Strife-torn Haiti needs international help, pope says

Published: 2004-03-01

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II said he was worried about worsening civil strife in Haiti, and he urged Haitians and the international community to resolve the situation there peacefully. The pope made the remarks Feb. 29, shortly before Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned and left the country. Aristide, a former Catholic priest, was the first democratically elected president of Haiti but had come under increasing criticism for repression and corruption. The pope, speaking at a noon blessing before several thousand pilgrims, said he was following the "worrisome and painful news" from Haiti. "In the face of this situation, I feel the duty to invite all Haitians to have the courage and humility to make the decisions necessary for the good of the country," he said.

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