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Police in Haiti open fire on starving survivors
Monday, 18 January 2010
Youths collect empty boxes after a food distribution by the UN near Cite Soleil in Port-au-Prince, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010.
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Violence and looting are sweeping through the Haitian capital.
Hundreds of thousands of hungry Haitians are still waiting for help, many of them in makeshift camps on streets strewn with debris and decomposing bodies.
New estimates put the quake death toll at as many as 200,000; but six days into the crisis, aid distribution was still random, chaotic and minimal, though world leaders have pledged massive assistance to rebuild.
International medical teams have taken over damaged hospitals and clinics where wounded and sick people have lain untreated for days.
In one incident a starving crowd clamoured to snatch food and supplies from shops. In another, residents caught two suspected looters, tied them together, beat them and dragged them through the streets.
Gangs of men, their faces covered with bandanas to mask both their identity and the smell of decaying bodies, brandished machetes and sharpened planks of wood as they ran from shop to shop stealing shoes, rolls of carpet and cooking pots.
Two aid workers from the Dominican Republic were shot and seriously wounded as they handed out food. Carlos Gatas and Milton Matos struggled back to their embassy with gunshot wounds after the attack.
There were also reports of hungry people fighting with machetes over small packages of food that were dropped into a stadium by a helicopter.
Despite being outnumbered, police officers tried to disperse the violence, but elsewhere there were reports that officers allowed vigilantes to deal with looters.
It is hoped the US troops will be able to quell the unrest, which has forced some rescue workers to pull out.
Canada has also promised to send 1,000 troops to support the relief effort, in addition to the 500 already there.
Only trickles of aid were getting through as much of the relief effort was hampered by the logistical problem of transporting supplies from the small and damaged airport into the city.
Medecins Sans Frontieres said that a cargo plane carrying an inflatable field hospital with the capacity to hold more than 100 patients was denied permission to land and had to be re-routed through the Dominican Republic, causing a 24-hour delay.
The US army is working to open a critical port in Haiti to help the flow of aid and helicopters have been drafted in to distribute supplies.
So far, they have delivered more than 70,000 bottles of water and 130,000 food rations.
Lieutenant General PK Keen, deputy commander of US Southern Command said: "We're going to be able to increase that every day.
"But, clearly, this is a disaster of epic proportions, and we've got a lot of work ahead of us."
Vast queues formed at distribution points where the UN World Food Programme handed out high-energy food, which had been delivered under armed guard.
Florence Louis, (29), a seven months pregnant mother of two, was one of thousands of Haitians who gathered at a gate at the Cite Soleil slum.
Clutching four packs of biscuits, she said: "It is enough because I didn't have anything at all."
On another street, six young men ripped water pipes off walls to suck out the few drops inside. "This is very, very bad, but I am too thirsty," said Pierre Louis Delmar.
Adding to the security fears, heavily armed gang members who once ran Haiti's worst slum like warlords have returned to the Cite Soleil shantytown since breaking out from prison after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck on Tuesday.
The UN said increasing numbers of Haitians were trying to cross the border into the Dominican Republic, on the eastern side of Hispaniola island, and reported a surge of quake survivors fleeing to northern cities.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon visited Haiti yesterday. He said: "This is one of the worst humanitarian crises in decades.
"The damage, destruction, loss of life is just overwhelming,"
Mr Ban's first stop was at the collapsed UN mission headquarters in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where rescuers worked feverishly to extract a Danish employee from the rubble. Staffers accompanying Mr Ban wiped away tears as they viewed the destruction and mourned their dead and missing colleagues.
About 15 minutes after Mr Ban left, emergency workers successfully pulled the man from the building. He was talking, was given some water and taken to a hospital, UN staffers travelling with Mr Ban said.
The UN said it was feeding 40,000 people a day and hoped to increase that to one million within two weeks.
How you can help
The Disasters Emergency Committee – the umbrella organisation for 13 aid agencies including the British Red Cross and Oxfam – has launched an emergency appeal to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
If you would like to make a donation, please call 0370 60 60 900 or visit www.dec.org.uk
Emergency appeal hotlines
- Concern Worldwide: 0800 032 4002
- ActionAid: www.actionaid.org.uk or 01460 238000
- Christian Aid: www.christianaid.org.uk/haiti-appeal or 08080 004 004
- Merlin: www.merlin.org.uk or 0207 014 1714
- Oxfam: www.oxfam.org.uk or 0300 200 1999
- British Red Cross: www.redcross.org.uk/ or 0845 053 5353
- Save the Children: 020 7012 6400
Irish Independent
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Comments
31 Comments
If the people who have posted comments represent the American people, I woud say that there is something terribly worong is going on! deeply divided nation! bad manners! lack of information! overly judgemental attitudes! I wish they do not represent the American people. Certainly there are few exceptions.
Posted by Veracity | 19.02.10, 10:58 GMT
Increasing funding should enhance the effectiveness of charities, rather than make the administration more comfortable at the receiving end. When we are over the hump, we will need to pose the question as to why charities which we all subscribe to are performing in such a badly disorganised way on the ground.
Posted by Malachy McAnespie | 12.02.10, 12:26 GMT
this is really sad and im glade we are doing a lot of things to help them ((:
Posted by erica | 05.02.10, 17:41 GMT
Had the USA not been stealing 40% of the Haitian GDP since the 50's and had it not been dumping surplus agricultural products at prices which forced Hatian farmers off their land perhaps Haiti would not be one of the worlds poorest countries.Most of the buildings in Haiti are cinder block but because the gov backed by the USA had little concern for building codes these buildings had no steel support structures usually found in cinder block construction causing the wide spread collapse of buildings leading to the high death toll. The USA has raped the Hatian people in order to maintain a tame and weak corridor between Cuba AND themselves. When it was discovered by the USA that the president they put in charge of the country had stolen nearly$70 million from the treasury he was sent into excile very quietly to france and his just as corrupt son was put in his place. It is only right that the gov and the USA dig deep into their pockets sing their songs sell their cd's and make things righ
Posted by Bruce south africa | 02.02.10, 03:30 GMT
I am proud of USA and allies as they strugle to surpass each other to aid Haiti people. It is a wonder that such compassion and kindness should be displayed by a country that others look at a tyrants, based on their activities in Iraq and Afganistan. Keep it up. They world looks onto you for relief!
Posted by Ahmad Sa'id | 30.01.10, 14:20 GMT
All the recriminations, finger pointing and xenophobic comments back and forth are prime examples of not only way the aid effort was slow in proper organisation, but is a perfect example of what is wrong in the world today. Ordinary people, from the French, Americans, British, et al are what is making a difference n the ground. If you would stop expending much energy on negativity and more on positive action the world would be a much better place. Fact: The Cubans are working with the US and letting flights fly over to get to Haiti. Fact 2 there is only one runway in Haiti designed for no more than 5 flights a day. Naturally trying to get in 150 flights will not go easy and many flights will be delayed. Let alone the fact that there is not enough jet flue to re fuel the planes when they get there. The devastation is so great that even the best co-ordinated effort would not be enough help.
Posted by human being | 25.01.10, 16:47 GMT
I would be ashamed to be an American right now!
Posted by Marianne | 22.01.10, 11:22 GMT
****************************
Marianne,
What a stupid and ignorant comment!
I suspect that there are 300+ million people who are happy that you are not American!
Now maybe if you would get off your backside and do something, instead of finger pointing at those who are trying to help, then maybe the poor people of Haiti would benefit?
Posted by Edward | 23.01.10, 17:25 GMT
I am from Indiana (originally New York), and the government here can never get anything done quickly, I agree. Fortunately, though, the Red Cross set up a way to send a text and be billed $10. I've been promoting that on my FaceBook page. There are LOTS of churches, including mine (Mormon) that are taking it upon themselves to send aid by ship (easiest way in) or to gather people together and go down there. It's quite extraordinary. So, remember that the American people are busting their butts to help. The government is NEVER what it should be, nor is it representative, at many times, of what we actually want (regardless of ruling party).
Posted by Carolynn ni Lochlainn | 23.01.10, 15:55 GMT
By now, everyone in the world....knows how the string-pullers in the USA operate. They (and their good friends in Israel) will have the entire planet for their financial supremacy.
Is there a "fix" possible? I believe that it's too late.
Posted by Ferdinand | 23.01.10, 14:02 GMT
All money should come from the people of usa not the goverment
Posted by DJA | 23.01.10, 07:39 GMT
hati i love ya an i will do anything to help you get help!god will be there for you and i will pray for ya everyday!
Posted by kalima | 23.01.10, 02:55 GMT
To Marianne, you are very ignorant. Are you actually there in Haiti? The US has provided the most aid to Haiti out of all the other countries. I cannot walk around the corner without seeing some kind of fundraiser for Haiti's cause. Interesting to see you bash the US as if we are actually obligated to handle problems all over the world. We have our own problems too. I am thankful for how all the countries have come together and help Haiti. I think YOU make me sick.
Posted by Angelica | 23.01.10, 02:54 GMT
Project Seal? Brilliant, if true. In any event, several years down the road, look to see if the financial/banking sector operates in the same way it had prior to the earthquake. Haitian banks are apparently used by the badniks of the world to launder their ill-gotten lucre. Sometimes, events occur because a stern warning wasn't enough. Man-made event? The A-bomb was science fiction at one point, wasn't it?
Posted by Randy Silver | 23.01.10, 00:36 GMT
I am seeing nothing being done for these poor people but the numpties at the top who are supposed to be helping these people clearly are not doing enough! Makes me sick that these people have already suffered so much and are being made to suffer even more because of the uselessness of the US government and their disastrous aid effort! I would be ashamed to be an American right now!
Posted by Marianne | 22.01.10, 11:22 GMT
Am I missing something here? Has anyone been watching the news? The “so called” help that the US government are blethering on about has still not even got to these poor people and as of yesterday we were 9 days into the disaster! Does anyone remember New Orleans and what happened there and the farcical help mission the US laid on there also? Where is all their help and aid etc for Haiti? The US government are using this crisis for their own agenda which is they want to own Haiti after this! I was sickened by the news when I watched it and could not believe that people were lying in the streets , some not even on a stretcher and there was a mentally ill man just lying on the muddy ground fitting which was heart-breaking to see! The aid is not getting through, why? That’s what I would like to know! What is stopping the useless US from getting their wonderful help through? We are still being asked to donate etc but will that be the same and not get through either?Contd.....
Posted by Marianne | 22.01.10, 11:21 GMT
Haiti is the pooresst country in the norther hemishphere. And that includes all of Latin America and the Orient.
The Haitians all want to emigrate to the United states. And many of them will.
Posted by david wayne osedach | 22.01.10, 02:11 GMT
Go Read,
Usually when people are up against the truth they resort to name calling, and you are no exception. I won't lower myself to your level.
However, I don't remember reading too much about about thousands of people trying to "emigrate" TO Cuba if it is such a wonderful place. It seems like the traffic is always going the other way.
Do many of us a favor, get on a plane and give our best to Castro!
"Hundreds of doctors", what a joke!
Posted by Edward | 21.01.10, 16:38 GMT
Actually Cuba has the lowest infant mortality rate in the world! Their health care system is brilliant!
Posted by teacher | 21.01.10, 11:41 GMT
Edward you are badly informed. You say Cuba can't take care of their own population but previously you asked why they were not helping. Haha. See the problem there? They are helping of course! Haiti has had Cuban doctors there long before this quake struck and they have sent hundreds more. They kindly opened airspace to the US. As for taking care of their own people - Cuba actually has one doctor per 175 people. Compare with UK - 1 per 600! It provides some of the best free healthcare in the world to its people. Cuba has a long history of sending real humanitarian aid. After the 2005 Pakistan earthquake for example - Cuba also sent hundreds of doctors - who then returned. They also gave field hospitals and then 1,000 scholarships to Pakistani students for studying medicine in Cuba. The Pakistan president said they helped more than any other nation! And they were honored with awards from Pakistan to reflect this. They didn't even have good relations with Pakistan! Sorry Ed, you are just an ignorant fool.
Posted by Go Read | 20.01.10, 16:54 GMT
Jed Ray,
Not sure what planet you are living on?
"Cuba has opened it's air space and sent hundreds of doctors..." Wow, what a great country. By the way, Cuba doesn't have hundreds of doctors to send. They can't even take care off their own population. Lets see how many of them go back to Cuba when things get back to normal..
Zuton,
Just wait until some of these charitable group start having their people robbed, raped and killed and you, and your ilk, will be screaming loud: "Where were the Marines?".
Posted by Edward | 19.01.10, 15:49 GMT
31 Comments