World Responds to the Earthquake in Haiti

In repect to aid not reaching the Haitians because the USA is controlling the ports and airports and turning away MSF, thought there was something amiss in the news reporting last night, even though there was a huge about of other information being provided....

 guess our news is even more controlled than,  I at least, thought...

Also the hypocrisy of "rich" people is amazing:

Quote:

The 4,370-berth Independence of the Seas, owned by Royal Caribbean International, disembarked at the heavily guarded resort of Labadee on the north coast on Friday; a second cruise ship, the 3,100-passenger Navigator of the Seas is due to dock.

The Florida cruise company leases a picturesque wooded peninsula and its five pristine beaches from the government for passengers to "cut loose" with watersports, barbecues, and shopping for trinkets at a craft market before returning on board before dusk. Safety is guaranteed by armed guards at the gate.

The decision to go ahead with the visit has divided passengers. The ships carry some food aid, and the cruise line has pledged to donate all proceeds from the visit to help stricken Haitians. But many passengers will stay aboard when they dock; one said he was "sickened".

"I just can't see myself sunning on the beach, playing in the water, eating a barbecue, and enjoying a cocktail while [in Port-au-Prince] there are tens of thousands of dead people being piled up on the streets, with the survivors stunned and looking for food and water," one passenger wrote on the Cruise Critic internet forum.

"It was hard enough to sit and eat a picnic lunch at Labadee before the quake, knowing how many Haitians were starving," said another. "I can't imagine having to choke down a burger there now.''

but the person stating that managed to take the same cruise again.....

No water yet, but hooray, the solar-powered bibles have made it!

A couple of quotes from the Globe and Mail's latest http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/haiti/canadian-sailors-reach-d... do little to ease my anxieties about the nature of our national response:

"We need water and medicine," said local resident Sam Moly. "We got nothing [from international community]. Everything we do, we do for ourselves." HMCS Athabaskan brings little in terms of actual food and water, but is more equipped to provide support to existing agencies, to provide leadership in chaotic communities and to better assess their needs and priorities."

So, let me get this straight: this is one of the two naval destroyers that sailed off to great fanfare last week, to fight the good fight in Haiti. I think Peter Mackay had a 'Mission Accomplished' moment on the docks and maybe The Asshole Himself was there too, I can't remember. But since destroyers can't actually carry much besides weapons and soldiers, this one's sudden appearance off the coast, a week after the quake when all those trapped or critically injured have long since perished is about as much use as a wet fart in a thunderstorm.

But they can provide 'support to existing agencies'. What agencies would those be? The local ones completely destroyed in the earthquake, or the foreign ones that aren't there? And if not food and water, just what sort of support are we talking about? Web design tutorials? Video-conferencing? Shiatsu and aromatherapy?

Oh, and don't forget the 'leadership'. Because one thing these desperately poor, self-sufficient, longsuffering people need is leadership. They just love it when well-fed foreign whiteys show up to offer leadership.

"The effort in Haiti is moving from rescue to relief, said army engineer Captain Blaine Thurston: treating secondary infections, performing cleanup tasks and maintaining peace and security....

Roughly 50 sailors were expected on shore by day's end, their principal responsibility to provide security and perform reconnaissance work in advance of the possible arrival of members of the Quebec-based Royal 22e Regiment."

So, after a few days at sea, our brave sailors get to strut about in military costumes and automatic weapons, practicing their macho poses for the cameras, intimidating the shell-shocked locals and 'maintain peace and security' over a corpse-filled ruin.

Oh, and 'perform reconnaissance', er, drive about in heavily armed SUVs, oggling the damage, before fucking off back to the ship for three squares, beer and a movie.

While I figure the Belgian medical staff that evacuated a functional hospital last night in UN trucks, leaving all the wounded AND untreated behind, get the top prize so far for cultural sensitivity - but of course, they cut their teeth in the Congo - its good to see our boys and girls in uniform doing us proud.

Haiti earthquake: US ships blockade coast to thwart exodus to America.

USA! USA! How many kids did you kill today?!

Merowe wrote:

While I figure the Belgian medical staff that evacuated a functional hospital last night in UN trucks, leaving all the wounded AND untreated behind, get the top prize so far for cultural sensitivity.

Well, the Belgian doctors who evacuated (not last night, but a few days ago) were evacuated because they didn't have any security . . . security which you are now arguing against providing.

Haiti's Classquake:

http://haitianalysis.com/2010/1/19/haiti-s-classquake

"With masses of people unable to get critical emergency medical care, water and basic supplies, the lack of local state infrastructure and personnel is plainly apparent..

Giving priority to unloading heavy weaponry, US forces have turned away a number of large planes

US Troops Take Over Palace

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article69940...

"US troops swooped down in helicopters to take control of Haiti's ruined presidential palace today..

'I haven't seen the Americans in the streets giving out water and food, but now they come to the palace,' said said Wilson Guillaume, as some of the homeless living rough in the Champ de Mars Square before the  palace shouted abuse at the Americans.

It's an occupation. The palace is our power, our face, our pride,' added Feodor Descanges, another bystander"

Nodifference if you took half the time you spent posting articles and put it towards raising money for Haiti I think you could buy a jet full of supplies.

Or two

A_J wrote:

Merowe wrote:

While I figure the Belgian medical staff that evacuated a functional hospital last night in UN trucks, leaving all the wounded AND untreated behind, get the top prize so far for cultural sensitivity.

Well, the Belgian doctors who evacuated (not last night, but a few days ago) were evacuated because they didn't have any security . . . security which you are now arguing against providing.

When every tool in your kit is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. In Haiti we see the world's largest military and its wannabe northern neighbor busily converting a humanitarian disaster into a 'security issue' on the back of a United Nations military presence that regards the local populace as hostiles best viewed down the gunsights of an automatic weapon from the back of an APC.

The Belgians are pathetic assholes because instead of using the eyes and ears God gave them they followed UN advice and evacuated. The CNN reporter covering this, himself a doctor, had sufficient wit to treat security concerns as alarmist nonsense and spent the night in the abandoned field hospital attending the abandoned patients. All that happened through the night was that more injured people trickled in - as you'd expect, somehow, if you weren't so willing to think that poor black Haitians who've just survived a holocaust are a 'security risk' instead of desperate victims who deserve only the same human dignity you would have accorded to yourself.

The only security risk is in the warped racist perspective of the relief effort's leadership, which risks provoking violence as it continues to treat innocent victims like criminals. This is corroborated by Democracy Now's Amy Goodman who has been touring the city without incident at all hours of the day and night since the weekend, and other reporters not embedded in the MSM or the self-serving efforts of various military units. Their reports CONSISTENTLY reference the surprising lack of aid on the ground, the high degree of resiliency and self-organization among the neighbourhoods and the notable absence of criminal activity.

Naturally after a week without food and water, tempers will flare at aid distribution points. This is confirmation of humanity not criminality.

Great post, Merowe. And thanks, NDPP, for keeping your temper in the face of baiting. Keep posting those links please.

CBC News on the aftershock

Reuters

BBC

Real News: Haiti - Guns or Food? (vid)

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article24436.htm

"As aid starts to trickle in, and the extent of the horror becomes known, decisions are already being made that will affect the Haiti that emerges from this. Post earthquake Haiti will further cement the domination of the Haitian people by foreigners..."

Shock doctrine.

Aid Workers Frustrated with Relief Effort:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/20/haiti.frustration/index...

"Anger boiled over on the streets of Haiti's capital Tuesday--not just from residents who have gone a week without food or water, but from the people who are supposed to be providing it. Relief workers say help is not reching many of the 2 million residents in Port au Prince who need aid, because those who are supposed to be coordinating the efforts are inept.

'It's terrible,' said Erik Klein, head of disaster relief agency CAN-DO, 'There's got to be coordination.' Medical aid is particularly needed, Klein and others said. 'There are medical supplies just sitting at the frigging airport!'

Rescued Haitians Die At Hospital for Lack of Supplies

http://www.katu.com/news/82164772.html

"'He's dying right now in front of our eyes,' said Dr. Roberto Feliz. What's so frustrating is that we don't have the basic equipment that would save him. He's a young, strong guy. In any normal hospital he'd survive.'"

Group Says Conditions Getting Worse in Haiti

http://www.wmur.com/news/22283215/detail.html

"the plight in Haiti is getting worse each day, and the latest quakes made the dire situation even more difficult. 'I don't know how much more we can take,' said Samson Duclair, president of the Haiti Community Center. He said that in one way, the second quake was worse. He said there was more chaos with people running not even knowing where they're going because they know what it is,' Duclair said.

He said that as bad as the conditions are in the city, a pastor in an outlying village told him their situation is worse. 'We don't have no food, no drink - nothing. People are starving to death.'"

Strong Aftershock Rocks Haiti

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/01/2010120113540937346.html

"The minute the earth shook everyone started to scream, they are praying and singing religious songs. People are still very traumatised here. What we do know is many of the buildings that were already damaged by the earthquake collapsed.

The aftershock came just hours after the United Nations said it would send an additional 3,500 troops and police to Haiti..Defending the UN on Tuesday against criticism that millions of Haitians still do not have food or water, Ban Ki-moon said, 'the situation is overwhelming.'"

Doctors Group Says US 'Blocks' Haiti Medical Aid

http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=52932

"We cannot accept that planes carrying lifesaving medical supplies and equipment continue to be turned away while our patients die,' said Rosa Crestoni, a MSF medical coordinator at a Port au Prince hospital. 'It is like working in a war situation. We don't have any more morphine to manage pain for our patients.."

Democracy Now: How Western Domination Has Undermined Haiti's Ability to Recover:

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/1/20/journalist_kim_ives_on_how_decades

"Why can't President Aristide come back? He wants to. He has said so. The government hasn't given or renewed his diplomatic passport which has expired. They haven't given him a laisser-passer to come to the country. That's all that's needed.

If the government of Barack Obama or any other government wanted to really provide support here, even maybe more than all the C-130s we see offloading not just food and medical supplies, but guns and lots of them,

this would be to send a plane to South Africa and bring Aristide here. It would create such a tremendous groundswell, a counter-earthquake, if you will, of popular hope and pride and victory, that it would go a long way to rebuilding the necessary moral balance to weather the storm.."

remind wrote:

From Maysie's  CBC link, and thanks maysie for the links...

 

Quote:

Relief workers have said the damaged port has prevented large ships from docking and stymied the delivery of food and emergency supplies to victims of last week's earthquake.

Bottlenecks at the damaged harbour and at the capital's airport continue to make it difficult to distribute supplies

 

And yet cruise ships have no problems at the "private" docks.

There are a number of really ignorant posts in this thread, this one is no more particular then several others, but honestly, it shouldn't take a lot of thought to see the difference between anchoring a cruise ship off shore of a beach and trying to unload tons of cargo at a ruined port with no infrastructure.  Some of you need to stop looking for the boogeyman in every closet, the reality of this situation is terrible enough without it, are there no depths to which you will not sink in order to score ideological points?  I think no, though no doubt it's mere moments before the americans start lobbing bombs and missles from thier evil war machines..I think some of you would be happier if we provided no aid at all, what a delicious feeding frenzy that would provide, and while you are sharpening your knives others are actually doing something.

remind wrote:

From Maysie's  CBC link, and thanks maysie for the links...

Quote:

Relief workers have said the damaged port has prevented large ships from docking and stymied the delivery of food and emergency supplies to victims of last week's earthquake.

Bottlenecks at the damaged harbour and at the capital's airport continue to make it difficult to distribute supplies

And yet cruise ships have no problems at the "private" docks.

Pictures of the cruise ship (well, video and pictures).

While there are all kinds of concerns about cruise ships and tourists showing up at a time like this, the cruise ship isn't really "docking" - it is anchored in a bay - so at least it's not taking up strained port resources.

I feel the same way Yarg.  I don't think anyone here would prefer if we sent NO aid at all but that's how some posters almost come across doesn't it? I see the need to be critical in situations like this and not all yay us you're everyones saviors but some people seem more interested in being critical for the sake of being critical.

Good point about the difference between a cruise ship putting anchor down in the middle of a bay and a cargo ship unloading thousands of tons of equipment.  Comments like these are made by people who are looking for boogymen and don't have any practical knowledge about what they are talking about.  Too much time spent looking for the boogyman in every closet means the real thieves will walk in your front door.

Quote:

I think some of you would be happier if we provided no aid at all, what a delicious feeding frenzy that would provide, and while you are sharpening your knives others are actually doing something.

If Canada sends aid it gets criticized. Not enough, not getting there fast enough.

If Canada doesn't send enough aid it gets criticized for not sending enough.

If we send in the army we get accused of a hostile take over.

If we don't send the army people yell where the hell is the army?

If we send security we get accused of being distracted from the real issues.

If we don't send security and relief workers are too fearful to venture out we get accused of letting down the people of Haiti.

I didn't want to say anything because someone brought up a good point in another thread.  Why are we being critical of people who are critical on a critical forum    Okay, point taken. Some people take it a little too far though IMO. . I would probably feel better about being THAT critical (about everything) if I donated more than $15 or I was actually heading to Haiti to help out.   I'm a chicken shit I'm staying home flying gives me anxeity attacks I would pobably die in Haiti because I would step somewhere I shouldn't and fall or something.  I'm okay with being afraid of something like that but I have a lot of respect for the workers who fly across the world to go help out.

I just can't understand how some can be as critical as they are.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/...

Some highlights of the article

Quote:

The gangsters have stepped into the law and order vacuum, notably in the sprawling shanty town of Cite Soleil which they dominated before being locked up following police operations supported by United Nations troops over the last three years.

"Even as we are digging bodies out of buildings, they are trying to attack our officers," said Aristide Rosemond a Cite Soleil police inspector.

 

The Haitian authorities, already weak and reliant on UN forces, are now crippled by heavy casualties and widespread destruction of infrastructure while international peacekeepers are focused on disaster relief.

Jean-Max Bellerive, Haiti's prime minister, has despaired of the state's ability to tackle a new post-earthquake crime wave sweeping his country's devastated capital.

"The problem is they have weapons so we cannot send the population or just any policemen to capture them," he said.

The morale and strength of Haiti's police has been severely reduced by the loss of experienced officers, killed or injured, leaving recently trained recruits to hold the line.

"We do not have the capacity to fix this situation. Haiti needs help. The Americans are welcome here. But where are they? We need them here on the street with us," said Dorsainvil Robenson, a police officer.

Police officers, whose limited success against slum gang lords has been based on the support of armoured UN troops, have now effectively given up by appealing to local vigilantes to take the law into their own hands.

"If you don't kill the criminals, they will all come back," Haitian police officers announce over loudspeakers from heavily armed checkpoints in the slum area.

Residents say that people have been killed and several women raped in a turf war between gangsters nicknamed "Belony" and "Bled" in the six days following the earthquake which destroyed the prison.

"The trouble is starting," said Jean-Semaine Delice, a 51-year-old father.

What's your definition of lawlessness EP Houle?

.... so then apparently the cruise ship that took a tonage of bottled water, in order to try and make a positive PR optic, on big pallets. can't off load them then, if they just moor off shore!

But yet they did!

:rolleyes:

And oh look...now we get a "gangster meme",  going on  for good measure!

FFS

remind wrote:

. . . so then apparently the cruise ship that took a tonage of bottled water, in order to try and make a positive PR optic, on big pallets. can't off load them then, if they just moor off shore!

But yet they did!

Turns out I was wrong: the ships don't just moor offshore - and I finally found a picture of this fabled dock:

Cruiseships can now Dock in Labadee Beach Haiti (11/12/09)

This would be absolutely useless for cargo - no access for vehicles, no gantry, nothing.  It would be a complete waste of time for any ship to try and off load supplies here.

Plus, I guess you didn't bother to do some research as to where it's docking (other than "Haiti").  From Labadee to Cap-Haitian it's 6-7 km over an unpaved road - only another 200 km to go to Port-au-Prince.

SparkyOne,

Have you considered that the Lawlessness is that the plantation owner's thugs are being turned back?Fidel "Haiti is another  client-state", code for plantation. Before this I never thought this was State Department of USA channel. That isn't a Unionist and that's not Fidel!

E

Haiti's Tragedy: A Crime of US Imperialism

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jan2010/pers-j21.shtml

"Now for an entire week, with the whole world watching, millions of Haitians have been left abandoned without medical care, food water or shelter, as US military cargo planes have ferried in thousands of soldiers and Marines, and US Naval and Coast Guard vessels have mounted patrols off Haiti's shores to prevent anyone from trying to escape.

The absence of any concerted rescue effort is not an accident, nor is the agonizingly slow arrival of food, water and medicine in far from adequate quantities, merely a matter of logistics. The claim that the US military, which was able to pour a quarter of a million troops into Iraq and conquer Baghdad within barely 2 weeks, could not rush water, food and supplies to traumatized earthquake survivors 700 miles from the US mainland, is a contemptible lie.

What is involved is a deliberate and sinister policy characterized by a gross indifference to human life that borders on the genocidal.."

Haiti's Dying Elderly Says 'Nobody Cares'

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34969140/ns/world_news-haiti_earthquake/

"More than a week after their nursing home collapsed, dozens of elderly Haitians are still begging for food and medicine in a downtown Port-au-Prince slum barely a mile from the international airport where tons of aid are pouring in.

'It's as if everybody has forgotten us, nobody cares,' said Phileas Julien, 78, a sometimes delerious blind man in a wheelchair who has appointed himself spokesman for the 84 surviving residents. 'Or maybe they really do just want us to starve to death."

'We're hungry, we're so hungry,' lamented 77 year old Felice Colin, one of those who still had enough energy to speak intelligibly at Sunset Wednesday. 'There's such a desperate need...' She expressed anger at the seeming lack of outside interest in the residents of the nursing home, which is close to the area around the collapsed presidential palace and Roman Catholic cathederal which teem with journalists and international relief teams.."

Haiti's Mass Graves, Doctors Overloaded

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/22299227/detail.html

"Workers are carving out mass graves on a hillside north of Haiti's capital, using earth movers to bury 10,000 earthquake victims in a single day while relief workers warn the death toll could increase.

Medical clinics have 12 day patient backlogs, untreated injuries are festering and makeshift camps having thousands of survivors could foster disease experts said.."

US Military Operations Block Relief Efforts in Haiti:

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jan2010/hait-j21.shtml

'The US military intervention in Haiti, after the January 12 earthquake that killed an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people, continues to block arrival of critical supplies to the devastated country. Quake victims - including hundreds of thousands of wounded and an estimated 3 million Haitians made homeless - lack access to food, water and life saving medical equipment.."