‘All is being done', says Tanaiste Simon Harris to ensure Irishwoman kidnapped from Haitian orphanage is released
AN Irishwoman is among nine people who have been kidnapped from an orphanage in Haiti.
Gena Heraty, from Westport in Co Mayo, is an Irish missionary who oversees the Sainte-Helene facility in the commune of Kenscoff, around 10km from Port-au-Prince on the Caribbean island.
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Simon Harris is ensuring the Department of Foreign Affairs makes every effort
Credit: AFP or licensors
It is operated by the humanitarian organisation 'Nos Petits Freres et Soeurs' ('Our Little Brothers and Sisters').
Kenscoff Mayor Masillon Jean and a separate source close to the organisation said a three-year-old child and seven staff members were also taken.
Mayor Jean called it a 'planned act' and added: 'The attackers broke into the orphanage around 3.30am (7.30am Irish time) without opening fire.
'They broke through a wall to enter the property before heading to the building where the director was staying, leaving with nine hostages.'
No demands or ransom requests have been made, though Gena called the organisation early on Sunday to confirm she was among the kidnapped, a source close to the organisation told AFP.
The organisation that operates the orphanage also said that two hospitals it runs in Haiti will be closed until the people taken have been safely released.
Tanaiste Simon Harris said the incident is 'deeply worrying' and added that he had spoken to Gena's family.
Issuing a statement, he said: "The kidnapping of Irish citizen Gena Heraty, along with seven of her colleagues and a three-year-old child from the grounds of an orphanage in Kenscoff, Haiti, is deeply worrying.
"Gena has served the people of Haiti for over 30 years.
"She has dedicated her life to supporting the most vulnerable people in Haiti and it is imperative that she is released immediately.
"This morning, I had a good conversation with Gena's sister Noreen and I assured her that all is being done to ensure Gena release.
"My 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.
"We will continue to leave no stone unturned to ensure Gena and her colleagues are released."
The Department of Foreign Affairs said it is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance.
The charity's Irish brand, NPH Ireland, confirmed that they were aware of the shocking incident and remain hopeful for the safe return of the eight kidnapped people.
It stated that the incident is under assessment and would comment further when more details are confirmed about the situation.
GANG VIOLENCE ESCALATING
In April 2021, two French priests were among ten people kidnapped in Croix des Bouquets before they were released nearly three weeks later.
Six months later, the same group, 400 Mawazo gang behind the kidnapping, took a group of 17 American and Canadian missionaries hostage.
Since the start of the year, Kenscoff has found itself in the crosshairs of the Viv Ansanm gang, which has already taken control of several other localities.
Haiti has seen at least 3,141 deaths in the first half of this year, and gang violence threatens to destabilise the country, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Speaking to RTE News in March 2024, Gena said gangs want to take over the seat of government in Haiti, calling the situation there 'awful'.
She added: 'Gangs who have been taking over the country steadily in the last two years.
'We are talking about hundreds and thousands of people that are pushed out of their homes because the gangs.'
HER PIONEERING WORK
After graduating from the University of Limerick in 1991, she volunteered with the Simon Community in Dublin before moving to Haiti for a six-month placement at Our Little Brothers and Sisters in 1993.
Over 30 years in the making, she dedicated her life to supporting the most vulnerable people at an orphanage, which cares for up to 270 children, high in the mountains of Kenscoff, about 10km from the capital, Port-au-Prince.
She is the co-founder of Kay Christine, a residential home for children with special needs at the orphanage, and Director of the Charity's Special Needs Programmes in Haiti.
These outreach programmes provide medical, rehabilitation and educational support to communities where children have severe physical and/or intellectual disabilities.
Her pioneering work has culminated in a series of national and international awards, including being named the Irish Red Cross Humanitarian of the year.
Talking to the University of Limerick, Gena revealed that she accepted the awards not just for herself but for the people of Haiti and those who are seeking to provide services for those who are in need of them.
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