Thoughts from Haitian Expats.

Aribenj

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 10:01 am

I just heard they had another big earthquake at 6.1 today. It's like, "Hashem, what are you doing to these people??" But at the same time, I hate to say this and please don't flame me, but maybe it's a blessing in disguise. I mean, $220 MILLION dollars in donations JUST from the US. When was the last time they got that type of aid?

I have a friend who is from Haiti who emailed me this:

"So the relief efforts being made are wonderful. The world is coming together to bring food and clothing to the people in Haiti. And when they get there, they are surprised that Haitians are turning over trucks, breaking onto airport grounds and overrunning planes that have landed. The Haitian/Americans predicted this...the people over there are desperate and lack organization. But something else about many Haitians that Americans and others are not aware of-many Haitians are a primitive group. A lot of their thinking is old school and they are not civilized as a whole, just a small group, hence all the problems over the past 50-60 years. In fact, years ago, Papa Doc (president at the time) banished most people who were college educated, doctors, scientists, etc. The "educated" Haitians will tell you this themselves. What needs to happen is military action. Troops need to be sent over to get control and restore "order". I put order in quotes cause order is a bit of a foreign concept to Haiti. It's pretty sad, really. I would love for Haiti to be restored, but a lot more needs to be done then just food/water/clothing being sent over. How long before our government realizes this?

The thing is, every day life is not so different than before. People would bathe in the gutters of downtown Port Au Prince. Showering and baths was a luxury only the upper class experienced. I remember showering there, we had to keep it under three minutes. Everyone else relied on rivers and whatever other body of water they could get in. Drinking water has always been hard to come by. "

There was no healthcare, no infrastructure, people didn't work or go to school and pretty much wandered the streets, much as they're doing now, and the government was corrupt and pretty much MIA when it came to social services."

So basically, life hasn't really changed that much for them, except that now, donations are pouring in.

The truth is, I've spoken to a few Haitian expats and they all seem to seem to think the US government, or SOMEONE needs to go in and take over (like they did in Iraq) and set them straight.

I'm not sure how I feel about this.

Any opinions?

chavamom

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 11:52 am

shalhevet wrote:

I read today in the paper that the Americans have tons of food and water and meanwhile they are keeping it at the airport because they claim they are scared of rioting since they don't have enough for everyone. They wrote some said they are competing with France for control.

Maybe someone has more info because I didn't really understand.

NO, that is not true. I don't have time for a full explanation right now, but the Americans secured an area only yesterday and began dropping in food. The food is being distributed at distribution centers. What you heard is a distortion of the truth that the Americans held back on dropping the food and water until they could secure an area and distribute it b/c of rioting that took place when they tried dropping it at unsecured locations for people to pick up (don't have a link b/c I heard it on the radio yesterday). The French so far have done nothing except argue about what to do and blame the Americans.

chavamom

Wed, Jan 20 2010, 11:55 am

OK here:

Quote:

France had earlier criticised American relief efforts, claiming international aid programmes should be about helping the country, not "occupying'" it.
Bernard Kouchnet, the French foreign minister said United Nations officials must investigate and clarify the dominant US role in the relief effort after a French aid plane was turned away from the airport.
Alain Joyandet, the French co-operation minister, added: "This is about helping Haiti, not about occupying Haiti."

Please note that EVERYONE, the US included, is having problems getting their ships and planes in b/c the port and airport were both destroyed in the quake. The bottleneck was not created by the US and the US are the ones that cleared the debris so that at least some planes could land...but typical of Europe, let's blame the US.