February 24 2004

Latest information from Haiti's SOS Children's Villages

24/02/2004 - In view of the continuing escalation of the situation in Haiti, the children, youths and staff at the country's SOS Children's Villages are on alert. Although there have been no serious repercussions in the two villages, freedom of movement has been seriously restricted.

Children, youths and staff are staying on the SOS Children's Village sites for safety reasons and a curfew from the government has been in force since last Friday. According to the national director of SOS Children's Villages Haiti, the atmosphere is calm but tense in both SOS Children's Villages in Cap Haitian, a town which was captured by rebels on Sunday, and SOS Children's Village Santo in the capital of the Caribbean state.

The SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools and SOS Kindergartens in both Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitien are to remain closed for the foreseeable future; for the pupils from the neighbourhood, the way there would be too risky in the present circumstances. SOS staff are able to communicate with one another via mobile phone and are in regular contact with the regional office of SOS-Kinderdorf International in Costa Rica.