It’s time for the United States and President Biden to go beyond keeping informed and talking about 17 Americans and Canadians held hostage by a gang of thugs in Haiti. The hostages apparently are alive, but they might not be for long.
The hostages are missionaries for an organization called Christian Aid Ministries, a group largely supported by the Amish and conservative Mennonites. As an organization, it has received generally high marks for devoting most of its financial resources to charity rather than administration. According to CAM, they distribute about 15 million pounds of food, clothing, medicines, seeds, and Christian literature in Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Haiti, Nicaragua, Liberia, and other nations each year.
CAM is based in Ohio.
The 17 missionaries include children on the missionary visit, and one hostage is Canadian. They were kidnapped by something called the 400 Mawozo gang, which is demanding a $1 million ransom for each hostage.
Like many religious and charitable organizations, it may have failed to act promptly on sexual abuse claims about some missionaries. That however, is not the point of today’s editorial. None of the hostages are charged or convicted of anything — they have no connection to the past allegations as far as can be determined. They are simply religious folks trying to do what the gospels tell them to do — help the needy — and Haiti is full of needy people.
The United States must take any steps necessary to protect Americans abroad. If our country does not act, no American abroad on any charitable endeavor is safe. Yes, occasionally there are circumstances preventing action by the government, but they are rare.
At the least, the kidnappers must know they will face direct, devastating consequences if the hostages are harmed. It isn’t clear that the message is being sent. And it needs to be sent.
President Biden should send that message publicly and privately and give U.S. security and military agencies the authority to back it up.
Let us all hope the kidnappers get the message and release the hostages before it gets to that point.
First Published November 14, 2021, 5:00 a.m.