As I peruse the news and video coming out of Haiti, a question keeps entering my mind. Where are the Haitians who, themselves, are working to dig out their own country? by Walt Thiessen
(libertarian)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
In the aftermath of the horrible earthquake that has laid waste to the empoverished nation of Haiti, international efforts, both private and public, have come forth in great numbers. The video and news reports coming out of Port au Prince show an overmatched airport, a destroyed port, rubble everywhere, some successful rescue efforts by international rescuers, and looters in the streets.
What's missing from everything I've seen and read is evidence of the Haitians helping themselves. Let me be clear: I believe that there are many Haitians who are doing exactly that: helping. They just don't appear in the news and video reports. What none of us outside of Haiti know is how many Haitians are actually involved in the effort to dig their own country out from under the disaster, and this is a cause for concern.
For instance, if we are to believe the reports, armies of Haitian men, armed with machetes, pipes, and clubs, roam the streets at night looting and pillaging. While this is certainly something to be expected in light of such a disaster, given how little aid has successfully reached most of the island (again, according to virtually all news reports), the questions remain: why aren't there any reports of looters who have been taken into custody? Why aren't there any reports of Haiti's president calling for Haitians to lay down their clubs and pick up shovels? Where is the leadership?
When a country reaches a level of poverty such as the level Haiti reached prior to the earthquake, there are painfully obvious reasons for it. Most often, it has to do with a combination of government failures, corruption, and denial of basic human rights. While I'm not an expert on Haiti, I have no doubt that this combination applies there, because it always applies in such situations.
No long-term solution can exist for Haiti that does not involve Haitians themselves leading their own rebuilding effort. Once the rescue effort to seek breathing victims still pinned under the rubble reaches its conclusion, the next step will be day-to-day survival for the remaining population. There's no time like the present to get them directly involved in their own long-term survival, and the best way to begin is by putting shovels in their hands. It would be great if the international media in Haiti would report on whether and to what degree this is already happening.
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Walt, according to at least one Haitian, they have already done the emergency work of digging out their own survivors and do not want any US presence to help - except money, keep sending money, more and more money (and doctors, BTW.)
Posted By: No Name Supplied
Date: 2010-01-23 17:29:28
Like the media is going to show you that! They prefer to show you the ones who "loot" and kill. However, prior to the arrival of the aid organizations, Haitians were trying to dig through the rubbles and save some people.
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