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Catholic bishops in Haiti urge the government to abandon an upcoming constitutional referendum due to the socio-political and economic crisis affecting the Caribbean country
By Charlotte Gambert | Haiti
The Catholic bishops of Haiti have voiced strong opposition to holding a constitutional referendum the government of President Jovenel Moise has scheduled for June 27.
The Episcopal Conference of Haiti (CEH) denounced the president's "desire to provide the country with a new constitution by referendum at all costs".
"The decision to replace a constitution should not be taken in the midst of a political crisis in which a consensus is struggling to be reached. To persist in doing so will plunge the country into an even deeper crisis," the CEH said in its June 1 statement.
The heartfelt cry of the Haitian bishops
The installation of electoral material in some cities has already caused anger. Thousands of Haitians have joined in demonstrations, some of which have resulted in violent clashes and fires.
The international community had already at the beginning of May voiced disagreement with plans for a referendum.
In particular, the Core Group (composed of representatives of the United Nations, the European Union and the Organization of American States, as well as the embassies of Germany, Brazil, Canada, France, the United States and Spain) expressed concern that the process would not be sufficiently "inclusive, participatory or transparent" in a country that has not had a functioning parliament since January 2020.
A broad coalition of lawyers also denounced the violation of Article 284-3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Haiti, according to which "general elections to amend the Constitution by referendum are strictly forbidden".
The country's Catholic bishops called on President Moise to call off the referendum and think about the future of the Haitian people.
"The Church cannot abandon the human person by virtue of the mission entrusted to it to bear witness to the truth," the CEH said.
Tackling the problems that plague the country
In addition to political and economic reasons, the bishops call for reason and fraternity.
"The anguished cries of our sisters and brothers find a vibrant echo in our hearts," the CEH statement read.
It is about "the avoidance of placing heavy burdens on the people, which will have the consequence of slowing down or even blocking their progress towards their full development", the note added.
The Hatian bishops are urging the current government to, first of all, urgently address the problems that plague the country -- poverty, insecurity, instability and chronic illegality.
This is the second time in the last four months that the Catholic leaders have urged President Moise to follow the rule of law.
In a note issued on February 2, they called on him to "show discipline, reason and wisdom in the search for the higher interests of the nation" as he expressed the wish to illegally extend his presidential term.
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