Giving Beast
More Giving BeastHaiti in Crisis
Haiti’s prime minister has told CNN that “hundreds of thousands” of people have died following Tuesday’s earthquake, and said he had nowhere to sleep tonight since both the presidential palace and his private home were flattened in the earthquake. Below, VIEW PHOTOS of the destruction. The quake was the strongest earthquake to hit the island, experts say, since 1770. The headquarters of the U.N. mission to the island is among the collapsed buildings, and 150 of its employees are missing. Obama promised to address with a "swift and aggressive" relief effort.
Below, Mark Leon Goldberg on why the island nation that can't catch a break from organized crime, food riots, and Mother Nature deserves our support. Plus, view our gallery of the quake devastation and donate now to aid groups.
Haiti just can’t catch a break. For nearly five years, the small island nation has made slow but steady progress toward economic development and political stability. But it seems that just as the country is poised to turn a corner, an act of God, like yesterday’s devastating earthquake, sends Haiti reeling back. The epicenter of the 7.0-magnitude quake—the largest recorded in the region in over 200 years—was just Southwest of Port au Prince, leaving the capital city without electricity, countless homes leveled, and the National Palace and headquarters of the United Nations mission destroyed. It’s too soon to tell how many people have died, or to what extent humanitarian efforts in Haiti have been setback. But the costs will be significant.
Click Below to View Photos of the Destruction in Haiti
The world wants Haiti to succeed. Both the United States and the UN have invested blood and treasure into Haiti’s transformation from the basket case of the Western Hemisphere to a country on the path toward peace and prosperity. In July 1994, 20,000 U.S. Marines landed in Port au Prince to oversee the re-installation of Jean Betrand Aristide, the popular, democratically elected president who had been deposed in a military coup. Ten years later, the shaky peace imposed by the U.S.-led intervention had fully collapsed. By then Aristide had become considerably less popular and less democratically elected. In February 2004, he fled the country amidst a rebellion.
This is Haiti’s tragedy: Just as the trend lines shift in the right direction, calamity strikes.
• How to Help Haiti
• The Daily Beast’s full Haiti coverageThe post-Aristide government appealed to the United Nations to send peacekeepers to provide security during the country’s transition to democracy. Soon, there were about 7,000 troops in Haiti, mostly from Brazil. The peacekeeping mission, known by its French acronym, MINUSTAH, has been credited with ushering in an era of security unprecedented in recent decades. It has helped train local police and has fought against notorious organized criminal groups that operated openly in the sprawling slums of Port au Prince.
In 2005, MINUSTAH helped to oversee the country’s first post-Aristide elections in which Rene Preval, a former aid to Aristide, won the presidency. Preval enjoys wide international support, which is critical because, Haiti remains dependent on the goodwill of donor countries—chiefly the United States.
With memories of Haitian “boat people” on Floridian shores and deployments of U.S. Marines to the island, the United States has largely obliged, in part out of self-interest. In May 2008, Congress passed the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE II), which granted wide tariff exemptions and preferences to Haitian businesses. The development economist Paul Collier called the act “the best trade deal on earth” that could potentially provide a jobs boom as Haiti breaks into the U.S. garment market.
It would seem that with a respected political leadership provided by Preval, increased security provided by the UN, and robust economic support from the United States, Haiti is poised to turn the corner. But for every step in the right direction, Haiti has been dealt an equal and opposite blow. In April 2008 there were widespread riots to protest the rising cost of food. Similar riots occurred elsewhere in the developing world, but in Haiti, it resulted in the death of a peacekeeper and the ouster of the prime minister.
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spittingoutteeth
"CHOAS IN HAITI"
What is "choas"? Similar to chaos, I'm guessing?
timeisnow
It took Obama 3 days to come out and speak to Americans about the Christmas day bomber. Thank God he likes the people of Haiti and he came out within hours to help and reassure them, this great Country will give them all the help they will need. Our prayers are with them...
sandwiches
the christmas bomber singed his junk.
thousands of people died in haiti.
which one should the president freak out about?
AlanD2
It took George W. Bush 6 days to come out and speak to Americans about the shoe bomber - and he gave it just a single casual sentence.
Thank God Bush is no longer President, timeisnow.
And a pox on people like you who politicize every thread.
outragedfan
couldn't have put it better myself, sandwiches and aland2!
zizanie
yes, timeisnow, keeping some sense of scale is good. as sandwiches pointed out, a troubled neanderthal who "singed his junk" is not on par with the massive scale of death in the poorest and perhaps most accursed country in the americas. why do you need to use this tragedy to trash the president of the united states?
elldeen
So far, this is the second idiot I've seen on DB today who has used this catastrophe to put down Obama. Next there will be some nutcase who will blame him for it!
Mark my words.
candyman101
elldeen is right. some clown will probably blame this on Obama, just like they blamed Katrina on Bush. It seems pretty ridiculous to politicize natural disasters.
Natural-Selection
elldeen for president, you're just as ignorant and probably a better speaker.
sophia5
Can't wait for Michael Chertoff's analysis.
Maybe he'll see this distaster as another self-serving opportunity to repair his own image.
velvetsmog
Hundreds of thousands have died and you had to make a political statement? You're an a-hole.
elldeen
@Natural Selection: I think you righties have cornered the market on ignorance!
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zizanie
pretty sophisticated critique there, spittingoutteeth. thousands or tens of thousands die a little south of florida and you are commenting about typos...
mickeyitaliano
Do you think all the voodoo has anything to do with this?
djanimaequeen
That's a pretty sick thing to say. Your mom must be proud.
paristokyo
Mickey, "Hundred of thousands dead" and that ''s all you have to say? Truly sick comment.
zizanie
and wow, mickeyitaliano. how would you like it if a catastrophe befell your entire city and people just made ignorant jokes about your heritage...
djanimaequeen
Nevermind that a large number of Haitians are Catholic. They're black so they must be practicing 'voodoo'. I am so tired of ignorant trolls I swear.
shaygirl
they do practice voo doo in Haiti. The Catholics have made progress there, but they do practice devil worship there! just a fact, sorry!
lots of hurting people there, make a contribution to your church or the American Red Cross if you can!
djanimaequeen
People practice voodoo here shaypiegon so what's your point?
80% of Haitians are Catholic so yeah the church has made progress. Too bad your brain cells haven't.
Natural-Selection
A disaster did befall us all, zizane...the liberal plague. Now the ignorant jokes are in power trying to pass legislation people don't want before they're voted out as quickly as possible....counterintuitive, no?
dreaday19
educate me, shay. what part of voodoo is devil worship?
LibsRule4ever
80% of the population of Haiti is CATHOLIC. Do you think 9/11 happened because there are so many Christians in the US? What kind of stupid, idiotic crap is that to spout? Studies show the less educated you are, the more likely you are to be both a Republican and a Conservative. You prove the point beautifully.
elldeen
Stereotypes are stupid - and so are those who believe in them!
velvetsmog
You are a world-class bigot and moron.
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nraman
I agree with the CHOAS comment below.
More importantly though... all the best of luck to those trapped inside buildings... those dealing with rampant infectious diseases and lack of food/water...
FarLeftFist
Jeeeesus loves the little chiiilldren.
Natural-Selection
loves idiots too, so you're safe
velvetsmog
You are a sad sack of crap.
verycold
Reading this article I get the impression that Hati had commerce and had a somewhat stable government. That is not the information I have been told for many years. I would ask for proof that this tiny fractured country was in fact on the road to some sort of improvement. News reports depict this government as very corrupt. So which is the truth? It is said that DR is in much better shape with a stable government and considerably better infrastructure. It is also said that many of the poor in Hati settle in the DR which strains their resources.
Based on the size of Haiti how many people can comfortably live there without straining all systems? Is that the problem? Once again, is population the big problem?
It will be interesting to see what countries step up and by how much. Is it always the US that comes to the aid of everybody, but receives barely a nod when we are dealing with our own nightmares?
sandwiches
http://www.indexmundi.com/haiti/gdp_real_growth_rate.html
Haiti's very recent success is relative to its dismal past.
environmental degradation plays a role i think, i've read that haiti has very little forest cover while the DR is pretty lush.
verycold
I too have read that there is virtually no trees left. I mean where do they go from here? They aren't a little overpopulated they are grossly packed together. Other than give to the Red Cross which of course I did, what is the long-term answer here? It isn't just a question of money to rebuild, but what to do with those that are homeless. What about the orphans? When an animal overgrazes a pasture, the ONLY answer is to move them off the land and let the land come back. Hurricanes and earthquakes - how much worse does it get and should they rebuild in an area that could get hit again? I know..we always have this dilemma after a crisis.
mdreader
Most of the progress has been at the community organization level, not necessarily the governmental level. People are working together for their own good--despite failed institutions.
Big population is a problem. Port Au Prince, until yesterday, was very densely populated.
This is far worse than Katrina's devastation in New Orleans. In New Orleans, after the flood waters receded, you still had hotels, hospitals, and an economic center. Port Au Prince is nothing but rubble today.
clairenlow
This seems like the perfect opportunity for a crack disaster team from the US to act. Maybe in conjunction with France. But there is nothing here about any response. The silence is deadening.
oliverckerr
The Wall Street bonuses could begin rebuilding Haiti.
michaelslevinson.com
helloricko
oliverkerr,
Congratulations on a succinct, logical observation. Proves that you CAN provide a one-liner.
velvetsmog
Thanks for bringing politics into this, jerk.
keekee77
I didn't watch network tv last night so I didn't know about this when I got up. I was listening to the national news break in on the local station while I was making coffee. The lead story was about American Idol from the night before, then another story. Then I'm standing there, not paying much attention and the news announcer said "80,000 feared dead in Haiti following Earthquake." Now, I about dropped my fruit smoothie because I thought I was hearing things. Surely, 80,000 dead rated above American Idol so I couldn't have heard right.
But sure enough, I'd heard correctly. I was stunned that news of American Idol took up almost the entire national news break with this tragedy almost an after thought.
Can you imagine if this had happened in the US or Europe to white people?
The Earthquake in Iran five years ago that cost 50,000 lives was maybe a little less of a non event by white tragedy standards.
Less than 3,000 people died on 9/11 and it has changed the face of the Earth forever. People still expect the whole world to stop on the anniversary, eight years later. But this story will fade within weeks.
djanimaequeen
So sad. So true.
dooreen
The same with people who are killed by reckless drivers, and reckless public policy makers who allow people to drive as if they were on a highway in a downtown block, in the "lower" part of town or who allow builders to comply with out of date building codes.
Soft bigotry is everywhere.
paristokyo
So sad, so true indeed. Just look at the number of comments under Palin's story on this site as opposed to any story about Haiti.
verycold
Sadly, what is the significance of the Palin story? I just don't get it. It is only a story because of the rabid hatred from the left. If they just focused on anything else Palin would cease to be any story. Her haters are fanatical about her.
namedujour
Her "haters"? OMG. She's an embarrassment to women, and to America. It has nothing to do with hate (you pretty much have to respect someone for something in order to generate a high enough level of feeling to experience "hate" - otherwise, it's just "contempt"), and everything to do with mortification that we're associated with people who think she has anything to contribute. (Gasp, and blush.)
So, no. We aren't "haters". We're "contempt-ers".
keekee. Last night Katie Courick's broadcast was Haiti, Haiti, Haiti. You might try switching channels. God help those people...
keekee77
I remember after the Tsunami how much press was given to the white model who lost her leg. 250,000 brown and yellow people died but the press was all about the white tourists - especially the Americans. Look at the size of the headlines on the websites. There is still plenty of room for news that Heidi Montag (who is she by the way) is obsessed with plastic surgery.
And if you want to be a serial killer, go after black women. They have one in LA right now killing black women. Any one heard about it?
djanimaequeen
No but I heard about that one in Ohio that got away with killing 11 (that we know of) women. All black.
finderj
Do you really think that 'the worst thing that ever happened' can be quantified?
The worst thing that happens to you is just that. Same for countries.
Don't reduce it to petty speculation about the races involved.
djanimaequeen
According mickey 'the sleeze' italiano it can be quantified. According to him, it's because they practice 'voodoo' that they were hit with an earthquake. Nevermind 80% of Haitians are Catholic. Racism is an issue because it effects how much aid Haitians receive and when they receive it. So spare me the post-racist bullshit because ignorant America is as racist as ever.
namedujour
Here's Pat Robertson's explanation. Haiti signed a pact with the devil, and God is punishing them by cursing them with one thing after another. (Praise Jesus.)
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201001130024
velvetsmog
I will raise a glass when that old hate-spewing bastard is dead. If there's any justice in this universe, he will rot in hell for the rest of eternity.
HiredGoons
I can wait for some idiots to start calling the relief effort a 'bailout' and that he's favoring them because it's a 'black country.'
Wait for it.
Wait for it....
djanimaequeen
I implore all those with a conscience to give what they can and flag the sickos on this site who insist on using this tragedy as a platform to make sick jokes and racist comments.
shaygirl
your really good with that flagging deal. YOU can say whatever you want about other people but your the self-appointed hall monitor.
Why make this racist? My Mom has done mission work in Haiti and she's heartbroken. I gave a nice chunk of money to both my church for the mission there and to the American Red Cross this morning and get called racist regularly on this site.
djanimaequeen your the biggest racist on this site, you look at everything according to color!
djanimaequeen
You mom has nothing to do with your actions other than her grevious mistake in giving birth to you in the first place. SHAYPIGEON YOU ARE RACIST BECAUSE INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING MICKEYITALINO'S OBVIOUSLY RACIST REMARK OF ACCUSING THE INNOCENT VICTIMES OF HAITI OF CAUSING AN EARTHQUAKE BECAUSE THEY PRACTICE VOODOO, YOU INSTEAD IGNORE THAT 80% OF HAITIANS ARE CATHOLIC AND ACKNOWLEGDE HIS IGNORANT STATEMENT. BRING IT BITCH. I HAVE NO QUALMS RIPPING YOU A NEW ONE.
djanimaequeen
"get called racist regularly on this site. "
Gee I wonder why?
Natural-Selection
relax dramaqueen....you're the kid who always overreacted and made it fun to pick on you. Stop acting like a sugar infused 3 year old and people will stop with the smartass comments. You solidify the liberal stereotype of being thin-skinned and judgemental.
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Baddchild
see what destruction global warming causes.... and George Bush is letting all those people in Haiti die.
AlanD2
I'm glad to see that you're finally starting to see the light, Baddie.
Natural-Selection
Absolutely....as only the astute can see, this is definitely a result of global warming...I mean it all adds up and makes sense, right? Global Warming equals random earthquakes!
Baddchild
actually R2, it was just to see who believed stupid shit like that and I knew as long as there wasn't a revenge of the nreds marathon on tonight you wouldn't dissapoint us.
keekee77
finderi, When I was a kid, 100,000 Chinese were killed in a flood. I remember by Dad reading the paper and telling me to look at the size of the article - it was two paragraphs on the back page.
You cannot tell me that the race of victims does not have a significant impact on the perception of the magnitude of a tragedy. If that's not about bigotry at its core then I don't know what is. The perception is that a white life is more important than a brown, black or yellow life. I'd say that's bigotry in its purest form.
If 100,000 white people died in an Earthquake in California this planet would come to a standstill. And don't tell me that a plane crash full of Americans doesn't get more world press than a plane crash of Africans or Middle Easterners. And don't tell me that 9/11 was the news event it was because it was a terrorist attack. Tens of thousands of middle easterners have died in terrorist attacks. Who cares? No one. That's who.
Mayoman
I hate to agree with you, but it's true. If it's not a first world country then it's not a first rate story.
dreaday19
ummm, I would blame that much more on American ethnocentrism/nationalism than anything else. We live a pretty insular life here. Even the news in Canada has always covered a crapton more world-wide happenings than the U.S. ever has.
Goober
Let's spin it so it is all the fault of George Bush and the evil America.
velvetsmog
And I thought liberals were the thin-skinned ones. Jesus dude, need a kleenex?
Thank you.
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