A delegation from the U.S. bishops’ conference noted that reconstruction in Haiti has been slow, and the women and children in that country especially need protection from crime.
The delegation from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is preparing a report to be released next month, in which they will publicize their findings from a July 26-Aug. 2 trip to the Caribbean region.
The mission committee, led by Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn, New York, traveled to Haiti to assess the reconstruction efforts after a Jan. 12 earthquake. They also went to the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic to analyze the situation of Haitians in those countries.
Archbishop Wenski observed, “It is clear that efforts to clean up and recover from the earthquake are progressing slowly.”
“The international community must remain steadfast in working with the Haitian government to reconstruct the country and strengthen its institutions,” he stated. “The survival and long-term future of the Haitian people are at stake.”
The delegation focused their assessment on the most vulnerable groups, especially children and women. Bishop DiMarzio warned that “children, especially those who have lost parents or are separated from them, remain at grave risk.”
He continued, “Without a more concerted effort to protect them and find long-term solutions for their care, they will become even more vulnerable to criminal elements, including smugglers and human traffickers.”
WASHINGTON, D.C., AUG. 16, 2010 (Zenit.org)