In Haiti, Rising Call for Displaced to Go Away

[Francesca9]

Source: New York Times

Almost nine months after the earthquake that devastated Haiti, eviction threats have increased markedly and have become an urgent humanitarian concern, international groups say. Some 144,175 individuals have been subject to threats of eviction since March, and 28,065 have been actually evicted, according to data collected by shelter experts here.

Humanitarian officials have asked the government to consider a moratorium on evictions and to address the issue publicly, urging compassion. They worry that the evictions could increase conflict, lead to the mushrooming of smaller sites without services and force people into locations that are unsafe.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/world/americas/05haiti.html?ref=todayspaper

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No one has much hope for Haiti, the day before the earthquake there were 20,000 NGOs working, billions and billions were spent, and the water was still filthy and unfit to drink.

In the end, Haiti will have to heal Haiti. Outsiders can only help so much.

[Desertrose]

1. This is very sad.....

can't imagine what a tough life they are living there now.

[Francesca9]

2. It has been hard for a century.

Child slavery is rampant.

For almost a century, all reforms and all help has failed to increase living standards.

[Downwinder]

3. I say, didn't we make it that way? n/t

[EFerrari]

5. Yeah, maybe France should pay back the extortion money.

That would be a good start on a standard of living.

And maybe the next time Haiti gets a stable democracy, we shouldn't overturn it. :think:

[Francesca9]

18. France sold Haiti their freedom

France should return the money.

[EFerrari]

4. Right. Outsiders can only strip mine and manipulate Haiti so much

before there's nothing left to steal.

Haiti can't "heal" Haiti until the US, Canada and France get their hooks out of Haiti.

[Francesca9]

6. There is nothing for the US to get in Haiti

Are you delusional?

have you been there - or at least read something?

What do you think that the US wants that Haiti has?

[EFerrari]

7. Are you asking, what is left? Try sweatshop labor.

Try oil, land, position.

No, I'm not delusional. Are you?

[Francesca9]

10. No oil & no labor

Do you want a nice oceanfront lot to build on there? You can get one for about $300. Want some land there? No one else does.

What does Haiti have that anyone wants?

Try again

[maddezmom]

14. some think they may have oil

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010898359_haitioil27.html

http://www.worldoil.com/Haiti_could_have_larger_oil_reserves_than_Venezuela.html

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EFerrari]

21. Here's a different link for the land grab in Haiti.

Haiti's government in quake camps land grab

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/latest-world-news/2010/02/20/haiti-s-government-in-quake-camps-land-grab-91466-25876791/

[Blue_Tires]

30. um...The CIA has had a LONG history there

running through tons of coke while propping up puppet presidents (who themselves robbed the country of what crumbs were left)...

[Francesca9]

31. No, the CIA was never there

Who would be stupid enough to send the CIA to Haiti?

Haiti is totally irrelevant. What can be learned there of value?

The US Marine Corps once ran Haiti, but there was no CIA then (and no OSS). It was the first and last time when the water was safe to drink. President Wilson then correctly said - why the hell are we spending money on running Haiti.

Since then Haiti has been self-governing.

[EFerrari]

36. Mr. Aristide would probably disagree with that. n/t

[Downwinder]

8. Haiti--Capitalism's end game. n/t

[Francesca9]

9. Haiti is socialist - try again

Try to deal with reality, there is no major capitalism in Haiti.

There is almost no economy of any kind.

I forget when Hati went socialist, 1952 or so?

[Downwinder]

11. The wealth in Haiti is concentrated in a few hands.

US rice growers destroyed Haitian agriculture.

[Francesca9]

12. Clinton apologized today for that

[Downwinder]

13. Solves the problem?

Added on edit.

There is no where for the people evicted to go. The land is all in private ownership and we won't let them off the island.

[Francesca9]

17. Perhaps greatly increasing the cost of food will help

maybe it will not.

I'm not sure.

[Downwinder]

19. How will they pay for it? n/t

[dipsydoodle]

22. That's the whole idea

Put the prices up until they all starve to death - problem solved. :sarcasm:

[Downwinder]

23. Then we can go in and drill and mine.

Disaster capitalism?

[Francesca9]

25. Raising food prices is a serious solution proposed by Oxfam

I admit that the concept escapes me.

The US is being attacked for providing affordable food to the poor.

Local farmers cannot compete.

[dipsydoodle]

26. The issue of US farm subsidies

affects many poor countries. As you so rightly say - Local farmers cannot compete.

[dipsydoodle]

20. Did little, if anything , to stop it though did SHE

From March this year :

The best-seller comes from Riceland Foods in Stuttgart, Arkansas, which sold six pounds for $3.80 last month, according to Haiti's National Food Security Coordination Unit. The same amount of Haitian rice cost $5.12.

"National rice isn't the same, it's better quality. It tastes better. But it's too expensive for people to buy," said Leonne Fedelone, a 50-year-old vendor.

Riceland defends its market share in Haiti, now the fifth-biggest export market in the world for American rice.

>

Cheap foreign products drove farmers off their land and into overcrowded cities. Rice, a grain with limited nutrition once reserved for special occasions in the Haitian diet, is now a staple.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35967561/

[EFerrari]

16. Haiti hasn't "gone" anywhere very long that the US, France and Canada

haven't wanted it to go. Try to deal with reality. At the moment they have a nearly invisible puppet government and the largest political party is banned from elections.

[dipsydoodle]

24. Were it not for the revolution

Cuba would likely as not be in the same boat now.

[EFerrari]

28. Agreed. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

27. There's no way you can call Haiti's history 'socialist' - it was a textbook kleptocracy

under the Duvaliers, and apart from them has suffered from repeated coups. It's arguable that Aristide was socialist by inclination, but the coups against him stopped any opportunity to implement policies that might be called socialist for long enough to see what effect they would have. Preval is a pragmatist, looking to do what he can, and get what foreign investment he can, to fix a profoundly broken country.

[Francesca9]

32. Your facts are all correct

I would argue that without a real economy a nation cannot be capitalist or social;ist.

I would describe Haiti as feudal.

That said, look it up - Haiti is a socialist nation.

[muriel_volestrangler]

34. What do you mean - "look it up"?

If there's some list of socialist countries on which Haiti appears, then link to it. There are some unofficial lists (eg Wikipedia), and non of them includes Haiti. We've looked at its current situation and history, and even seem to agree that it can't be called 'socialist'. Then you say "look it up", as if it's a simple fact, about which your or my opinion means nothing. Huh?

[xxqqqzme]

29. Haiti is a libertarian dream come true.

No roads, no education, no infrastructure to maintain, no government interference in corporate pillage & rape of resources.

[Francesca9]

33. very insightfully analyzed

[lunatica]

35. You're in the middle of a pipe dream if you think Haitians can heal Haiti

Have you ever lived in a third world country? Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world. What do you suggest Haitians do to make things better?

Ignorance is bliss.