Haiti: Gang demands multi-million dollar ransom for kidnapped North American missionaries

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People protest in Titanyen, Haiti for the release of the missionaries

Photo: Joseph Odelyn / AP

An armed gang that kidnapped a group of North American missionary families from the Christian organization Christian Aid Ministries in Haiti is now demanding a ransom of several million dollars.

The Wall Street Journal and CNN, among others, report a total of 17 million dollars, citing Liszt Quitel, Haiti's Minister of Justice.

The AP news agency and the Washington Post write of one million euros per capita - but it is unclear whether this includes children.

A total of 17 people are in the hands of the kidnappers.

According to Christian Aid Ministries from the US state of Ohio, there are six women, six men and five children.

The youngest is eight months old, the oldest 15 years old.

The ages of the adults are between 18 and 48. 16 of the abducted people are American and Canadian.

According to information from Haitian security circles, the gang called "400 Mawozo" took control of the 17-strong group on Saturday near the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince.

"We're trying to get her out without paying a ransom," Quitel was now telling the Wall Street Journal.

"If we give them the money, this money will be used for more weapons and more ammunition." The negotiations could take several weeks, the politician said.

According to its website, Christian Aid Ministries sees itself as a “channel for Amish, Mennonite and other conservative Anabaptist groups and individuals”.

In a statement on Tuesday, the organization said that its members were active across Haiti.

Among other things, they distributed Bibles, taught Haitian pastors, distributed medicines and worked on a project to rebuild houses.

Political and economic crisis

Haitian security circles said that "400 Mawozo" had already committed several kidnappings and robberies in the region between Port-au-Prince and the border with the Dominican Republic in the past few months.

The group controls several roads in the region.

"400 Mawozo", roughly translated as "400 beginners", kidnapped both Haitians and foreign nationals and demanded high ransom payments.

Haiti is currently in a deep political and economic crisis.

In July, President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in the poor Caribbean country.

A severe earthquake struck the south-west of the country in August.

130,000 houses were destroyed and more than 2,200 people died.

Armed gangs are adding to the insecurity in Haiti.

According to the Center for Human Rights Analysis and Research, based in Port-au-Prince, more than 600 abduction cases were recorded between January and September this year, compared to 231 in the same period last year.

bbr / AP