Jesuits urge Haitian government to make plans to fight hunger crisis

Published: 2008-04-15

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CNS) -- A group of Jesuits in Haiti called on the government to put in place short- and medium-term plans to address the hunger crisis driven by a hike in world food staples. In an April 12 statement, they also urged the international community to "keep its promises and help the country rise out of the quagmire it has sunk into." Describing themselves as "deeply united with this suffering people and sincerely in solidarity with the victims," the priests urged Haitian President Rene Preval to carry out an in-depth reform of public institutions to allow development. They also called on parliament to put in place a plan to provide relief to people who cannot afford to buy the food they need to survive. Since former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's departure from Haiti in 2004, the price of rice and beans has nearly doubled and, in the last six months, these staples have risen by more than 30 percent. Preval, an agronomist, initially refused to allow government subsidies on imported rice, which today feeds most Haitians, saying that he would only subsidize national rice production.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .