OscailtHaiti - a history of intervention, occupation and resistanceAs predictions for the death toll from the Haitian earthquakes rise over 200,000, ABC News have reported that planes carrying medical equipment and relief supplies are having to compete with soldiers for the valuable slots at Port-au-Prince airport which was taken over by the US military after the quake. Since the start of the great anti-slavery republican insurrection nearly 220 years ago, Haiti has been presented as a dangerous place incapable of running its own affairs and requiring foreign intervention. Yet the reality is its people were the first enslaved population to deliver themselves from slavery and also carried out what was only the third successful republican insurrection on the planet. The threat of this good example was rewarded with centuries of invasion, blackmail, the robbery of Haiti's natural resources and the impoverishment of its people. This articles summarizes that history of intervention and the resistance to it in order to put into context what is happening in Haiti after the quake
Breaking news: Italian MP, Sgarbi denounces the Statistical Fraud on COVID-19. The speech of the Member of Parliament Vittorio Sgarbi in the session of the Italian Camera, Meeting no. 331 of Friday 24, April, 2020. Vittorio Sgarbi, denounces the closure of 60% of the businesses for 25,000 COVID-19 Deaths, of which the National Institute of Health says 96.3% died NOT of COVID-19 but of other pathologies. That means only 925 have died of the virus. 24,075 have died of other things.2010-01-20T22:06:21+00:00Indymedia Irelandimc-ireland@lists.indymedia.iehttp://www.indymedia.ie/atomfullposts?story_id=95531http://www.indymedia.ie/graphics/feedlogo.gifHaitihttp://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2645512010-01-20T22:06:21+00:00Conor. MThanks Andrew, excellent story. Another fine example of independent journalismThanks Andrew, excellent story. Another fine example of independent journalismto honest?http://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2645522010-01-20T23:23:47+00:00pseudonymthe U.S. response to the tragic earthquake in Haiti earthquake offers opportunit...the U.S. response to the tragic earthquake in Haiti earthquake offers opportunities to re-shape Haiti’s long-dysfunctional government and economy.<br />
<br />
To honest?<br />
In Germany you really have this as a comment in the newspapers. They also print much about violence in the streets and as an example for that they say, that police had to kill people who foraged a supermarket. They print no criticism on the killing and send more troops.Thanks for excellent article Andrewhttp://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2645552010-01-21T00:14:10+00:00Justin MorahanA brilliant background to Haitian history, politics and interference in the runn...A brilliant background to Haitian history, politics and interference in the running of the country.<br />
<br />
Thanks for the painstaking research and quality of writing.<br />
<br />
A most informative account.http://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2645612010-01-21T13:06:58+00:00Margaretta D'Arcy & John ArdenAnd most of it quite unknown except to specialists. But why have we had to wait ...And most of it quite unknown except to specialists. But why have we had to wait for Indymedia to present it? Why has there been no such critical analysis on RTE, the national broadcaster? Charlie Bird's nightly reports have contained nothing beyond laments that the incoming aid is "but a drop in the bucket," that the Port-au-Prince airport is crowded, that all is "chaos," and that the fear of "disorder" is ubiquitous. In other words, he is simply repeating the official US military line, and history has shown that on its own this can never be trusted. What has he to lose by examining the situation in a little more depth? Is he afraid (once the Haitian crisis may be considered off the boil and himself back in Washington) that he'll lose his comfortable status as a good supportive Irishman -- post-Bush -- in the USA and that politicians won't want to confide in him? When he went after the likes of Beverly Flynn he didn't seem to care what the FF establishment may have thought of him. No doubt Irish financial reprobates are softer targets than US Caribbean fixers, but even so he might give us a hint that he knows SOMETHING about what goes on in the dark of the Pentagon's moon. RTE is our station, we pay for it directly, and we should demand more from it. Shoddy reporting must not go unremarked.another good (text) article from al jazeerahttp://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2645652010-01-21T14:05:48+00:00CitizenNo 'hope for Haiti' without justice - Mark Levine
http://english.aljazeera.net/f...No 'hope for Haiti' without justice - Mark Levine<br />
<a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2010/01/20101196265844450.html" title="http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2010/01/20101196265844450.html">http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2010/01/201011962658....html</a><br />
<br />
Forget RTE. Al Jazeera is my only news station now. The rest just tell a complete stream of lies then give the celeb gossip and way too much stupid football resultsIrish Involved in Exploitationhttp://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2645822010-01-21T20:51:47+00:00GerGreat piece Andrew.
I'm not enjoying all the self congratulations going around ...Great piece Andrew.<br />
<br />
I'm not enjoying all the self congratulations going around on TV and Radio at the moment. The Haiti outlined above after the second coup is the Haiti that Denis O’Brien and Leslie Buckley’s Digicel came to looking for a partner to help them with their investment in 2005.<br />
<br />
O’Brien’s partner in Haiti is Gilbert Bigio. Bigio is often described as Haiti's wealthiest man having fed at the trough of the brutal Duvallier dictatorships. Due to his alleged support for the 1991 Military Coup against the first ever popularly elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US government blocked all of the Bigio family's holdings in US banks. <br />
<br />
Partly due to his failure to agree to a policy of 'untrammeled privatisation', that was to benefit Bigio and O'Brien, Aristide was again overthrown by force in 2004. The Haitian Business elite again helped fund this Coup. According to GB's own website the Bigio family maintains controlling interests in sixteen of Haiti's largest companies.<br />
<br />
Since the 2004 Coup, estimates suggest Bigio's net worth has doubled while the poor inhabitants of Port-au-Prince slums are forced to eat mud to survive.<br />
<br />
In 2005 the unelected anti-democratic interim Government of Gerard Latortue that was imposed on the Haitian people by foreign powers, awarded Bigio and O'Brien the licence for the GSM network in Haiti. This demands an investigation.<br />
<br />
Most Haitians are used to NGO’s now being lauded by O'Brien. They are aware that these have been used to undermine government programs and weaken democracy. In this respect a quick look at George Soros’ behaviour offers a look at what ordinary Haitians are up against. <br />
<br />
Soros like O’Brien is a self styled Philanthropist. His Open Society institute has been very active with many investments in Haiti. This group was behind the much heralded, industrial park and free-trade zone, in the impoverished outskirts of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince. The local Soros NGO is called the Fondation Connaissance et Liberte, or Fokal. By boasting that Labor costs are among the lowest in the manufacturing world Soros’ group are hoping to attract US Corporations into their giant sweatshop complex, which they hope will house roughly 40 manufacturing facilities and warehouses.<br />
<br />
This is something of a very sick joke.<br />
<br />
George Soros has made his billions as one of the most ruthless financial speculators gorging on the system. Amidst the fears of our own financial crisis in 2008 most people missed the more devastating food crisis. The food crisis erupted first and most dramatically in Haiti in early 2008. The poor starved because they could no longer afford to buy rice, which had risen in price internationally. Many were forced to eat mud in order to survive. As has been pointed out elsewhere, Haiti, due to the Economic system, has been forced to import its rice form the US. This led to the destruction of Agriculture in Haiti. Rice growing farmers could not compete with US agribusiness in receipt of huge subsidies from the government. This is the 'Free Market', which Soros manipulates to his advantage.<br />
<br />
So by 2008, Haiti had lost the capacity to feed itself. This leaves the people highly vulnerable to food price fluctuation, the immediate cause of the 2008 food crisis. <br />
<br />
The UN report entitled “The Global Economic Crisis: Systemic Failures and Multilateral Remedies,” released in March 2009, found that Food price fluctuation was driven by financial speculation. The report blames the hunger and starvation of the poor in Haiti directly on the greed of people like George Soros.<br />
<br />
Labeled ‘Liberal Communists’ by the Slovenian Philosopher Slavoj Zizek, people like George Soros, Denis O’Brien and Bill Gates must first of all take all they can before they attempt to ‘give it all back’. Even if their giving is a genuine attempt to achieve social justice they are at best mistaken fools. The evidence tells us however; that the supposed Philanthropy usually aids them. This is what Zizek calls the ‘Systemic Violence of Capitalism’ and can been seen by all on our TV screens beamed live from Port-au-Prince.<br />
<br />
As Zizek notes in his book, Violence,<br />
<br />
“Charity is the Humanitarian mask hiding the face of economic exploitation”<br />
<br />
Haitians do not require charity now. They do not need Denis O’Brien’s ‘Help’ if his help is conditional on continuing the exploitation that keeps Haiti poor. <br />
<br />
What the people of Hati need is to be left alone to decide what future they want for themselves. It is of course obvious that in the ruins of the cities and towns today they would gladly accept help graciously offered. Why then don’t the ‘International Community’ now insist that the French government begin to repay the $21 Billion that their predecessors extorted from the freed slaves two centuries ago? This should be forthcoming without any conditions attached. <br />
<br />
From the ashes of this tragedy Haitian society will continue its glorious struggle against the oppression and domination that have for centuries enslaved, robbed and brutalised the people. Their story is an heroic one, they ask of us now something very small indeed. That is, in the words of Jean Bertrand Aristide, that they be allowed to go peacefully from ‘Abject misery to dignified poverty’.<br />
<br />
For how much longer will we deny them their dignity.well said!!http://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2645882010-01-22T08:29:41+00:00Citizen"Why then don’t the ‘International Community’ now insist that the French governm..."Why then don’t the ‘International Community’ now insist that the French government begin to repay the $21 Billion that their predecessors extorted from the freed slaves two centuries ago? This should be forthcoming without any conditions attached."<br />
<br />
I second that sentiment. Well said!<br />
<br />
The Hypocrisy on view and exploitation of the need for aid in Haiti is sickening. Can't these people see how their actions magnified this disaster?Excellent article which should help us put Haiti's future in the context of struggle.http://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2646032010-01-22T22:42:19+00:00iosafI really appreciated this article & even though I knew a little about Haiti's hi...I really appreciated this article & even though I knew a little about Haiti's history, admired Toussaint's republic & and had reported on this site about the Aristide overthrow and exile, I admit Andrew's overview not only taught me something new (that the emancipated slaves were put back to work on the plantations as peasants by Toussiant Louverture) but also surprised me in that it corrected a <em> false memory </em>. I think Smedley Butler is a very significant figure in the inter war period of global as well as US history yet somehow had <em> mis-remembered </em> his words which summed up his job as a general for the US empire.<br />
<br />
In the last week I pinged one of my articles which dealt with Aristide's exile and quoted much of his speeches and declarations back when he was "newsworthy" as a freshly ousted legitimate president. He himself quoted Toussaint L'Ouverture and without getting trite, I believe many of us recognise that his revolution and republic tower over not only Haitian national identity but the <strong> struggle of oppressed against oppression </strong> which is the main concern of leftist politics and thought be it anarchist, socialist or whatever other label you might apply. Toussaint L'Ouverture's republicanism is, I daresay with no intention to offend certain sectors of Indymedia Ireland readers, <strong> more important than Wolfe Tone's. </strong> With that conviction in mind and considering what Andrew's article taught me in the last week, that the emancipated slaves were <em> not allowed leave their work places </em> I have found myself wondering at the froth of odd news updates as well as serious weighty decision that I have seen since the earthquake. In my last comment on the Haiti theme to the LASC appeal for solidarity with Haitians, I wrote that I believed that not only had the <em> shock doctrine gone beyond benefit to the empire </em> but also the best thing Haitians could do was leave.<br />
<br />
This last week I've seen news of how evangelist christians, scientologists, prospective adoptive parents, mercenaries, ghouls alledgely stealing children, troop contigents (often of rival states), cruise liner passengers & drones have gone to Haiti. Even Guantanamo Bay which is the natural harbour in eastern Cuba visible in the map up this page is now being talked of as a <em> humanitarian hub </em> and as of yesterday is reported in the US press as being <em> "ready to receive refugees" </em>.<br />
<br />
<strong> But surprisingly few Haitians are getting out of Haiti.</strong> & I base that observation in a quick reading of the wikipedia pages on the aftermath of historical earthquakes of the magnitude seen in Haiti. The death toll is far in excess of other quakes as we know because of non-existent infrastructure. But the movement of humanity is also notable for it's simple lack. Even considering that non-existent infrastructure and the mountains of Hispaniola would hinder mass movement eastwards & we presume that an exodus akin to the boat people of the 1970's or even the Cuban waves to florida are being stopped by the US navy (<strong> without any hard journalistic reports of returned boats or rafts </strong>) a simple comparison to historical quakes in Europe such as the great Lisbon event of many hundred years ago or even Greek or Italian quakes of the early 20th century - shows us one thing - <strong> there are hardly any Haitians reported to be on the move beyond their failed state at this time</strong>. The US has expelled journalists from the airport it was given control of and placed a naval cordon in the seas to stop refugees. Despite the fact that the USA troubled itself for many years to make specific provision to accept Haitian refugees <small>(c/f Haitian Refugee Fairness Act, US library of Congress 1998 and amended version 2009 & whilst ye are at it check out the film "return to Haiti" <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Santiago" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Santiago">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Santiago</a> )</small> The USA as we know is being accused of masking imperialism with humanitarianism from all quarters but that accusation begs us to wonder what agenda US imperialism might have *now* in Haiti. <br />
<br />
At the moment the USA is seeking an accord with Cuba (which obviously will be reached if at all on a political basis of quid pro quo) to allow its airforce overfly Cuban territory (which it considers Cuban) from Guantanamo Bay (which of course Cuba considers occupied). There is now very little economic value to Haiti and the sugar and rum which Smedley Butler secured for the American empire in the early 20th century is no longer really worthy of the Charles Manson euphemism so well put by Naomi Klein and mentioned by Andrew. Haiti's principle value (as far as I can see at the moment) is its strategic position in the Carribean. I very much doubt that the contracts to install a telecommunication system or build 5 star hotels in the place are worth the military crypto-occupation <em> & containment </em> we are beginning to see sign of.<br />
<br />
It might seem bizarre to many readers that the Haitian government has refused assistance from one state which offered troops on a humanitarian mission, the offer of a few hundred soldiers by the Dominican Republic which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti was turned down on the same day the Pentagon diverted several thousand troops from African deployment. This should tell us several things; <br />
*Mauritania, Mali and so-called Somalian pirates (properly privateers based on the Somalian coast) are low priority for the moment.<br />
*The failed state of Haiti which we should see as a US puppet has increased usual tensions with its neighbour the Dominican Republic and is not co-operating on refugee routes out and plausibly is not using the principle land route left open to the quake zone from the port of the Dominican republic (because as we ought not forget the only port in Haiti which is currently operational is that which the Royal Carribean Cruise liner company is using and will continue to use and is quite simply a small berth with leisure water toys behind a steel fence and armed guards)<br />
* The command structure being used by the US for this humanitarian operation is now beyond USSOUTHCOM and the private contracters we would presume (& know) to be involved. <br />
<br />
<em><strong> Haiti will eventually see people move & they will go west to Cuba. <br />
Cuba is the opportunity the US empire sees in this disaster. </em></strong><br />
Link to World Socialist Web Site Articlehttp://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2646042010-01-23T09:49:38+00:00Mervyn CrawfordA World Socialist Web Site comment on the Haitian earthquake
http://www.wsws.or...A World Socialist Web Site comment on the Haitian earthquake<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jan2010/pers-j21.shtml" title="http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jan2010/pers-j21.shtml">http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jan2010/pers-j21.shtml</a><br />
<br />
The American state will be using the Haitian crisis to train their military and state structure in mass oppression<br />
Capitalism & Imperialist plans for Haiti announced - after the Shock comes the doctrine.http://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2646542010-01-25T18:00:56+00:00iosafFriday night European time the UN envoy to Haiti, Edmond Mulet, the US ambassado...Friday night European time the UN envoy to Haiti, Edmond Mulet, the US ambassador, Kenneth Merten and the president of Haiti formalised the process by which the US is allowed its current deployment of approximately 12,000 land troops and will be allowed expand that number. The document agreed in Port au Prince was significantly reported as being drafted by Mulet & Merten and approved by Haitian president René Préval. It would appear the Haitians didn't actually input much into the instrument by which their future will be defined. The absolute theoretical power to decide or approve and thus have oversight over the deployment will rest in the hands of the Haitian presidency. That presidency as we know has no official residence and has been since the quake operating out of a semi-intact police station. The US military and navy will more or less expand the functions already held by the JTFH (joint task force Haiti) <small>which if you wikipedia or google it will give you much more transparent data on its minor inernational partners than the major US </small> Thus we know that the recently refurbished aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is the hub of the US navy deployment which also counts on the recent arrival of the latest generation of 21st century Spanish amphibious class boats, which incidently defy the usual class of frigate or destroyer and are quite in demand around the world one being delivered recently to Australia as well as Canadian vessels and some small contigent of French ships. The Latin american powers of Brazil and Venezuela nor even the neighbouring state of Cuba which has <em> per capita </em> given more doctors than any other state to the crisis have not so far been invited to play a visible role in the revamped task force. It might be worth noting for those whose 20/20 vision eyes are always to the past - that the Canadian contigent of JTFH played key roles in the eradication of rebel forces to the east of the state in the last part of the 20th century. <br />
<small>english : <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,673260,00.html" title="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,673260,00.html">http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,673260....html</a> spanish : <a href="http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/ONU/Washington/formalizan/papel/tropas/estadounidenses/Haiti/elpepuint/20100123elpepuint_3/Tes" title="http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/ONU/Washington/formalizan/papel/tropas/estadounidenses/Haiti/elpepuint/20100123elpepuint_3/Tes">http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/ONU/Washin...3/Tes</a> Speigel also carried a video of road blocks impeding refugee movement which I theorised in my last comment. </small><br />
<br />
<strong>This afternoon in the next stage of putting the doctrine into the shock took place in French speaking Montreal, Quebec Canada.</strong><br />
<br />
There the Haitian prime minister, Jean-Max Bellerive speaking to journalists upon his arrival at the venue ( the International Civil Aviation Organisation) said he would be calling for a 5 year minimum to 10 year maximum <em> complete restructuring of the Haitian economy with specific focus on Tourism & Agriculture <strong> in partnership with the private sector</strong></em>. He also insisted that he was not attending the meeting nor planning for a future international conference on aid co-ordination seeking assistance alone but <em> willing to talk about the mechanisms and ability of the Haitian state to pay back its loans [and incentives to the previously mentioned private sector]</em>.<br />
<br />
Now that's jolly nice, because what he is talking about is a plan of such enormous complexity that it most plausibly was not cooked up in the police station which has been the temporary HQ of the Haitian state any more than anyone is pretending the document prepared last week to be sent to the UN which formalises the US deployment was written by the Haitians. It's also absolutely spiffing in its casebook illustration of the <em> shock doctrine </em> in which we see government characters who head up a near non-existent state put their names and words to commitments which they themselves (in the personal sense) will never need to honour. When they talk of the Haitian state paying its debts and making good on incentives to the private sector to restructure the Haitian economy they actually mean: <br />
* the Haitian poor will foot the bill.<br />
* they have not mentioned housing or what they intend to do with the one million displaced persons they themselves estimate are on on the move within Haiti other than............<br />
* make damn sure they don't intefere in the future of Haitian tourism.<br />
.............<br />
which just might well be like the Haitian tourism which has continued uninterrupted since the earthquakes (both of them). I refer of course to the Royal carribean cruise liner tours which berth at a cordoned quay where their passengers are invited to enjoy cocktails and water sports whilst kept safe from locals by armed guards.<br />
<br />
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
<br />
There are many it would seem who a little bit like Tom Eile in the last comment are keen to point out that in the past there were many on the left be they of the 4th international Socialist version or the Anarchist version who criticised Aristide. Even if I concur with much of the analysis of Andrew, WSM and anarcho groups as much as I often agree with the general outlook of 4th internationalists, I think my perspective & opinions are still different. If I look back at what I wrote about the overthrow of Aristide and how he went into exile, I at first see how I began my reports with those voices who were unequivocally against him and considered his rule as utterly wasted. I find it interesting to look back at that article <em> "Haiti a beginners Guide" of 2004 <a href="http://www.indymedia.ie/article/63354" title="http://www.indymedia.ie/article/63354">http://www.indymedia.ie/article/63354</a></em> because I simply culled newswires and support groups over a week's period in an attempt to preview if you like a story which eventually made international news. Hindsight is indeed 20/20. I do not think any leader of any third world state with the problems of Haiti can garner unconditional and non-critical support from those on the left. It would be disingenous of us to give it. But I think it is clear looking back that as events unfolded perspectives and analysis did change. Certainly by the time I reported Aristide's exile statement ( <a href="http://www.indymedia.ie/article/63354" title="http://www.indymedia.ie/article/63354">http://www.indymedia.ie/article/63354</a> ) I think I could detect a shift I my own understanding of what was occuring. & I think that was a general left spectrum change. Why else would the left come to some kind of need to hear his side as evinced by the interview Naomi Klein enjoyed with him which Andrew mentioned in his article?<br />
<br />
But I think it is pointless to not heed what the left (across its spectrum from organised anarchists to international socialists to simple individuals who translate and add waffle like myself ) has to say about the present and future of Haiti *now* simply because we were not always consistent over Aristide. In my last comment I admitted how I had admired Toussaint L'Ouverture for years (when it would seem by the feedback to this article by Andrew few in the general public knew of him. But as I admitted too - I had not realised he had put the emancipated slaves back to the plantations as endentured labour. Had I been around to comment on his career and politics then perhaps I would have lauded his revolution and then lamented his policies? Whatever, no matter what Aristide was - he was neither in scope of the damage or change he brought his people nor even the length of his tenure comparable to (just for example) Mugabe.<br />
<br />
<strong>& is all academic and barstool to dwell upon. <br />
For after the long process of imperialist, capitalist and exploitative attrition which Haiti endured before and after Aristide it has now suffered a catacylsm which has killed hundreds of thousands and has left at least a million displaced.<br />
Its sea routes are closed.<br />
Its land roads are blocked.<br />
Its people are being offered no future other than a five to ten year plan of private partnership tourism.<br />
</strong><br />
& God of course.<br />
God is there too.<br />
with ah! bright wings.<br />
<br />
We Send Doctors, Not Soldiershttp://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2646602010-01-25T19:57:26+00:00ChicherinWe Send Doctors, Not Soldiers
By Fidel Castro
In the midst of the Haitian tr...We Send Doctors, Not Soldiers <br />
By Fidel Castro <br />
<br />
In the midst of the Haitian tragedy, without anybody knowing how and why, thousands of US marines, 82nd Airborne Division troops and other military forces have occupied Haiti. Worse still is the fact that neither the United Nations Organization nor the US government have offered an explanation to the world’s public opinion about this relocation of troops<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.countercurrents.org/castro250110.htm" title="http://www.countercurrents.org/castro250110.htm">http://www.countercurrents.org/castro250110.htm</a>The Humanitarian Mythhttp://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2646612010-01-25T19:59:02+00:00ChicherinThe Humanitarian Myth By Richard Seymour
Richard Seymour, the author of The Lib...The Humanitarian Myth By Richard Seymour<br />
<br />
Richard Seymour, the author of The Liberal Defense of Murder, analyzes the propaganda manufactured to justify U.S. actions in Haiti after the earthquake<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.countercurrents.org/seymour250110.htm" title="http://www.countercurrents.org/seymour250110.htm">http://www.countercurrents.org/seymour250110.htm</a> On the ground in Haiti......http://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2647612010-01-29T14:35:00+00:00Catholic Worker*The Philadelphia Catholic Worker has been involved long term witha grassroots c...*The Philadelphia Catholic Worker has been involved long term witha grassroots clinic<br />
project in Haiti -"Mathew 25 House of Hopspitality". The CW runs its own free clinic in Philly.<br />
Amongst the delegation presently in Haiti is Bishop Gumbleton, who attended the first <br />
plowshares trial in Dublin in March 05, radical lawyer Bill Quigley who has long standing <br />
involvement in human rights cases in Haiti and solidarity work during Katrina in New Orleans<br />
and Philly CW nurse Joanna Berrigan.<br />
<br />
Dear Friends,<br />
<br />
Johanna and the delegation are in Port au Prince staying outside<br />
Matthew 25 house of hospitality. Presently living at Matthew 25 are<br />
500 Haitians living in the soccer field, sick patients who have been<br />
getting care there and an assortment of health care and aid workers<br />
staying in tents.<br />
<br />
Johanna's group arrived Tuesday after a 10 hour ride from Santo<br />
Domingo, Dominican Republic, thanks to the Grey Nuns of Canada who<br />
facilitated providing their van and driver. Their team has joined<br />
the group of aid workers caring for people at Matthew 25 and visiting<br />
nearby "sheet" and tent cities.<br />
<br />
Johanna, Tom and Bill have met with the health care agents from<br />
Klinik sen Michel. The team set up a clinic yesterday in a<br />
neighborhood near St. Clare's identified by the health care agents as<br />
an area that had not received health care up to that point. Four<br />
Turkish doctors are running a makeshift clinic out of St. Clare's<br />
rectory.The team and local Haitians cleared a field of rubble to set<br />
up their outdoor clinic.<br />
<br />
The delegation includes Colleen Kelly and Miriam Ford, nurse<br />
practitioners from the Bronx, Bishop Tom Gumbleton and Dr Susan Rice<br />
from Detroit, Bill Quigley, a human rights lawyer from New Orleans and<br />
Johanna. The group has brought in as much medicine and medical<br />
supplies as allowed on the planes to use and distribute.<br />
<br />
I will update you as I can. Communication from Haiti is sporadic.<br />
Thank you for your overwhelming support, donations, prayers and calls.<br />
<br />
The following are Bill's reflections on the situation in Port au Prince<br />
Peace,<br />
<br />
Mary Beth,<br />
for House of Grace Catholic Worker, Philadelphia, PA<br />
<br />
------------------------<br />
Subject: On the ground in Port au Prince<br />
<br />
Bill Quigley<br />
<br />
Hundreds of thousands of people are living and sleeping on the ground<br />
in Port au Prince. Many have no homes, their homes destroyed by the<br />
earthquake. I am sleeping on the ground as well - surrounded by<br />
nurses, doctors and humanitarian workers who sleep on the ground every<br />
night. The buildings that are not on the ground have big cracks in<br />
them and fallen sections so no one should be sleeping inside.<br />
<br />
There are sheet cities everywhere. Not tent cities. Sheet cities.<br />
Old people and babies and everyone else under sheets held up by ropes<br />
hooked onto branches pounded into the ground.<br />
<br />
With the rainy season approaching, one of the emergency needs of<br />
Haitians is to get tents. I have seen hundreds of little red topped<br />
Coleman pup tents among the sheet shelters. There are tents in every<br />
space, from soccer fields and parks to actually in the streets. There<br />
is a field with dozens of majestic beige tents from Qatar marked<br />
Islamic Relief. But real tents are outnumbered by sheet shelters by a<br />
ratio of 100 to 1.<br />
<br />
Rescues continue but the real emergency remains food, water,<br />
healthcare and shelter for millions.<br />
<br />
Though helicopters thunder through the skies, actual relief of food<br />
and water and shelter remains mimimal to non-existent in most<br />
neighborhoods.<br />
<br />
Haitians are helping Haitians. Young men have organized into teams to<br />
guard communities of homeless families. Women care for their own<br />
children as well as others now orphaned. Tens of thousands are<br />
missing and presumed dead.<br />
<br />
The scenes of destruction boggle the mind. The scenes of homeless<br />
families, overwhelmingly little children, crush the heart.<br />
<br />
But hope remains. Haitians say and pray that God must have a plan.<br />
Maybe Haiti will be rebuilt in a way that allows all Haitians to<br />
participate and have a chance at a dignified life with a home, a<br />
school, and a job.<br />
<br />
One young Haitian man said, "One good sign is the solidarity of the<br />
world. Muslim doctors, Jewish doctors, Christian doctors all come to<br />
help us. We see children in Gaza collecting toys for Haitian<br />
children. It looks very bad right now, but this is a big opportunity<br />
for the world and Haiti to change and do good together."<br />
<br />
-------------------------------<br />
<br />
To view the short video on Matthew 25 house "Doctors struggle to save<br />
lives" go to this link:<br />
<a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34920786#34920786" title="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34920786#34920786">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34920786#34920786</a><br />
<br />
Anyone interested in making a donation can make the check out to:<br />
Fonkoze USA<br />
Memo Line: Klinik Sen Michel<br />
Mail to:<br />
Johanna Berrigan<br />
1826 E. Lehigh Ave.<br />
Phila. Pa. 19125<br />
update on Haitian displacement, refugees, migrants &c.http://www.indymedia.ie/article/95531#comment2647882010-01-30T15:57:39+00:00iosafThe USA has suspended medical evacuation flights of wounded Haitians according t...The USA has suspended medical evacuation flights of wounded Haitians according to US Navy Commander Kevin Aandahl who has been transferred from his posting with the 5th US fleet (as we all know is the one that covers the Persian Gulf) to take up the role of press officer for the US joint forces Haitian thingy. His transfer has meant (as far as I can see & monitor in my unpaid lesuire time) that the previously insensitive guff coming from Gitmo's press officer describing Guantanamo Bay as a humanitarian hub has now stopped. Today's news is not based on any tactical or strategic (<em> in the best blairite lingo sense </em>) need but the <strong> very domestic US extended health care debate </strong>. The US decision based in Aandahl's words on the lack of a destination (meaning hospitals) to bring Haitian emergency cases appears to be being masked as an organisational and system issue in the state of Florida who has said it can't treat these cases unless it gets more money from the Federal Government. Tt seems the state of Georgia (who dealt with Katrina so appallingly) is now arguing that it is being pressured to take up the need & making it clear it's not interested. Both states are as we know Republican heartland dixie where emergency medical care has never really been something folks who God has not favoured with private health insurance get to think about.<br />
<br />
In the last weeks doctors of all nationalities who are working together as the professional they undoubtedly are have lamented the lack of drugs and equipment which has meant mass amputations of infected limbs. A generation of Haitians it seems will be unsuited to the vision of the future outlined for them in Montreal - that of tourism & agriculture in partnership with the private sector.<br />
<br />
In my previous comments I have attempted to bring attention to the much ignored refugee, displacement, migrant & simple mass movement of humanity issue. Though based on information culled and assembled last week the illustration and the linked pdf & indeed the whole site (Relief web) gives an indication of human movement within the Haitian state. <a href="http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/VDUX-7ZZT8D?OpenDocument" title="http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/VDUX-7ZZT8D?OpenDocument">http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/VDUX-7ZZT8...ument</a>