FANM’s Statement on the Death of 15 Haitian Refugees
It is with great sadness that we learned the death of 15 Haitian refugees after a small overloaded boat capsized off the uninhabited island of West Caicos in shark-infested waters. It is heart-wrenching to see that our brothers and sisters continue to risk their lives in rickety boats in an attempt to escape Haiti’s violence and poverty. Out of desperation and hopelessness, they often put their lives in the hand of heartless smugglers whose goals is to make a buck without any concern for the sanctity of human lives.
We urge the State of Haiti to take its responsibilities vis-à-vis its citizen to develop a strategy to reduce violence and create opportunities in Haiti to prevent future human casualties.
Marleine Bastien, Executive Director of Family Action Network Movement (FANM), said, “As a mother, I cannot begin to imagine what their families are going through at present. I join my voice with those of the global Haitian diaspora to express our deepest sympathies to the families of our courageous brothers and sisters. No one deserves such a cruel ending. Life is too precious. Let us endeavor to create a thriving Haiti where its citizen can feel safe and secure to raise their families in respect and dignity.”
FANM's mission is to empower low to moderate income families socially, financially, and politically and to give them the tools to transform their communities.
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