The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Haiti (CEH) has expressed concern at the possible constitutional crisis in Haiti as President Michel Martelly term of office comes to an end on February 7.
The second round of voting on January 24 to elect a successor to Martelly was cancelled indefinitely following street protests by opposition supporters who have been calling for the establishment of an interim government to lead the country into the elections.
The situation has been further hampered by the resignation of Pierre-Louis Opont, president of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP).
The Organization of American States (OAS) has sent a mission at the request of Martelly to Port au Prince in a bid to broker a deal involving all the stakeholders.
The CEH, meeting in extraordinary plenary session ahead of the constitutional deadline said it “is very concerned, whereas until now, no agreement was officially adopted in order to solve with a consensual manner the current crisis”.
It said that it wanted also to salute “the courage of the Haitian people in these days so difficult socially, politically and economically” and is asking “informally, to facilitate exchanges and build bridges for dialogue between some actors involved in the current crisis.
The CEH said it believes that all political and state actors must work to find, before the February 7, 2016, a negotiated and mutually acceptable solution to the crisis with wisdom, insight, moderation and patriotism.”
