Reply #144: Canadian Troops swarmed at food distribution point [View All]

[Merchant Marine]

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2479905

"We've been the lucky ones who have been able to complete the delivery," said Maj. Frederic Pruneau, 32, of Asbestos, Que. "Most of the time they have to close the truck and leave because the crowd is too massive."

US Marines move full speed ahead
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j3dQEF13BACd5wpm6sHFQrz3JoKw

Sitting on a pile of food rations, Lieutenant Michael Fee explains how the aid distribution system works.
US marines offload relief supplies and secure the area and then give the aid to the United Nations, he says. Non-governmental organizations then take charge of aid delivery while the United Nations and Canadians secure its distribution.
"It's a web of people to get the aid out," Fee complains. "It is too complicated. That's why there is this backlog."

Some marines feel sorry not to be able to distribute the supplies themselves. But there are reasons behind this order.
"If I give a woman a bottle of water and a guy shows up and hits her, I can't engage him or detain him," argues Corporal Nicolas Hefley. "I don't have the right to."

Securing the peace, post-quake
http://www.nationalpost.com/related/links/story.html?id=2448315

"All of the effort is in saving lives right now and that's as it should be. But even while you have all your attention into saving lives, you've got to be planning for a much larger security apparatus for weeks and months to come," said Kara McDonald, a Haiti expert with the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington.

The earthquake threatens to undo the fragile gains the UN force has made in recent years in providing Haiti a modicum of political stability and reducing the strength of street gangs in the most impoverished Port-au-Prince slums.

Violence and looting hampering rescue effort
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2445160

"Our biggest problem is insecurity. Yesterday they tried to hijack some of our trucks. Today we were barely able to work in some places because of that," said Delfin Antonio Rodriguez, Civil Defense chief and rescue commander for the Dominican Republic.
"There's looting and people with guns out there, because this country is very poor and people are desperate."