Haiti aid agencies warn: chaotic and confusing relief effort is costing lives

Haiti aid agencies warn: chaotic and confusing relief effort is costing lives

www.guardian.co.uk

International aid agencies have warned that Haitians are dying needlessly amid "utter chaos" in the organisation of relief efforts after last week's devastating ­earthquake. Some have called for the US to take direct control over the rescue ­operation, while others have said the Americans are part of the problem.

A week into the disaster, aid has failed to reach most Haitians amid logistical confusion and disputes over priorities as the population grows ever more desperate.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I said in the other thread where France criticized America for occupation that don't just knee-jerk help Haiti but strategize.

Many of you blasted me saying "what if it was your country, would you want people to wait".

Firstly it does not take THAT long to strategize, and although it is sad but people will die, it's better to strategize and and help the masses than just knee-jerk and help a few.

I think too many of you are so used to a horribly badly organized govt. that you just accept it as part of reality.
This is bad and very sad and lives was the cost of this.

Everything is highly politicized.

Asked how many avoidable deaths had been caused by the delays, he said that hundreds of critical lifesaving operations had been delayed by two days

TWO DAYS!!!
That is ridiculous!

"We are talking about septicaemia. The morgues in the hospitals are full," he said.

I understand this, it's tough, it's not easy
There are complications, but that doesn't mean that you knee-jerk and just throw money at the problem, this has never been a good solution.

I can't get all my trucks in from the Dominican Republic because I have no guarantee that the people driving them are not going to be macheted to death on the way down. I can't let my doctors and nurses out on the street of Port-au-Prince."

They should never have been sent to the Dominican Republic, it's a two day drive!! And the route may be dangerous.

But everyone is like "don't think, just help" all because of a lack of a good education.

I'm sorry but people need to enhance their intelligence somehow. Alot of this was avoidable.

www.guardian.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

I personally think the delays, the confusion, and the other screwups are on purpose, so that France (who wants the place back anyways) and our dear, dear US can split the country's wealth down the middle. Let the people who will just get in the way die, confuse it all up, and see what companies 'place bids' to 'rebuild' what's left.

Or, to sum it all up in one word: Katrina.

The sad reality is that there are more than enough Haitians and more than enough relief workers to form a human chain like 'bucket brigade' to just keep passing those supplies by hand all down the line to offload them.

Political factions amongst the agencies, groups and governments involved are all more worried about carving out little fiefdoms from the chaos than they are at simply getting the job done.

Long range plans are being made through gunboat diplomacy and economic extortion while the people are allowed to starve while the power players all vie for position, leverage and supremecy.

Part of that leverage is allowing them to starve.

I doubt there are few Haitians that wouldn't line up for a pass it on down bucket brigade that has the manpower to reach from the airport and seaport all the way through the capitol and beyond.

This is nothing but creating a new order through chaos, and as usual everyone pays for it except to power brokers, the Haitians pay for it in lives in suffering, we pay for it in our dollars and anquish.

After reading some of the comments here, it wouldn't bother me too much if the US military just pulled out and said "to hell with it".

Damned if they do and damned if they don't. As I have said in the France thread, somebody needs to step in and take over the relief effort. If the US were to try it, they would get raked over the coals by the media. Same sh*t as Katrina. Scream you head off for help, and when the help that shows up is the US military, the screams change to "Invasion" or "Posse Comutatius".

The UN's pissed off, because of the money that is flowing to Haiti, that they can't their hands on. France is pissed off, because, they really don't give a sh*t, but can't stand to see the US get a little credit. God only knows what Venezuala and Brazil are bitching about.


By the way. What F*cking wealth does Haiti have to be split up? God save us from morons and fools.

Maybe if the Haitians weren't so violent and the aid workers didn't have to worry about being macheted to death the relief efforts would be a lot faster.

Most doctors had to leave due to fears over safety. Two aid workers were shot while handing out supplies. Would you risk your life trying to help a bunch of people who just want to kill you and take your supplies?

There are two pictures I see in the news..

One, is the Haitians with order, patience, and intelligence who are waiting in lines and getting the supplies they need in a orderly fashion. These are the people who realize killing and stealing isnt going to help gain sympathy, and that by banding together as a community much more can be accomplished.

On the other hand, the other group of Haitians see somebody with a box of food, so they all descend upon him like vultures tearing at the flesh of a carcass. They are taking as much as possible without any regard for their fellow country men. One example I saw was a male running with a box of tampons that he grabbed from someone. So instead of one hundred people having access to something, one person now hordes it.

I really hope the second group realizes they need to control their emotions and stand together, instead of against each other, in order to accomplish this massive aid effort. Rome wasnt built in a day, neither will they all be fed in a day. Water is the main priority right now in my opinion. They can go two weeks without food, but only a few days without water.

Rain would be the most helpful thing right now for Haiti. I have been praying every day that it rains there, so the people can have a clean, drinkable source of water. ALL of them would. Which would buy the aid workers some time and also calm down some of the people who are now getting desperate for themselves and their families.

Hopefully things turn around soon.. I wouldn't wish a disaster on any group of people, because there is always a good portion of any group who does not deserve it. Some may, yes, but not all of them.

Lets hope the international community stops bickering over petty little things, puts aside differences, and helps those in need. We dont need arguing right now, we need aid delivered to Haiti as soon as possible.

reply to post by deadline527


That is so unfair
You create a jungle you will create animals
don't blame the animals in the end

I see the word looters everywhere left and right
I remember during Katrina they said looters broke into a grocery store, then another one said a good caucasian hungry family luckily found a store to take food from.

It's disgusting and you people are a falling for it.

www.o-dub.com...

[edit on 19-1-2010 by ModernAcademia]

Is too much propaganda going around, occur is all US fault as usual.

As been following the stories for a while I have to give credit to all those helping the Haitians, they are doing a hell of a job.

The hell with the propaganda.

reply to post by ModernAcademia


I also remember the pictures of people wading through chest deep water carrying flat screen televisions, beer, booze and other things that had nothing to do with their survival. Do you really want to go there?

reply to post by JIMC5499


To tell you the truth, I am going to stay away from the bashing the US thread as much as possible, I have done my research US is doing a heck of job from the beginning but then again is US duty for been in charge of the Southcomm.

Originally posted by JIMC5499
I also remember the pictures of people wading through chest deep water carrying flat screen televisions, beer, booze and other things that had nothing to do with their survival. Do you really want to go there?

Yes I DO!

You mean like this?

www.classicalvalues.com...

Listen you treat people as invidivuals, when they evacuated katrina they called them refugees when they evacuated texas they called them people. The difference was skin color.
This shows a bias and if it shows a bias then who knows if photographers only took pictures of only black people and not white people?

Treat people as individuals, i'm sure that won't be too difficult for you.

Originally posted by ModernAcademia
reply to post by deadline527

 

That is so unfair
You create a jungle you will create animals
don't blame the animals in the end

I see the word looters everywhere left and right
I remember during Katrina they said looters broke into a grocery store, then another one said a good caucasian hungry family luckily found a store to take food from.

It's disgusting and you people are a falling for it.

www.o-dub.com...

[edit on 19-1-2010 by ModernAcademia]

There are PLENTY of Haitians who are standing in lines, waiting for their food, water, medical treatment, and supplies like civilized people. These are the people that are smart enough to know that fighting over a bag of rice is just going to make it tear open and spill so neither person gets any.

Haitians need to stop expecting they dont have to do anything and all will be fine. Why aren't they forming human chains to help offload supplies? Why aren't they offering protection so the countries offering aid can do so without fear of being hacked to death by someone who wants to steal the food?

The Haitians have PLENTY of opportunity to make this a much faster relief effort, but instead a small portion of them are making it extremely difficult for EVERYONE.

I say if they aren't forming up in lines to get their food and water, then they dont get it at all. They need to realize ORDER is what is needed to turn this disaster into something less devastating.

Any gangs going around with machetes terrorizing the place should be denied food and water. Actually, they should be shot on the spot. They need to eradicate the bad so the rest of the good people dont have to suffer any more then they already have.

reply to post by deadline527


I agree, but remember that news feed on sensationalism that give them ratings so the more chaos and disaster the show the more the people feed on the sick news and not on the good news of all the people the already are receiving help, medical and food.

And people will still complain about anything.

reply to post by JIMC5499

By the way. What F*cking wealth does Haiti have to be split up?

I hear haiti has some nice diamond mines....

reply to post by ModernAcademia


I can see a DARN good reason to be getting booze/ beer in a place that's flooded. If you cant find bottled water, beer can suffice in the short term- and booze can be used as an anesthetic/ antiseptic. Flat screen tvs? hmph. In a disaster- a projection screen, or a projector unit would be on my 'grab list. Why? They contain lenses and mirrors that can be used for signaling, starting a fire, ect.

So if you run into me while I am pushing a cart loaded with booze and tv/ projector parts, wave a friendly hello.

I am just wondering why we are even giving these complainers, aka, critics, a platform to spew their ignorance. If it were not for the USA's quick response, I am pretty sure Haiti, would be much worse off right now. I find it simply amazing at how people can find things to complain about when it comes to the power of the USA. We have helo's we have manpower there, seach and rescue people we have superb life saving technology in haiti, right now and we are using it. Thinking well it should have been done this way Bull crap is just people hating at the fact what we did was right, not to mention our best seems to be better then the ones complaining..

Lets not forget people Haiti, is a 3rd world country, and has beeen for a very very long time.

As far as chaos, it seem Haiti, has been in chaos for awhile as well, I do not see not even one, Haitian, Government Official out walking the streets leading THEIR people.

If America, did not respond the way we did, The problem would have and would be much worse..

Also how can these complainers just single out the USA, we have allot of other countries there trying to help? What kinda idiot would write a story and complain about just one country trying to help the Haitians?!

I think we need to filter some of this alternative news we are posting on ATS. This reporter sounds like he or she got d's or even F's in their Journalist school..

Sheesh..



[edit on 19-1-2010 by Bicent76]

Originally posted by wylekat
I can see a DARN good reason to be getting booze/ beer in a place that's flooded. If you cant find bottled water, beer can suffice in the short term- and booze can be used as an anesthetic/ antiseptic. Flat screen tvs? hmph. In a disaster- a projection screen, or a projector unit would be on my 'grab list. Why? They contain lenses and mirrors that can be used for signaling, starting a fire, ect.

I'm confused, what exactly are you saying here?

All the governments supplying aid should just pull out. If they can't do it right they shouldn't do it at all...

Doesn't that seem silly now that it's written down? That's what it looks like you're saying though. A little to the extreme on my part, but I think the majority of people that survived are glad there are people there to help them pick up the pieces. It's hard to plan around that much chaos.

Don't be part of the problem. Give credit where it's due and then CONSTRUCTIVELY CRITICIZE so that people can get an idea of what they need to do in the future to make things work smoothly.

And most definitely, if you don't know what's going on there beyond the pictures and video, then please keep your mouth shut regarding criticism. Relief efforts are underway and it's going to take time to get things organized. More people are going to die, but I can guarantee you that without anyone there to help, a LOT more people will die.

reply to post by Bicent76


We give them the chance to complain the same way that when we complain they listen to us.

plain and simple.

reply to post by ModernAcademia


Just pointing out a reason to be carrying SOME of the stuff one of those people mentioned.

That, and I had like 3 hours sleep. so I was a little loopy.