Episcopal Conference of Haiti condemns killing of nuns as ‘heinous crime’

The Episcopal Conference of Haiti (CEH) has strongly condemned the murder of two nuns during a violent gang attack in the town of Mirebalais last week, calling the killings a “heinous crime” that reflects the deepening crisis gripping the nation.

In a statement released after the attack, the CEH said it was filled with “deep sadness and outrage at the tragic events” that unfolded near the capital and “once again plunged our country and our Church into mourning.”

Sisters Evanette Onezaire and Jeanne Voltaire, members of the Order of Saint Teresa, were killed after an armed gang stormed the area on Monday. The attack was part of an offensive by the Vivre Ensemble coalition, a powerful alliance of criminal groups seeking to tighten their grip on the country. Media reports indicate that the nuns had taken refuge in a house as gang members targeted the local prison and other public buildings in Mirebalais, located about 30 miles northeast of Port-au-Prince.

The gang reportedly discovered the hiding place and fatally shot the two sisters. A young girl who was sheltering with them was also shot and sustained gunshot wounds to her chest.

Describing the murders as “a heinous crime that serves as a reminder of the magnitude of the evil plaguing our society,” the CEH extended its sympathy to the victims’ families.