I joined an email list used by missionaries, academics, and other people who have an interest in Haiti, to do some research for an eventual trip to Haiti. Some of the things that have been circulating on that list are frightening. Some articles and opinion pieces have been forwarded through.
The gist of what I'm getting is that nobody knows what the US Army is doing. They've taken control of the airport in Port Au Prince, but were prioritizing military flights until yesterday when the UN intervened. Since the earthquake, someone who claims to know someone at the airport has said that as many as 50 flights (including one carrying an entire mobile field hospital setup) have been turned away. Now, that's not a whole lot considering that 300 flights have landed, but it is a significant amount. I realize that an airport can only handle so much and having been to Port Au Prince's airport, I can tell you that it isn't very big, but there are those on the email list who are asking why there have been no temporary airfields set up to alleviate the strain on the airport.
Beyond that, the US Army has said that they've set up a distribution point near the airport, and are also receiving supplies via helicopter from the Dominican Republic. But several of the missionaries on the email list have informed us that they haven't seen any of those supplies. None of the other missionaries of the dozens on the list have stepped up and assured us that they are receiving supplies. A few have mentioned that the US has been evacuating it's citizens (understandable) and wealthy Haitians (what?), as well as bringing aid to the westerner-frequented hotels/neighborhoods in the city.
Outside of Port Au Prince, missionaries have reported that they haven't seen supplies either. A missionary in Petit Goave, 50 miles outside of Port Au Prince (which was actually closer to the epicenter of the earthquake) informed us of this two days ago. Today someone in a community just 10 miles south of Port Au Prince informed us of the same.
One missionary informed us of something bizarre as well: The IDF (yes, the Israeli Defense Force) has had a mobile hospital set up for a few days. As of this morning, CNN has been reporting that the US Army has yet to establish one.
People are also asking questions about what General Ken Keen of US. Southern Command was doing in Haiti, as well. In an interview on CNN, he stated that he was in Haiti when the earthquake struck. Obviously nobody is suggesting that the US is responsible for the earthquake, but it does raise some questions, particularly about the nature of the relationship between the current Haitian government and the US. The Haitian government has basically collapsed in the aftermath of the earthquake. Other than reassurances that the president is indeed alive, nothing official has been said via radio, and nobody has seen anybody of any authority taking any action. People are beginning to interpret this as a revelation of a weak government, powerless on it's own, and functioning as only a puppet of the west. It's important to understand a brief bit of Haiti's history to understand the suspicions:
History inside
These points of data suggest a grim trend. While an earthquake could not be inflicted or predicted, there is concern that the US is taking advantage of the situation with a strategy of Disaster Capitalism. Some are suggesting that reports of looting and violence are being exaggerated, in order to justify the US presence as 'Security.' Most missionaries on the email list have noted that there has been very little violence, and what 'looting' has happened is excusable (or at least understandable) with the understanding that Haitians are hungry and desperate, and aid is slow to come.
Many of the attitudes expressed on the email are increasingly suspicious of what the Americans are doing in Haiti. Some are even suggesting that the UN stabilization mission in Haiti should be expelled, as they are effectively trying to prop up a puppet regime orchestrated by the US.
I hope people are exaggerating, and looking for people to blame in the midst of this tragedy. But everything I've read before the earthquake, especially coupled with these on-the-ground reports from missionaries and academics on the ground, leads me to believe that there's some truth in all of this.
[[I apologize if this is illegible. It's late, and the more I read/type, the madder I get about this situation. I wish I could re-read this another time to make sure it's sensible enough to post, but instead I'm going to hit 'submit' and go to bed. I hope this leads to some discussion, particularly since Haiti is in the public consciousness in a big way.]]
The gist of what I'm getting is that nobody knows what the US Army is doing. They've taken control of the airport in Port Au Prince, but were prioritizing military flights until yesterday when the UN intervened. Since the earthquake, someone who claims to know someone at the airport has said that as many as 50 flights (including one carrying an entire mobile field hospital setup) have been turned away. Now, that's not a whole lot considering that 300 flights have landed, but it is a significant amount. I realize that an airport can only handle so much and having been to Port Au Prince's airport, I can tell you that it isn't very big, but there are those on the email list who are asking why there have been no temporary airfields set up to alleviate the strain on the airport.
Beyond that, the US Army has said that they've set up a distribution point near the airport, and are also receiving supplies via helicopter from the Dominican Republic. But several of the missionaries on the email list have informed us that they haven't seen any of those supplies. None of the other missionaries of the dozens on the list have stepped up and assured us that they are receiving supplies. A few have mentioned that the US has been evacuating it's citizens (understandable) and wealthy Haitians (what?), as well as bringing aid to the westerner-frequented hotels/neighborhoods in the city.
Outside of Port Au Prince, missionaries have reported that they haven't seen supplies either. A missionary in Petit Goave, 50 miles outside of Port Au Prince (which was actually closer to the epicenter of the earthquake) informed us of this two days ago. Today someone in a community just 10 miles south of Port Au Prince informed us of the same.
One missionary informed us of something bizarre as well: The IDF (yes, the Israeli Defense Force) has had a mobile hospital set up for a few days. As of this morning, CNN has been reporting that the US Army has yet to establish one.
People are also asking questions about what General Ken Keen of US. Southern Command was doing in Haiti, as well. In an interview on CNN, he stated that he was in Haiti when the earthquake struck. Obviously nobody is suggesting that the US is responsible for the earthquake, but it does raise some questions, particularly about the nature of the relationship between the current Haitian government and the US. The Haitian government has basically collapsed in the aftermath of the earthquake. Other than reassurances that the president is indeed alive, nothing official has been said via radio, and nobody has seen anybody of any authority taking any action. People are beginning to interpret this as a revelation of a weak government, powerless on it's own, and functioning as only a puppet of the west. It's important to understand a brief bit of Haiti's history to understand the suspicions:
History inside
2001: Jean-Bertrand Aristide elected president for the second time. He had been elected in 1991, but had been ousted by a coup shortly after. During his term as president, many perceive that he stood up against the oppressive western forces in Haiti. His grandest act was to demand that France offer Haiti 21 billion USD in reparations.
The history on that one is as follows: shortly after Haiti (France's crown jewel in the new world at the time) won it's independence, France sent a fleet to retake the colony. Trying to avoid a war which they would lose, the Haitians agreed at gunpoint to repaying France 150 million gold francs for the losses incurred by the French plantain owners when they won their independence. 150 million gold francs is estimated to have been twice Haiti's net worth at the time. It took Haiti over one hundred years to repay the debt, and even then they never did cover the entire cost. So that was the logic behind Aristide's demand. The value of the repayments come out to roughly 21 billion dollars in today's currency, and the Haitians want it back because they think it should never have been paid in the first place.
Whether or not this was a reasonable, or even a genuine demand is immaterial. It at least demonstrates that Aristide was willing to be a pain in the ass, and stand up to the west.
2003: A closed door conference is held in Montreal, Canada, where American, Canadian, and Latin American officials met to discuss the future of Haiti's government. No Haitian officials were present. What happened at the conference has not been revealed officially, although claims are that the conference concluded that a regime change was necessary. See The Ottawa Initiative
2004: A rebellion began in the north of Haiti, eventually threatening the life of the president. The US Army evacuated president Jean-Bertrand Aristide from Haiti for his well being. He now lives in South Africa, where he claims he was brought out of Haiti by the US Army against his will. Meanwhile, an interim president is installed until general elections could be held. After many delays, elections held in 2006, and the current president was elected.
The history on that one is as follows: shortly after Haiti (France's crown jewel in the new world at the time) won it's independence, France sent a fleet to retake the colony. Trying to avoid a war which they would lose, the Haitians agreed at gunpoint to repaying France 150 million gold francs for the losses incurred by the French plantain owners when they won their independence. 150 million gold francs is estimated to have been twice Haiti's net worth at the time. It took Haiti over one hundred years to repay the debt, and even then they never did cover the entire cost. So that was the logic behind Aristide's demand. The value of the repayments come out to roughly 21 billion dollars in today's currency, and the Haitians want it back because they think it should never have been paid in the first place.
Whether or not this was a reasonable, or even a genuine demand is immaterial. It at least demonstrates that Aristide was willing to be a pain in the ass, and stand up to the west.
2003: A closed door conference is held in Montreal, Canada, where American, Canadian, and Latin American officials met to discuss the future of Haiti's government. No Haitian officials were present. What happened at the conference has not been revealed officially, although claims are that the conference concluded that a regime change was necessary. See The Ottawa Initiative
2004: A rebellion began in the north of Haiti, eventually threatening the life of the president. The US Army evacuated president Jean-Bertrand Aristide from Haiti for his well being. He now lives in South Africa, where he claims he was brought out of Haiti by the US Army against his will. Meanwhile, an interim president is installed until general elections could be held. After many delays, elections held in 2006, and the current president was elected.
These points of data suggest a grim trend. While an earthquake could not be inflicted or predicted, there is concern that the US is taking advantage of the situation with a strategy of Disaster Capitalism. Some are suggesting that reports of looting and violence are being exaggerated, in order to justify the US presence as 'Security.' Most missionaries on the email list have noted that there has been very little violence, and what 'looting' has happened is excusable (or at least understandable) with the understanding that Haitians are hungry and desperate, and aid is slow to come.
Many of the attitudes expressed on the email are increasingly suspicious of what the Americans are doing in Haiti. Some are even suggesting that the UN stabilization mission in Haiti should be expelled, as they are effectively trying to prop up a puppet regime orchestrated by the US.
I hope people are exaggerating, and looking for people to blame in the midst of this tragedy. But everything I've read before the earthquake, especially coupled with these on-the-ground reports from missionaries and academics on the ground, leads me to believe that there's some truth in all of this.
[[I apologize if this is illegible. It's late, and the more I read/type, the madder I get about this situation. I wish I could re-read this another time to make sure it's sensible enough to post, but instead I'm going to hit 'submit' and go to bed. I hope this leads to some discussion, particularly since Haiti is in the public consciousness in a big way.]]
