Worrying developments

In the Horyzon - program countries Haiti and Palestine there have been worrying developments in the last days.

Increasing repression in Palestine

In the occupied West Bank, Palestinian police used excessive force to quell peaceful protests and arbitrarily arrested journalists and civil society activists. As Amnesty International reports, it must also be assumed that the detainees are being tortured.

This shows that since the death of prominent Palestinian critic and activist Nizar Banat, on June 24, tensions in Palestine have intensified. The Palestinian authorities are increasingly resorting to repression in the hope that it will have a deterrent effect. Horyzon joins Amnesty International's call for an immediate halt to the abuses and respect for human rights.

Haitian president shot dead

Worrying are also the events that reach us from Haiti: On the night of Wednesday, July 7, the current President of the Republic, Jovenel Moïse, was shot dead in his home by heavily armed criminals. Following his death, the previous foreign minister, Claude Joseph, took office as interim president on Wednesday. He immediately declared a state of siege and two weeks of national mourning. The state of siege closes the borders and applies martial law. In addition, this state allows the government to use the military for police duties and to restrict civil rights.

The news has left the country in shock according to several reports¹ and also according to our partner organization YWCA Haiti. Sandrine Kenol, executive director of YWCA Haiti, tells us, "I think everyone, whether you were for or against the president, is totally shocked right now. It's just unbelievable." No one knows what will happen next, and the perpetrators have not all been caught yet. As a result of the fact that the late President Moïse had ruled by decree for months, there are now also no functioning institutions; neither the parliament nor the judicial system are functioning. This is a dangerous vacuum that could once again be exploited by criminal gangs.

Horyzon is in close contact with the project leaders in both countries and is constantly monitoring the situation. The safety and well-being of the program participants and employees are always in the foreground.


¹ https://www.srf.ch/news/international/tod-von-jovenel-moise-festnahmen-nach-praesidentenmord-in-haiti 

https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/amerika/haiti-anschlag-moise-105.html

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