Port-au-Prince Devastated; Haitian Red Cross Estimates 45,000 - 50,000 Dead Summary and Recommendations for Recovery
"The country does not have the infrastructure or resources to deal with a crisis of this magnitude, the U.S. and the international community must provide immediate medical, humanitarian, search and rescue, and additional supports as requested by the government of Haiti," --Nicole Lee, President of TransAfrica Forum.
Summary
January 12, 2010, Haiti, was hit with a magnitude 7.0 earthquake, its most severe in 200 years. The epicenter of the quake was approximately 10 miles south of Port-au-Prince, the country's capital and home to over 2 million people. The city is devastated and the Haitian Red Cross estimates that 45,000 - 50,000 are dead.
At this time, basic supplies -- food, water, and shelter, as well as search and recue equipment -- are the major needs. A majority of the city's population is sleeping in parks and on the streets, fearful of additional building collapse. According to a Reuters report: "Money is worth nothing right now, water is the currency."
Relief supplies, along with search and rescue squads are arriving. Some groups, for example, Partners in Health, Doctors Without Borders, along with Cuba have doctors on the ground and have been treating victims since the quake struck. The U.S. government reports that some 2,200 Marines are en route as the military plans to assist with the delivery of humanitarian supplies, as well as security, and search and rescue missions. At least six U.S. military ships, including the hospital ship, are expected to assist. President Barack Obama has pledged 100 million in support to Haiti. The World Bank indicates that it will pledge a $100 million grant, Britain has pledged $10 million, and the Canadian government made an immediate pledge of $5 million with the offer to match charitable donations from Canadians up to $50 million.
A SMALL VICTORY! Thanks to you and the work of thousands throughout the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security announced this afternoon that Haitians living in the United States on January 12, 2010 are now eligible for Temporary Protective Status! This is a significant victory; since January 2009 U.S. immigration judges have issued deportation orders to over 30,000 undocumented Haitians. Temporary protected status (TPS) is granted by the United States (Homeland Security Department) to eligible nationals of countries that cannot safely return to their homelands because of armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. Haiti clearly fits this description. Haitians living in the United States have and will continue to make significant financial and other contributions to their families in Haiti. They provide critical information, analysis, and guidance to the advocacy community. Now that the threat of deportation is removed, Haitians living in the United States can continue their significant contributions to their families in Haiti and to our communities here.
News updates are posted regularly on the web, click here for links to several media outlets that are providing frequent reports. Additionally, TransAfrica Forum has created a blog and daily posts updates on the situation in Haiti and summaries like this to ensure that you have the most recent information and recommended activities. In the United States advocates and legislators are already beginning to discuss the need for a major recovery plan for the country, along the lines of a Marshall Plan for Haiti. "The people of Haiti are only just beginning to recover from a decade of economic, environmental, and political shocks. The global recession, increases in international food prices, and natural disasters, including four hurricanes in 2008, have undermined the country's already weak infrastructure and increased poverty in a country already the poorest in the western hemisphere," according to Nicole Lee, President of TransAfrica Forum. "The country does not have the infrastructure or resources to deal with a crisis of this magnitude, the U.S. and the international community must provide immediate medical, humanitarian, search and rescue, and additional supports as requested by the government of Haiti, along with longer-term recovery funds," Lee continued. Recommendations
Understandings of the situation in Haiti shifts as each new piece of information are announced, however, the following recommendations represent a consensus of views from the advocacy community:
1. CASH DONATIONS. Cash donations to organizations on the ground are most recommended. In-kind contributions, particularly clothing and equipment collections are discouraged as these donations are particularly hard to transport. Additionally, the Port-au-Prince airport has become the staging ground for relief activities, making distribution of clothing, etc. difficult. Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private voluntary organizations (PVOs) have long-established development projects on the ground. Those organizations are best placed to assist with the country's immediate needs; we encourage supporters to contribute to two highly effective organizations that are already providing emergency services:
Partners in Health. Donate online at: www.pih.org/inforesources/news/Haiti_Earthquake.html or send your contribution to Partners in Health, P.O. Box 845578, Boston, MA 02284-5578. Doctors Without Borders. Donate online at www.doctorswithoutborders.org, or toll-free at 1-888-392-0392. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. USA Headquarters 333 7th Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10001-5004.
2. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ONLY. We have received queries regarding travel to Haiti. At this point travel to Haiti is discouraged. The airport must be kept clear for emergency personnel, and port facilities are damaged. Additionally, the roads from Haiti to the Dominican Republic, which are challenging in the best of times, must be cleared to transport Haitians requiring medical attention.
3. TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS. As noted above, the Obama administration has extended Temporary Protective Status to Haitians living in the United States. Our colleagues at the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti point out the following: "Two applications will be required -- one for TPS, another for a work permit (the work permit application fee alone is $340). DHS should waive those fees because they will prevent many from being able to apply, and those funds would add millions to Haiti recovery efforts if working Haitians could send them home in the form of remittances instead of paying them as fees." Please take a moment to send a letter of thanks to President Obama and to encourage him to waive fees in order to encourage larger remittances to Haiti.
4. COORDINATED INTERNATIONAL RELIEF ASSISTANCE. We commend President Obama for his immediate commitment of support for the people of Haiti during this time of crisis. We urge the administration to continue its efforts, in full coordination with multilateral agencies in order to ensure efficient relief efforts. We also commend governments around the world, from Cuba to Canada, and Venezuela to China for their support, as well.
5. SUPPORT FOR HAITIAN SOVEREIGNTY. Even prior to the earthquake, Haiti was the least-developed country in the Americas. The "dumping" of cheap products into its economy had destabilized the nation and underscored the need to overhaul Haiti's agriculture policies in tandem with international trade policy. Approximately 80 percent of Haiti's population lives in poverty and over half struggle to survive on less than $1 a day. Remittances that Haitians outside the country send home account for over a quarter of gross domestic product (GDP), there is chronic unemployment and the informal economy is steadily growing.
Foreign aid dominated Haiti's budget (30-40 percent) and its debt stood at $1.3 billion - 40 percent of which was incurred by the Duvalier dictatorships by stealing or misspending most of the money between 1957 and 1986. The prices of products needed to fulfill basic needs have risen by more than 50 percent since 2007 and most families are forced to choose between buying food and sending their children to school.
As the international discussion moves to relief to recovery and rebuilding, support for sovereignty, and policies supporting equitable and participatory economic development must be central. *** Cash donations for the immediate emergency are the priority. After you contribute to Haiti's relief, please also consider making a donation to TransAfrica Forum. If you found the above information useful, please make a donation today.
TransAfrica Forum is the leading U.S. advocacy organization for Africa and the African Diaspora in U.S. foreign policy. TransAfrica Forum helped lead the world protest against apartheid in South Africa and today works for human and economic justice for African people on the continent of Africa, in Latin America and in the Caribbean. Contact us: TransAfrica Forum, 1629 K Street, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, D.C., 20006, 202-223-1960, www.transafricaforum.org.
TransAfrica Forum | 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 1100 | Washington, DC 20006 |
Phone: 202.223.1960 | Fax: 202.223.1966 | info@transafricaforum.org 
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