Haiti digs up miracles, tragedies
Assistance still pouring into stricken ‘aid state’
Miracles and tragedies remain an everyday occurrence after Haiti, the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation, was rocked by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake.
Survivors are found alive in the wreckage as powerful aftershocks roll under makeshift housing. Aid shipments are hijacked by gangs amid promises for secure passage of desperately needed supplies.
The death toll from the quake has risen to at least 2,207 people, according to Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency. More than 12,200 were injured. More than 50,000 homes were destroyed.
In Haiti, however, hope springs eternal. On Sunday, eight days after the quake, 20 adults and four children reported missing were found trapped in the rubble on Pic Macaya, the civil protection agency said. Pic Macaya is Haiti’s second-largest mountain.
“They were transported by helicopter ... for treatment,” the agency tweeted. “They received food assistance and hygiene kits.”
Aid is pouring in, despite a spotty history of supplies actually getting to the country’s most needy. More than 3,000 humanitarian nongovernmental organizations operate in Haiti, often referred to as an “aid state.”
One is Mercy Corps, for which Christy Delafield works in the hard-hit Nippes region. She said the Haitians there reflect frustration – and determination.
“There is a tremendous amount of frustration, a certain amount of sadness,” Delafield said. “At the same time, there are strong signs of hope, of human resilience. I am continuously inspired and impressed by their fortitude, their courage.”
Mercy Corps and other agencies quickly geared up after the Aug. 14 temblor. Efforts were crippled by security concerns; an already unsettled political landscape turned to near anarchy last month after the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. Truck hijackings and other unchecked gang activity have hamstrung relief efforts.
Tensions have soared. Prime Minister Ariel Henry pledged change.
“My government does not intend to repeat history on the mismanagement and coordination of aid,” he tweeted days after the quake. “I will personally ensure that this help reaches the real victims.”
Henry’s pledge may have gained traction Sunday when a notorious gang leader offered a truce between warring gangs to allow humanitarian aid to flow from the capital, Port-au-Prince, to the heavily damaged southwestern peninsula. Jimmy Cherizier, a former Haiti National police officer also known as “Barbecue,” also asked gangs to pitch in.
“Everyone knows that the victims will need water, food, tents, tarpaulins,” Cherizier said. “We invite all compatriots to show solidarity with the victims by trying to share what little there is with them.”
On Monday, Haiti’s National Police announced that it had deployed additional units to protect aid shipments. That’s good news for Mercy Corps, which has been operating in Haiti since the last monster quake slammed the country in 2010.
“We purchase in Port-au-Prince and bring it overland. It’s absolutely essential that we use those roads,” Delafield said. “Access is hugely important, safe passage is hugely important.”
Almost all the homes have been damaged, and half destroyed, in some towns in the region, Delafield said. The aftermath was only made worse days later when a tropical depression dumped torrential rains.
Mercy Corps is focused on providing food, shelter and hygiene kits, she said.
“Security, crowded and damaged roads, the obstacles are herculean,” Delafield said. “You might find two houses totally flattened next to two houses barely damaged. But we are talking about people who are reaching out neighbor to neighbor, sharing what they have, helping each other out.”
Some aid is moving by air. The USS Arlington arrived last week with 600 sailors and Marines, including surgical teams with enhanced medical capabilities, helicopters and a landing craft. The Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom are among nations providing assistance.
Most of that aid is for immediate recovery. Delafield said Mercy Corps also tries to meet longer-term goals, such as boosting small business and helping provide young people with skills to become productive members of their communities. The group also tries to improve the incomes and practices of rural farmers to mitigate the economic and environmental effects of future disasters.
A recurring theme among Haitians is that many aid agencies don’t provide what people need. That’s why cash is best, Delafield said.
“Once you get past shelter issue, which is almost universal, then you get more specific needs,” Delafield said. “One household needs to replace a wheelchair, another may have lost livestock. We try to give people what they actually need. The best way to do that is to provide emergency cash.”
Angry crowds massed at collapsed buildings in the days after the quake, protesting a lack of help from the government and demanding tarps for temporary shelters. Much work remains as authorities struggle to restore basic necessities. Henry was in the region Tuesday, meeting with local leaders.
“Following the discussions, it is urgent for my government to immediately address the problems of drinking water and electricity, which this municipality of Nippes is seriously facing,” he said.