Haitians resort to eating dirt amidst social turmoil

I got this from Al-Jazeera News, the part about eating dirt patties particularly struck me, because I read it as I was nibbling on a chocolate and peanut butter bunny shaped pagan evil easter treat, thinking man .. dirt patties. Anyway, it turns out that food problems are fueling the turmoil. Haitian violent protesters have attacked the Presidential Palace, reportedly gaining access. Here are some snips from the article and a link for you.


article: english.aljazeera.net...

Haitians storm president's palace

UN peacekeepers have become a target of Haitians rioting over severe food shortages [AFP]

Haitians stormed the presidential palace in Port-au-Prince to demand the resignation of Rene Preval, the country's president, while going on a rampage in the capital over soaring food prices.

This is the part about eating dirt:

Eating dirt

The most desperate Haitians have come to depend on a traditional hunger palliative of cookies made of dirt, vegetable oil and salt.

Riots broke out in the normally placid southern port of Les Cayes last week, quickly escalating as protesters tried to burn down a UN compound leaving five people dead.

It seems that problems occur so commonly in Haiti that people fail to notice anymore, but this sounds like it is getting pretty dire, like many of the situations in the worst-off countries in the world right now. Haiti is in our backyard, our = Americans, and whether we like it or not, the current policy of accepting Cuban refugees but turning back Haitian ones can no longer continue, particularly if the country erupts into a new, most violent war, creating an exodu of Haitians coming to our Gulf shores. Therefore, America has much interest, or should, in keeping things at least bearable in Haiti, yet are doing nothing.

Hmm. Do they want the shores of Florida, Texas, & Louisiana attacked by flotillas of Haitian refugees, organized, armed and starving?

Very true, and I agree, the U.S. really should be doing more in Haiti. In fact, the U.S. should be doing more in a lot of countries around the world. But unfortunately, it seems to me that unless there is something of value other than human life in a country, the U.S. Government will not act. Or it won't act to the greatest extent that it should.

It's terrible that there are people in Haiti eating dirt cookies. It's also terrible that similar situations exist around the globe.