From the World Socialist web site.
Washington turns its back on Haitian catastrophe
By Bill Van Auken
25 September 2004
Nature has dealt a cruel blow to the people of Haiti, deepening the intense suffering and oppression that centuries of imperialist domination have inflicted upon the Caribbean nation’s impoverished population.
Tropical Storm Jeanne has buried Gonaives, the birthplace of Haiti’s struggle to cast off slavery and colonialism 200 years ago, in a sea of mud. Over 1,700 bodies have been recovered and dumped in mass graves. Thousands more people in the city as well as in cut-off rural areas are presumed dead.
Tens of thousands have been left with nothing to eat. The stench of rotting corpses and raw sewage hangs over the city. The lack of clean drinking water poses a mounting threat of deadly cholera or typhoid epidemics sweeping through the populatio
n.
Like all so-called natural disasters, the impact of the storm is a function not merely of wind and rain, but of social conditions. The poorest nation in the hemisphere, with 80 percent of the country’s population living on less than $150 a year, Haiti is the least capable of resisting the impact of such a storm. Moreover, the deforestation of the country’s hills, a centuries-old destructive process driven by rural poverty, has created the conditions for deadly floods and mudslides.
In response to this humanitarian catastrophe, Washington issued the following statement, posted on the web sites of both the American embassy in Port-au-Prince and the US Agency for International Development:
“On September 21, 2004, US Ambassador James Foley issued a disaster declaration due to the damage caused by Tropical Storm Jeanne. In response, USAID [US Agency for International Development] is providing $50,000 to CARE to distribute hygiene kits, cooking sets, blankets, water containers and other reli
ef supplies to those most affected by the floods. USAID has dispatched a two-person team from the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance to help coordinate the United States relief efforts with local disaster officials. USAID has also secured an aircraft through Air Serv International to provide aerial assessments and transport of personnel and relief supplies.
“The most effective way to help is to make cash contributions to humanitarian organizations that are conducting relief operations.”
The total aid package, valued at $60,000, drew a shocked response from around the world. Foreign government officials and directors of humanitarian aid agencies rubbed their eyes in disbelief at the miniscule figure.
Washington’s response stood in stark contrast with that of other nations. The government of Venezuela, for example, made an immediate offer of $1 million, while the European Union pledged $1.8 million. Trinidad approved an allocation of $5 million for assistance to Haiti, though its gove
rnment does not recognize the US-installed regime in Port-au-Prince.
The US offer amounted to about 25 cents each for the more than 250,000 people left hungry and homeless by the storm. It would barely count as a mid-sized corporate contribution to the Bush-Cheney campaign fund.
One can only guess at the grotesque discrepancy between Washington’s obscene aid offer and the sums allocated to organize the ouster of the country’s elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, last February. Working in collusion with paramilitary thugs from Haiti’s former dictatorships, US officials kidnapped and forcibly evicted Aristide from the country, and then brought in some 1,500 Marines in to prop up a pro-US puppet government. The cost of this operation must have run into the hundreds of millions.
When he announced the US intervention in February, Bush declared that the US military was occupying the country to “bring order and stability to Haiti.” He said his government believed it was “essential that Hai
ti have a hopeful future.”
Life since the US-backed coup has been a nightmarish ordeal for the people of Haiti, marked by deepening poverty and continued brutality at the hands of the right-wing paramilitaries who still hold sway in large parts of the country.
The reaction to the devastation of Tropical Storm Jeanne is the clearest demonstration of the real attitude of US imperialism to the fate of the Haitian people.
Two days after its $60,000 insult to Haiti, the USAID amended its offer, pledging $2 million and sending an additional $153,000 in supplies. The press reported that the shift was in response to widespread international criticism.
The money is still grossly inadequate. Faced with far less severe damage in the US from Hurricane Ivan, the Bush administration rushed last week to put together a package of $5 billion in relief.
What convinced Washington to raise the ante in Haiti? It is hardly credible that it was suddenly moved by the horrible suffering of the storm
’s survivors. After all, US imperialism is creating thousands of corpses every month in Iraq, and does not even bother to estimate the number of its victims.
Nor is it simply a matter of embarrassment over the wealthiest nation in the world—with a history of repeated military occupations of Haiti—being shunned for its callous indifference.
Rather, the Bush administration reacted to a perceived threat to US interests. With Europe and countries like Venezuela and Trinidad—both of which vehemently opposed the overthrow of Aristide—offering 20 to nearly 100 times as much aid as the US, the Bush administration feared that the damage done by Jeanne could spread from the charnel house of Gonaives to the arena of world politics. It saw that its open contempt for the people of Haiti could have consequences, threatening Washington’s claim to undisputed hegemony in its “own backyard.”
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Washington turns its back on Haitian catastrophe
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Washington turns its back on Haitian catastrophe
by Zanfanginen* » Sun Sep 26, 2004 11:33 am
- Zanfanginen*
- Posts: 244
- Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2003 3:04 pm
by Zanfanginen* » Sun Sep 26, 2004 11:35 am
No wonder why the phony Bush Administration gave a $60,000 in humanitarian aid. It shows the total and pathetic historical hatred that Washington has on Haiti.
- Zanfanginen*
- Posts: 244
- Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2003 3:04 pm
by Marilyn* » Sun Sep 26, 2004 2:32 pm
Zanfanginen,
Thanks for your post and comments.
You are not alone.
I have sent the following letter to the U.S. Media and to Leaders in the U.S. Government:
John Kerry: Get on the Stick about Haiti!
Date: 09/26/2004 2:36:55 PM
Today I heard on Cable News that the Head of the Haitian Government used this as an excuse for his Government being AWOL in the process of distributing emergency aid in the North of Haiti as a result of Hurricane Jeanne:
There's no security to protect us or the process from these criminal gangs!
Wait a minute!
The same people who made use of these same gangs to bring down the Constitutionally-Elected President of Haiti on February 29th of this year -- in order to carve out a place for themselves at the head of the Haiti Dinner Table -- are now crying foul???
These gangs which sprung up out of nowhere at this particular time are now preventing him from doing his job???
John Kerry: Stand up and be heard!
The Bush Administration trained and conspired with these same criminal gangs in order to do "Regime Change" in Haiti, while we were all distracted by watching the "shock and awe" effects of their "Regime Change" activities in Iraq!
The current Government in Haiti is a fraud! They are imposters!
Presenting themselves to the world as legitimate! But they are illegitimate!
YET Haiti's Ruling Elite expects everyone to circle around this Government in order for them to bring Haiti forward -- without anyone dealing with how this Government came to power in the first place!
- Let bygones be bygones!
- Let's have a fresh start!
- L
et's forget the past!
- Let's plow on ahead (like "Steppin' Fetch It" OR like a horse or ox with blinders on!) into the future!
The incompetence of this current Haitian Government -- televised all over the civilized world -- is not making IT look like a bunch of fools.
Instead, IT is making THE HAITIAN PEOPLE -- Elite, Middle-Class, and Under-Class -- look like a bunch of unruly schoolchildren / thugs, grasping for food they don't deserve!
Don't you get it, Haiti's Ruling Elite?
YOU end up looking MORE PATHETIC THAN the people under you whom you intended to suffer under such an image -- in a worthless clump -- ALL BY THEMSELVES!
These starving peasants who have not eaten in 5 or more days -- on top of decades of disadvantaging -- are greedy? Are self-serving?
OR have t
hey been Under-served?
By "greedy" Haitian Governments:
- which have failed them over the long-term -- big time!
AND
- which will continue to fail them on into the future -- because these Governments have learned a long time ago to take their instructions (and $$$) from Washington, DC!
George W. Bush has handed out water and ice to this season's Hurricane Victims in Florida.
To Haiti, he hand-delivered in February 2004 -- via Roger Noriega et al. -- "Regime Change" and "Ongoing Instability".
Elevating to "Chief Honcho Status" some Haitians with whom the Bush Administration felt more comfortable in order to force Haiti through their next Structural Adjustment steps!
I've heard of "Duvalierism without Duvalier"!
That's a social dynamic which still exists in Haiti!
But "Instability without Aristide"?
How novel! Who would ever have thought???
Wow! One would have thought "Instability ONLY Existed in Haiti DUR
ING THE REGIME OF AND BECAUSE OF ARISTIDE"???
I'm only getting to the best part now:
Instead of hand-delivering aid to Haiti's Masses proportionate to its needs in this natural devastation, George W. Bush promised a mere $60,000!
[Two days after its $60,000 insult to Haiti, the USAID amended its offer, pledging $2 million and sending an additional $153,000 in supplies. The press reported that the shift was in response to widespread international criticism.]
From the above it is obvious that George W. Bush would like very literally to leave the Haitian Masses "waving in the wind" and "mired in the mud"!
John Kerry: Denounce the Bush Administration's Haiti Policy.
Call a spade a spade.
AND
Promise Haitians a more "fair and balanced" future!
Marilyn Mason
Boston, MA
Thanks for your post and comments.
You are not alone.
I have sent the following letter to the U.S. Media and to Leaders in the U.S. Government:
John Kerry: Get on the Stick about Haiti!
Date: 09/26/2004 2:36:55 PM
Today I heard on Cable News that the Head of the Haitian Government used this as an excuse for his Government being AWOL in the process of distributing emergency aid in the North of Haiti as a result of Hurricane Jeanne:
There's no security to protect us or the process from these criminal gangs!
Wait a minute!
The same people who made use of these same gangs to bring down the Constitutionally-Elected President of Haiti on February 29th of this year -- in order to carve out a place for themselves at the head of the Haiti Dinner Table -- are now crying foul???
These gangs which sprung up out of nowhere at this particular time are now preventing him from doing his job???
John Kerry: Stand up and be heard!
The Bush Administration trained and conspired with these same criminal gangs in order to do "Regime Change" in Haiti, while we were all distracted by watching the "shock and awe" effects of their "Regime Change" activities in Iraq!
The current Government in Haiti is a fraud! They are imposters!
Presenting themselves to the world as legitimate! But they are illegitimate!
YET Haiti's Ruling Elite expects everyone to circle around this Government in order for them to bring Haiti forward -- without anyone dealing with how this Government came to power in the first place!
- Let bygones be bygones!
- Let's have a fresh start!
- L
et's forget the past!
- Let's plow on ahead (like "Steppin' Fetch It" OR like a horse or ox with blinders on!) into the future!
The incompetence of this current Haitian Government -- televised all over the civilized world -- is not making IT look like a bunch of fools.
Instead, IT is making THE HAITIAN PEOPLE -- Elite, Middle-Class, and Under-Class -- look like a bunch of unruly schoolchildren / thugs, grasping for food they don't deserve!
Don't you get it, Haiti's Ruling Elite?
YOU end up looking MORE PATHETIC THAN the people under you whom you intended to suffer under such an image -- in a worthless clump -- ALL BY THEMSELVES!
These starving peasants who have not eaten in 5 or more days -- on top of decades of disadvantaging -- are greedy? Are self-serving?
OR have t
hey been Under-served?
By "greedy" Haitian Governments:
- which have failed them over the long-term -- big time!
AND
- which will continue to fail them on into the future -- because these Governments have learned a long time ago to take their instructions (and $$$) from Washington, DC!
George W. Bush has handed out water and ice to this season's Hurricane Victims in Florida.
To Haiti, he hand-delivered in February 2004 -- via Roger Noriega et al. -- "Regime Change" and "Ongoing Instability".
Elevating to "Chief Honcho Status" some Haitians with whom the Bush Administration felt more comfortable in order to force Haiti through their next Structural Adjustment steps!
I've heard of "Duvalierism without Duvalier"!
That's a social dynamic which still exists in Haiti!
But "Instability without Aristide"?
How novel! Who would ever have thought???
Wow! One would have thought "Instability ONLY Existed in Haiti DUR
ING THE REGIME OF AND BECAUSE OF ARISTIDE"???
I'm only getting to the best part now:
Instead of hand-delivering aid to Haiti's Masses proportionate to its needs in this natural devastation, George W. Bush promised a mere $60,000!
[Two days after its $60,000 insult to Haiti, the USAID amended its offer, pledging $2 million and sending an additional $153,000 in supplies. The press reported that the shift was in response to widespread international criticism.]
From the above it is obvious that George W. Bush would like very literally to leave the Haitian Masses "waving in the wind" and "mired in the mud"!
John Kerry: Denounce the Bush Administration's Haiti Policy.
Call a spade a spade.
AND
Promise Haitians a more "fair and balanced" future!
Marilyn Mason
Boston, MA
- Marilyn*
- Posts: 366
- Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 2:42 pm
by Leonel Jean-Baptiste* » Mon Sep 27, 2004 4:11 am
Can we blame GW Bush for his insensitivity, his scorn vis a vis Haiti?
NO!
I blame MYSELF, US "Haitians" for putting ourselves in a Begging position all the time.
Our motto is L'union fait la Force for God's sake. We are the worst Beggars ever, we cannot be choosers.
We knew for a long period of time that the USA is not a real friend of Haiti. -The USA helped in the rebuilding of some European countries after WWII. They are still helping ISRAEL... Do you know how much of our Tax dollars are doing it?
Yes, it hurts when they came with peanuts post a tragedy like the one we have now... But, we are responsible for Haiti.
The US philosophy was and still is simple: keep countries like Haiti Ultra Dependent.
"Don't give us a fish everyday, show us how to fish for ourselves". They are not going to apply it for Haiti. We have to stop waiting for our neighbor to feed us.
Why am I so mad?
We
ll, personally I think a lot of us including myself have the right ideas or formula for Haiti's Independence. We enjoy the basic cares necessary for our needs: health, drinkable water, food, electricity, education etc, etc, living outside in Developped countries. We even can own a lot of unnecessary expensive, luxurious goods. But, any idea to invest in Haiti just falls on deaf ears.
Haiti can only do well when all Haitians can really live together. When we can love our country like other people love theirs. When we alone can help Haiti. When we alone know what's good for our country. When we alone can invest in our homeland without any excuses whatsoever.
For instance, look at people from Israel. Besides having the real help from the US, they are very nationalist. They buy and consume goods from their country mostly. THEY INVEST IN ISRAEL, USE ISRAEL'S BANKS. I have a lot of other countries from EU considered as developed countries which would take me a long time to go into more details.
Anyway, I am not against what Zanf and Marilyn posted. But, I just wanted to emphasize something that I have never thought of before: Investing in our Homeland, Loving your Country and Trusting your Compatriot.
N.B. We are living in Capitalism. You receive when you can give back with PROFIT (Goods and Services). Unless the country receiving the help has other ressources. I don't think Haiti fits the criteria. Therefore thanks for any help...
OVER 2 MILLIONS, HAITI IS A SMALL COUNTRY, WE CAN IMPROVE A LOT; IF WE GIVE 100 DOLLARS EVERY MONTH.
We are talking Billions here, Guys!
Leonel
NO!
I blame MYSELF, US "Haitians" for putting ourselves in a Begging position all the time.
Our motto is L'union fait la Force for God's sake. We are the worst Beggars ever, we cannot be choosers.
We knew for a long period of time that the USA is not a real friend of Haiti. -The USA helped in the rebuilding of some European countries after WWII. They are still helping ISRAEL... Do you know how much of our Tax dollars are doing it?
Yes, it hurts when they came with peanuts post a tragedy like the one we have now... But, we are responsible for Haiti.
The US philosophy was and still is simple: keep countries like Haiti Ultra Dependent.
"Don't give us a fish everyday, show us how to fish for ourselves". They are not going to apply it for Haiti. We have to stop waiting for our neighbor to feed us.
Why am I so mad?
We
ll, personally I think a lot of us including myself have the right ideas or formula for Haiti's Independence. We enjoy the basic cares necessary for our needs: health, drinkable water, food, electricity, education etc, etc, living outside in Developped countries. We even can own a lot of unnecessary expensive, luxurious goods. But, any idea to invest in Haiti just falls on deaf ears.
Haiti can only do well when all Haitians can really live together. When we can love our country like other people love theirs. When we alone can help Haiti. When we alone know what's good for our country. When we alone can invest in our homeland without any excuses whatsoever.
For instance, look at people from Israel. Besides having the real help from the US, they are very nationalist. They buy and consume goods from their country mostly. THEY INVEST IN ISRAEL, USE ISRAEL'S BANKS. I have a lot of other countries from EU considered as developed countries which would take me a long time to go into more details.
Anyway, I am not against what Zanf and Marilyn posted. But, I just wanted to emphasize something that I have never thought of before: Investing in our Homeland, Loving your Country and Trusting your Compatriot.
N.B. We are living in Capitalism. You receive when you can give back with PROFIT (Goods and Services). Unless the country receiving the help has other ressources. I don't think Haiti fits the criteria. Therefore thanks for any help...
OVER 2 MILLIONS, HAITI IS A SMALL COUNTRY, WE CAN IMPROVE A LOT; IF WE GIVE 100 DOLLARS EVERY MONTH.
We are talking Billions here, Guys!
Leonel
- Leonel Jean-Baptiste*
- Posts: 562
- Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2004 7:57 am
by jafrikayiti* » Mon Sep 27, 2004 9:43 am
Kanmarad,
Panic is not our friend but our enemy. I say, let everyone assume THEIR resposibility....not every responsibility.
I am not responsible if CIA trained and equipped gangs are now roaming everywhere in Goniaves. No more than Marilyn can be held responsible for Timothey McVey blowing up the federal building in Oklahoma City or John Mohammad going on a killing spree in Washington State.
Let us not fall for this debilitating attitude of blaming everybody for everything.
A Nation NEEDS to have a legal, functional STATE apparatus. Only with that in place will the individual or group initiatives bring all the fruits they can bring.
Those who invested in the systematic destruction of Haiti's already ill State are responsible for the mayhem taking place today. Be it the Haitian fools (Lavalas and Opposition) who participated in these 3 years of time and resource wasting "negotiations" with the white supremac
ist embassies in Port-au-Prince etc..., be it the Brian Dean Curran, Jesse Helms, Luigi Einaudi gang... be it the students who let themselves sucked up in this "revolisyon moun fou" baptised Grenn Nan Bounda....they are responsible each for their own part and portion of the damage caused....
For instance, will we blame all Haitians for the fact that the youth in the city of Gonaives were infiltrated and used by all these tie-wearing folks who now pretend not to recognize them? Who helped Jean Tatoune escape from prison in August 2002 and from arrest in January 2003? Thus, today there is complete chaos in the distribution of relief in Gonaives. Who killed Amyot Métayer? And why has there been no serious investigation of this case - even after the same governments that were asking for his arrest all the while have now taken over Haiti? Gangs are now waliking hand in hand with the U.N. soldiers to oppress a people already terrorised, victimised, used, fooled, bretrayed, starved, left to die alone.....yet
somehow we should all blame everyone - therefore no one. I disagree !
Let everyone assume responsibility for their own mischief - not for everything - therefore nothing.
I understand Leonel's calls for investment in Haiti and "l'Union fait la force" etc... I - to a certain extent, agree that we indeed need to review our attitudes, options and action plans...
I notice that in another post Leonel mentioned that he does not care about losing his investment - as long as it happens... Well Leonel, a lot of people have already done what you are suggesting here. They did it in 1986, in 1991 and since then, until the very moment we are having this exchange they keep doing it.
I would argue that on the contrary, we NEED TO CARE about NOT LOSING our investment in Haiti. And when I look at the information coming out of our discussion with Henri and Patrice, it is clear that investing large sums in Haiti requires much more than good will and an emotional sense of sacrifice. Beyond the
issues of good organization on the part of the investor group, there is the inescapable need for insfrastructure by a functional state.
Again, we cannot blame everyone for the absence of such. Millions upon millions always respond to the call to fufill electoral civic duties. They wake up early in the morning. Line up peacefully - even at the risk of their lives...and they vote. If, after doing so, the PORT-AU-PRINCE based FOOLS - time and time again choose to undo their decision it is not the millions of Haitians that must shoulder the blame. Those who always claim to "know best" (les plus capables) must step up to the plate. And they better come with their sponsors from the white supremacist embassies because it is together that they keep messing up what the majority spends its last energies, its last resources, its last gourdes building.
Washington offered $60K for the same reason in January 2003 Vatican offered 5K Euros and Argentina offered $6K to the AOS Mission in Haiti to Support Demok
kkracy. They do so because they know they are dealing with a class of tie-wearing cowards - zombies that will never assume their responsibilities like Fidel Castro did - just a few weeks ago when he told the U.S. to shove its $50K up where it belongs.
Let everyone assume THEIR responsibility.
Jafrikayiti
"Ayiti ap leve, avèk yo ou san yo !"
Panic is not our friend but our enemy. I say, let everyone assume THEIR resposibility....not every responsibility.
I am not responsible if CIA trained and equipped gangs are now roaming everywhere in Goniaves. No more than Marilyn can be held responsible for Timothey McVey blowing up the federal building in Oklahoma City or John Mohammad going on a killing spree in Washington State.
Let us not fall for this debilitating attitude of blaming everybody for everything.
A Nation NEEDS to have a legal, functional STATE apparatus. Only with that in place will the individual or group initiatives bring all the fruits they can bring.
Those who invested in the systematic destruction of Haiti's already ill State are responsible for the mayhem taking place today. Be it the Haitian fools (Lavalas and Opposition) who participated in these 3 years of time and resource wasting "negotiations" with the white supremac
ist embassies in Port-au-Prince etc..., be it the Brian Dean Curran, Jesse Helms, Luigi Einaudi gang... be it the students who let themselves sucked up in this "revolisyon moun fou" baptised Grenn Nan Bounda....they are responsible each for their own part and portion of the damage caused....
For instance, will we blame all Haitians for the fact that the youth in the city of Gonaives were infiltrated and used by all these tie-wearing folks who now pretend not to recognize them? Who helped Jean Tatoune escape from prison in August 2002 and from arrest in January 2003? Thus, today there is complete chaos in the distribution of relief in Gonaives. Who killed Amyot Métayer? And why has there been no serious investigation of this case - even after the same governments that were asking for his arrest all the while have now taken over Haiti? Gangs are now waliking hand in hand with the U.N. soldiers to oppress a people already terrorised, victimised, used, fooled, bretrayed, starved, left to die alone.....yet
somehow we should all blame everyone - therefore no one. I disagree !
Let everyone assume responsibility for their own mischief - not for everything - therefore nothing.
I understand Leonel's calls for investment in Haiti and "l'Union fait la force" etc... I - to a certain extent, agree that we indeed need to review our attitudes, options and action plans...
I notice that in another post Leonel mentioned that he does not care about losing his investment - as long as it happens... Well Leonel, a lot of people have already done what you are suggesting here. They did it in 1986, in 1991 and since then, until the very moment we are having this exchange they keep doing it.
I would argue that on the contrary, we NEED TO CARE about NOT LOSING our investment in Haiti. And when I look at the information coming out of our discussion with Henri and Patrice, it is clear that investing large sums in Haiti requires much more than good will and an emotional sense of sacrifice. Beyond the
issues of good organization on the part of the investor group, there is the inescapable need for insfrastructure by a functional state.
Again, we cannot blame everyone for the absence of such. Millions upon millions always respond to the call to fufill electoral civic duties. They wake up early in the morning. Line up peacefully - even at the risk of their lives...and they vote. If, after doing so, the PORT-AU-PRINCE based FOOLS - time and time again choose to undo their decision it is not the millions of Haitians that must shoulder the blame. Those who always claim to "know best" (les plus capables) must step up to the plate. And they better come with their sponsors from the white supremacist embassies because it is together that they keep messing up what the majority spends its last energies, its last resources, its last gourdes building.
Washington offered $60K for the same reason in January 2003 Vatican offered 5K Euros and Argentina offered $6K to the AOS Mission in Haiti to Support Demok
kkracy. They do so because they know they are dealing with a class of tie-wearing cowards - zombies that will never assume their responsibilities like Fidel Castro did - just a few weeks ago when he told the U.S. to shove its $50K up where it belongs.
Let everyone assume THEIR responsibility.
Jafrikayiti
"Ayiti ap leve, avèk yo ou san yo !"
-
jafrikayiti* - Posts: 851
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 7:34 pm
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