Turmoil in Haiti
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-12-13/turmoil-haiti
Almost a year ago 230,000 people died in Haiti after a devastating earthquake struck the country. Today more than a million survivors remain displaced. And in recent weeks, a worsening cholera epidemic has killed more than 2,000. Many Haitians feel angry and frustrated - and helpless to improve their lives. This has fueled riots that have plagued the capital, Port-au-Prince, since a disputed presidential election was held in November. We'll talk about efforts to address the cholera epidemic and the political crisis in the beleaguered Caribbean nation.
Guests
Robert Fatton Jr.
professor of politics and government affairs, and associate dean for graduate programs, University of Virginia. He is the author of "Haiti's Predatory Republic: The Unending Transition to Democracy" and "The Roots of Haitian Despotism."
Sebastian Walker
Haiti-based reporter for Al Jazeera English.
Dr. Anthony Fauci
director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH.
Comments
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Diane,
I'm a regular listener of your show via NPR and I wanted to personally thank you for this show today. As a native of Haiti myself, I appreciate anyone who cares enough to discuss the current outbreak in my country.
Thank you,
Power-J
Founder and Creator of Haiti Kiskeya, the fastest growing Haitian Social Network community on the web, connecting Haitians Worldwide.
Visit us today - WWW.HK4L.COM
Ofc: 813-344-0102
Diane,
i have been working continuously in and outside of Haiti on public health issues since the January earthquake. i just wanted to add the perspective that the access to clean water and sanitation in the IDP camps is better than in the average low-income settlements and urban slums. Additionally, there are health care tents in most of the large camps and health facilities close by outside the camps so that IDPs are for the most part within 30 minutes walking distance of care. Thus what we are seeing is that the cholera outbreak in the camps is less severe than in the low-income urban communities and hard to reach rural and mountainous settlements. So our concern is NOT the earthquake displaced people in the camps...it is in these other hard to reach and very poor communities.
Gunnar here from Rockville, MD
I spent three years working for a major construction company in a rural village in the Northwest of Haiti and we used a very simple water purification filtration system to provide water for our staff of 50 every day. Why can't more of these simple systems be utilized?
My suggestion addresses more the fundamental culture of Haiti, rather than the politics and aid to the cholera epidemic.
A friend recently visited Haiti at which time he noted the many able-bodied men with apparently nothing to do sitting among the rubble remaining in the streets from the earthquake. Yet we send millions of dollars and numerous aid workers to solve their problems and rebuild their dwellings.
If my friend's perception is correct, wouldn't our money be better spent paying these local people to rehabilitate their own country...presumably after clearing up this awful epidemic?
Very good point Gunnar. I was going to ask about that myself.
It is absolutely essential to integrate idle or underemployed populations into the solution of their own water and sanitation problems. I organize clean water and education projects in regions other than Haiti through a civic club network in southwest Florida. In looking at ways to send donations to Haiti, I learned about Pure Water for the World and have been impressed by their efforts in Port au Prince. They hire Haitian professionals who were trained in the USA and these Haitians create small, local businesses through which the other Haitians can gain employment in solving their own water problems. One approach they are taking is to build cottage industries to manufacture ceramic water filters and bio-sand filters. video at http://purewaterfortheworld.org/pure-water-world-haiti-3/
I agree with you Gunnar. I gather that we in the International Community spend around $23 mil. to sponsor the flawed election. Rather than squander more in a runoff election, how about "investing" half to give your filtration system to each Haitian? We will be getting a better ROI for investing roughly $1 /per haitian.
I think I can write about Haiti even though I have not been and have not donated any meaningful money lately. I can find enough people right in my neighborhood who need assistance doing for themselves. I've read Paul Farmer's books about Haiti and I understand that Haiti was as wealthy as the United States when she still possessed her natural resources and agricultural export production 200 years ago. It is the devil deals made with France and the USA that have denuded and killed the island. It may be a preview of what will happen to us if we keep stripmining and fracking for petroleum. At this point there are too many people in Haiti for the damaged land to support. Already more Haitians are outside than inside. Immigration anywhere from Haiti is the humanitarian thing to do. So, we have unemployment, but that is a crony corporate capitalist thing that need not be. Maybe we owe them the same as Puerto Rico, all the benefits of our republic, which is my argument for annexation. Elections with no possible positive outcome are voodoo politics, and then we blame the voters. Preposterous!
Let Sarah Palin put her money where her mouth is.