But four days after the quake reduced the capital to rubble, the relief efforts are moving slowly. Aid workers report patience is wearing thin, and without some help soon, the situation could degenerate into lawlessness and chaos.
There have been numerous reports of looting. Witnesses also report men with machetes have been roaming the streets at night, helping themselves to whatever they can find in wrecked homes.
Haiti's capital is now devoid of a functioning police force. When the earthquake struck, it destroyed the city's prison, allowing thousands of inmates to escape. More HERE
The United Nations said it had fed 8,000 people, while two million to three million people remained in dire need.
Patience was wearing thin, and reports of looting increased, as another day went by with no power and limited fresh water.
There is more, as reported in the NY Times, Some people were bracing for the worst. Harold Marzouka, a Haitian-American businessman who was hustling his family onto a private jet to Miami, said he could feel the tension rising and feared that hunger and desperation might prompt an explosion of violence.“If aid doesn’t start pouring in at a significant level, there will be serious consequences on the streets,” he said. “People are in the shocked and frightened phase. But the next phase will be survival.”
In New York, the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said he recognized that the slow pace of the relief effort could make people in Port-au-Prince restive.
For rescuers and those buried, every hour that passed was an enemy.“The time window is ever shrinking,” said Florian Westphal, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva.
AAPP says, "It seems that we spent billions of dollars to re-engineer FEMA and other Federal agencies to respond to emergencies of this type, yet we can't maker common sense decisions like dropping food, water, and medical supplies to the people in need. What is wrong with the Federal government? is this all a plan to depopulize Haiti?"
Listen to what other black folks think about the situation in Haiti on my BlogTalkRadio Program, as we talk about how the Haiti aid is snarled by the United States.
Those, who refuse to learn from the lessons taught by history, will surely repeat mistakes earlier made. Our leaders learned nothing from bombing incidents pre 9/1l, for example, our marines in Lebanon and we have already forgotten the lessons, which we should have learned from 9/11. Japan, China, Iran, Indonesia have all experienced Haiti-like calamities in recent years. And we have had our share of deadly earth quakes, tornadoes and hurricanes.
Yet, we seem to have learned nothing from these disasters including Katrina.
What common needs arise from all such disasters? Water, food and medical supplies are foremost. Portable generators, fuel, blankets and tents would be next. Additionally, there is a crucial need for a detached group of profession people, who can mobilize, organize and direct the flow of people and resources in the affected areas towards common recovery goals. One doesn’t need an assessment in order to put these things in motion. Furthermore, security must be included at the top of the priority list, especially, in today’s world when terrorists will seek any opportunity to pilfer weapons, ammo and explosives. Where are these things located in Haiti and who is looking after them?
Given all the history as cited above and the closeness of Haiti, it is inexcusable that it takes so long to have boots on the ground there. The above cited materials should be packed, palletized, stored in a warehouse and ready to load on a plane on a moment’s notice.
Why isn’t this the case? All Americans should be asking this question. Your own life could be weighing in the balance next."