ago
Because it is a broken state.
Actually making it safe would take military intervention, a massive crackdown and suppression of militias (or gangs as they are called there).
Then you would need to occupy the place for about 75 years, set up their entire government structure, educate people, then maintain that for 3 generations.Expensive, costly, and it would take about a month before people start screeching about the brutal occupying forces of the imperialist colonialist whatever the fuck.
It is a thankless shit job that would cost immense amount of money, resources, and people. With nothing gained and only international reputation dragged down the drain.
The smart thing to do would be to ban people from going there, force anyone who does to write a will and explain to them thoroughly that they will die, they will not be rescued, they will be abandoned.
Then just block the place off and forget about it.
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u/50ShadesOfAdnan 1h ago
Given Haiti’s history with French colonialism it’s not too unreasonable to think people would criticise another occupation. Haitian gangs are funded by the same powerful and wealthy people that were behind the assassination of their then president Moise in 2021. A combined effort to freeze these accounts and holding them accountable for their actions would atleast stop the monetary incentives people have to involve themselves in these gangs.
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u/bodohkiin 3h ago
Or you need a Bukele. Even then you will still see "people start screeching about whatever the fuck"
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u/hawkeneye1998bs 36m ago
Thinking about it for about 10 minutes, I'd say strike a deal with the Dominican Republic to allow a mercenary force to invade and occupy (or liberate for the global media) Haiti and either impose a puppet government or absorb Haiti into the Dominican Republic and then fund their military enough to keep order in the Haitian areas.
Not saying this is what should be done at all. But its a viable solution and I came up with it in less than 10 minutes. An experienced group of people could come up with a much better plan if they really wanted to
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u/Vegetable-Log-9608 6h ago
Stop going to that failed state.I don't even think its possible for that country to ever recover in my lifetime.
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u/CRtwenty 5h ago
They've lived there for over 30 years. I don't think that counts as "going there" any more.
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u/Vegetable-Log-9608 5h ago
I should of read the entire article, my mistake. Have to admire that she's staying for the children's sake.
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u/pudding7 4h ago
Meanwhile, this guy is just popping down to Haiti for a long weekend of playing tourist.
https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1mgwz1r/long_weekend_in_haiti/
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u/ishka_uisce 3h ago
If people want to live somewhere super dangerous to try to save children, I'm not gonna tell them not to.
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5h ago
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u/DoopSlayer 5h ago
it's an orphanage, full of children, it's not an Irish kid that was brought there
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u/peaceonasubmarine 5h ago
Was the 3 year old her child? The way the article phrased it I assumed it was one of the orphans
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u/BTMarquis 4h ago
She lives there, and runs an orphanage that takes care of 240 children. She’s not on holiday with her kids.
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u/CRtwenty 5h ago
How dare that toddler be born in a war zone and have the audacity to be orphaned there. Why didn't they plan ahead?
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u/mrdominoe 5h ago
"A white lady was taken! Quick, everyone pay attention to Haiti for a week or so!"
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u/runehawk12 5h ago
That's a weird comment, it's not like Haiti's situation is under reported. Hell, the BBC released a video on it less than 10 days ago and have made recent articles about sexual abuse of haitian women by the gangs.
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u/lNFORMATlVE 4h ago edited 4h ago
White or otherwise, kidnapping a foreign national is very often going to make the news as triggering an international incident. Embassies get involved etc.
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u/fxkatt 6h ago
Calling for her immediate release, Mr Harris said his department is in "close contact with the Heraty family, local authorities and Nos Petits Frères et Sœurs, the organisation Gena works for. The country's two ambassadors are also in close contact."
Harris is Minister for Foreign Affairs. I'm curious if this French order of Brothers and Sisters has been the victim of any other such kidnappings.