Archive for category Haiti

Haiti: Security Update–Bad, To Worse

Apr 12

Posted by Matt in Disaster Response, Haiti, Industry Talk, Rwanda | No Comments

     Amnesty International documented cases of sexual violence in camps. Four of the victims interviewed were children. An 8-year-old girl called Celine (not her real name) was alone in the tent at night when she was raped. Her mother had left the camp to work and had no one to look after her daughter during her absence. A 15-year-old girl, called Fabienne (not her real name) was raped when she left the camp to urinate, as there were no latrines within the camp. Carline (not her real name), 21, was raped by 3 men when she went to urinate in a remote area of the camp, as the latrines were too dirty to be used. Pascaline (not her real name), 21, was raped and beaten in her tent, neighbors failed to intervene because they believed she was with her partner. 

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   What can I say?  These folks that continue to promote this idea that security is not important, or that contracting security is disaster capitalism will have the crimes and violence in Haiti all over their pen holding hands.  Shame on you. All I have to say is that you cowards have to look at yourself in the mirror every day and realize that people are suffering because of this ‘non-action’ you keep promoting.

    But it gets worse.  Now we are sending cops from one humanitarian disaster (Rwanda) to another disaster (Haiti), and somehow this gets a free pass?

    The first article below is about sending Rwandan cops to Haiti. Whose hair brained idea was this and how are these clowns going to actually increase security in Haiti?  As the first article below has clearly stated, Rwanda is the last country to get get security forces from or claim some kind of humanitarian award for excellence.

     The second article is about the $ 13.55 billion that world wide donors have raised to rebuild Haiti. Billions….  That’s nice and all, but if there is that much money floating around, why are Haitians having any issues at all regarding security?  In my view, that money should be used to first provide security in Haiti, so that the building process can actually take place. Food, water and shelter is great, but if you get murdered/raped/robbed, then what good is that other stuff?  Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs comes to mind.

     To depend on piss poor UN troops, Rwandan security, or a depleted and ravaged Haitian police is not working.  I say contract a police force to come in and assist, and in the mean time build the prison up and build police capability.  But for security right now when it is most needed, there should be no hesitation.  Get it done, or watch crimes, murders, and rapes continue to be committed. That would be a good use of a small portion of that large sum of money. That isn’t disaster capitalism, that’s just human decency and compassion.  To stand by and watch is unacceptable.

   The third article goes into detail on how the Haitian police are struggling to bring order to the chaos.  They are simply overwhelmed. Thousands of prisoners have escaped, gang violence has increased, rapes have increased, and the police is dealing with a destroyed city and people.  So why is it that we are not sending in the cavalry?  Oh that’s right, the Rwandans are the cavalry.  Pfffft.

   Now get this.  In the fourth article, it discusses how the locals have had to organize their own security forces to deal with this stuff.  If that is not an indicator that police are in trouble, I don’t know what is. So is street justice better than contracting security who would be supporting Haitian security forces?

   The last quote and article is from Amnesty International.  They are screaming for more police in their recommendations, and their report is pretty clear.  Crimes are up, as is sexual assaults, and of course they want something done about it.  What is not in the report, is AI’s position on Rwandan cops trying to secure the mess in Haiti. The other thing that is missing is that AI made no mention of contracting security forces to step in to stop these stuff. It’s strange and somewhat disgusting to me that the humanitarian option in Haiti that continues to be promoted by all of these so called ‘humanitarian groups’, is to not do ‘everything’ within our power to stop this. -Matt

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US-UN Peace-keepers” bring Rwandan Police to Haiti

March 11, 2010

by Ann Garrison

In case anyone needed further evidence that President Paul Kagame’s Rwanda is the Pentagon’s proxy, 140 Rwandan police are about to undertake special training before heading to Haiti, as reported in the Rwanda New Times, because, according to Rwandan Police Chief Edmund Kayiranga, “Rwanda wants to be involved in promoting peace in other countries” and, if need be, they would send more peacekeepers to other countries.

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Haiti: Kidnappings And Sexual Assaults On The Rise, And How ‘Shock Doctrine’ Fear Mongering Is Hurting Haitians

Mar 27

Posted by Matt in Disaster Response, Haiti, Kidnap And Ransom | 1 Comment

   Thanks to Matt for sending me this.  My question on all of this, is where is the Main Stream Media? I mean they were all over Haiti when it was cool and made for great coverage. Disaster relief is a marathon, not a short race, and there are stories that are just not getting the coverage they need.  Like the thousands of prisoners that escaped, and the slow and steady increase of crime or assaults. By now, we should have had any deficiencies in security corrected–either with more UN or Haitian police, or with private security.  There is plenty of money for such things, and there is absolutely no excuse for not implementing effective security solutions for the Haiti.

   I also think that this stupid book on ‘disaster capitalism’  called Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein, is actually making things worse for the Haitians. Aid companies now think that contracting security or private industry is somehow a bad thing, and that paying for such things is ‘disaster capitalism’.

    Meanwhile, their employees on the ground are getting kidnapped or sexually assaulted, all because they are afraid that contracting security would offend their donors.  How totally irresponsible and pathetic is that? I also think it is irresponsible of those in the media who have promoted such things, because now you are helping the criminals of Haiti with your reportage. And what really kills me is that none of these aid organizations or main stream media groups get the label of disaster capitalists?

    To me, their entire existence depends upon disasters, and they certainly need them in order to get donations or viewership.  Make another dollar off the suffering of Haitians…. and you guys label my industry as disaster capitalists?  Pfffft.  At least my industry does something other than making media spectacles out of that suffering, or begging for money to support massive aid organizations.

   Below, I also posted the excellent commentary by the IPOA in regards to this ‘Shock Doctrine’ fear mongering that the Juice Box Commandos out there have been spewing. Bravo to JJ Messner and company for calling it the way they see it. The ideas of Naomi are contributing to more suffering in Haiti, and it needs to be put in check. Maybe I should start a Facebook page called ‘The Shock Doctrine Fear Mongering Club–Support Crime And Instability In Haiti!!’. -Matt

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UN: Kidnappers release Belgian taken in Haiti

By MIKE MELIA

Fri Mar 26, 2010

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Kidnappers have released a Belgian businessman who was grabbed as he drove through Haiti’s capital, a U.N. police official said Friday.

Philippe Van Reybrouck, a longtime Haiti resident, had been in captivity for about 24 hours and was freed in good condition Thursday after a ransom was paid, said Michel Martin, the Canadian chief of the U.N.’s criminal intelligence unit in Haiti.

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Industry Talk: Triple Canopy Donates And Delivers Humanitarian Aid To Haitian Earthquake Victims

Mar 18

Posted by Matt in Disaster Response, Haiti, Industry Talk | No Comments

   Outstanding and good on TC for giving to a worthy cause. It sounds like Diamondback Tactical and others have pitched in as well, and that is great when you see this kind of assistance.  Now if we can get some guards over there to protect the women and other innocents at these camps, then we can really do some good. -Matt

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Triple Canopy Donates and Delivers Humanitarian Aid to Haitian Earthquake Victims

Partners with GHESKIO HIV/AIDS Clinic for Timely Philanthropic Mission

March 17, 2010

Triple Canopy, Inc., a leading provider of integrated security and mission support services, announced today that it has donated supplies, transportation and personnel in an effort to provide shelter to thousands of homeless earthquake victims in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Triple Canopy is supporting the efforts of the Haitian Group for the Study of Kaposi’s Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections (GHESKIO) to deliver aid to homeless families camped on its compound. Triple Canopy was able to coordinate with staff from GHESKIO to determine what kind of aid would be the most helpful. Within two weeks of establishing contact, a chartered flight loaded with tents, flashlights, generators and other vital items landed in Port-au-Prince.

Founded in 1982, the GHESKIO Center was the first institution in the world dedicated to the fight against HIV/AIDS. In the aftermath of the earthquake, thousands of refugees migrated to the center and have been living there in makeshift shelters.

“Upon learning about the dire situation on the ground, Triple Canopy reached out to Dr. Bill Pape, director of GHESKIO, and ascertained the critical need for shelter prior to the onslaught of the rainy season,” said Triple Canopy CEO Ignacio Balderas. “For the past three weeks, hundreds of entire Haitian families designated by GHESKIO were able to move out of their makeshift hovels and move into waterproof tents erected by our personnel.”

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Haiti: Women, Girls Rape Victims In Haiti Quake Aftermath

Mar 17

Posted by Matt in Haiti, Industry Talk, Law Enforcement | 1 Comment

   Thanks to Matt for sending me this.  I find it disgusting that we are still talking about a lack of security in Haiti. Especially when there are plenty of security resources to call upon in the U.S. and world.  What are they doing with all the millions of dollars raised for the relief effort is my question? If there is a security need, then pay the money, and get some boots on the ground to do the job right.

   Oh, and here we see the U.N. is again failing at their basic task of protecting people.  If they can’t do the job, then they need to step aside and let a competent PSC/PMC do the job. Time is of the essence and if we cannot depend upon the U.N. to do the job, then it would make more sense to privatize the security.  At least until the police have been rejuvenated and all of those prisoners have been rounded up and captured.

   The other point to focus in on, is those thousands of escaped criminals along with the fact that hundreds of women have lost husbands/fathers/boyfriends to the quake, along with a damaged police force and infrastructure, has all created the perfect storm for this kind of crime to occur. Defenseless women with thousands of criminals roving the country, equals a rise in sex crimes. Nor can you lock up a tent or sleeping pad in a relief camp, to keep the bad guys out. Does anyone else see this as a serious problem?  Man oh mighty.

   Meanwhile, the media is crying about my industry wanting to get in there and provide those security services. I guess the media would prefer the world just stands by on the sidelines and let it happen. Or have all that money raised for the effort just sit in the banks so aid agencies can collect on the interest. Time is ticking away, and the women and people of Haiti need real security and not just talk. -Matt

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Women, girls rape victims in Haiti quake aftermath

By MICHELLE FAUL

Tue Mar 16, 2010

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – When the young woman needed to use the toilet, she went out into the darkened tent camp and was attacked by three men.

“They grabbed me, put their hands over my mouth and then the three of them took turns,” the slender 21-year-old said, wriggling with discomfort as she nursed her baby girl, born three days before Haiti’s devastating quake.

“I am so ashamed. We’re scared people will find out and shun us,” said the woman, who suffers from abdominal pain and itching, likely from an infection contracted during the attack.

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Industry Talk: Private Sector Eyes Opportunity In Haiti Rebuilding

Mar 10

Posted by Matt in Disaster Response, Haiti, Industry Talk | 4 Comments

   From what I can gather, the IPOA/GIS conference in Miami is going well.  I also want to emphasize that for you owners of small companies, who want to get involved with opportunities in Haiti, then these are the types of conferences you should be attending.  It is also advisable to go to the conference prepared, meaning you have the licenses and you have your company squared away to actually deliver on promises.  Do not be the schmuck that goes to one of these things, and is not prepared or hasn’t a clue on how to put action to words and get boots on the ground.  All eyes are on you, and if you screw up, it gives the entire industry a black eye.

   What will be cool, is if Doug can give an AAR on this conference, and provide some details that the readership might be interested in.  I think it is noteworthy that they only had three weeks or so to put this together, when normally these events take months to plan.  That to me only highlights the flexibility and speed of what the private industry is capable of if properly organized and mobilized.  I witnessed the same reaction of private industry during the Katrina Hurricanes back in 2005, and it is definitely a strength of the industry.  So the next step after this conference, is to see who goes where, and what they are doing. I will keep a watch on it, and see what pops up. -Matt

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Private Sector Eyes Opportunity in Haiti Rebuilding

By Pascal Fletcher

March 10, 2010

Rebuilding Haiti after its catastrophic earthquake should generate major contracts for private companies specializing in construction, logistics, transport and security, but U.S. executives say they need a clear reconstruction strategy to shape their business plans.

Private sector firms that focus on post-conflict or disaster relief operations gathered at a meeting in Miami this week to consider the business opportunities offered by Haiti’s recovery from the January 12 quake that devastated the capital Port-au-Prince and surrounding towns.

With Haiti’s government saying up to 300,000 people may have died, some economists are calling the Haitian quake the deadliest natural disaster in modern times. Relief experts and business leaders agree the mammoth task of rebuilding what was already the Western Hemisphere’s poorest state will be impossible without private sector participation.

“I don’t think they have any option but to get private companies in to help reconstruct Haiti,” Kevin Lumb, CEO of London-based Global Investment Summits Ltd, which organized the Haiti Reconstruction meeting in Miami, told Reuters.

“I think it opens up a great deal of business opportunities. Most of their infrastructure is destroyed, their roads, communications, buildings, it’s obviously affected water supply, electricity, so that all needs rebuilding,” Lumb said.

The Miami summit was also organized by the International Peace Operations Association, a trade group of companies working in conflict, post-conflict and disaster zones.

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Haiti: Security Update–What About All Those Thousands Of Escaped Prisoners?

Mar 3

Posted by Matt in Chile, Disaster Response, Haiti | 5 Comments

   So this is what I found out after a little bit of hunting for stories.  I wanted to know what the impact of all of those escaped prisoners in Haiti had, and from what I have found out, it ain’t pretty.  These guys are trying to organize gangs in the slums, they are raping women in the relief camps, they are getting back to the business of selling drugs and organizing, and the Haitian police and security forces are still overwhelmed.

   Worse yet, the UN is doing a terrible job of coordinating the relief and security efforts, and all those US and International military teams are leaving in the near future. These criminals are still loose and just counting the days until the good guys leave so they can really ‘go to town’ with their criminal ventures.  The Haitian authorities have tried to get the local populations to turn in these criminals, but because there are so many, it is still a huge issue. Even the Dominican Republic is getting worried about all these folks, and beefing up security efforts to stop them at the borders.

   My thoughts on the whole deal is that private security coupled with the local national security they will hire, could totally help in securing the populations as these military units leave.  They can also help buy some time as law enforcement continues the hunt for these criminals.  And we are not talking about a couple criminals here and there. We are talking about 5,000 to 7,000 escaped criminals, with a good percentage who are violent criminals.  These guys are free, and they will do all they can to take advantage of a country that is in disarray.  And guess what, they are!

   Here is another issue that really irks me.  These reporters who keep ignoring these facts, and continue to slam my industry as being disaster capitalists, are only helping out these criminals.  I have a news flash for you folks, criminals like the idea of ‘less security’ and not ‘more security’.   They also like ‘unorganized security’, as opposed to ‘organized security’.  My industry will provide that organized security, because that is what we do for a profession.  There is nothing dishonorable or unethical about what we do, and in my view that service has value. If these folks don’t want to recognize that value, then they will continue to see a population at risk in Haiti. There will continue to be more rapes, more murders, and more gang/drug related problems during the rebuild of that country.

   My industry is also more adept at working with local national security and getting the job done based on the contract than the UN.  I would suggest that companies like ITG/Steele Foundation, could do a better job of organizing the security effort there than the UN, any day.  Just look at what the UN has done in places like the Congo, and tell me they are the best organization for the job in Haiti? Or better yet, how do you fire the UN if they do a poor job in Haiti?  At least with private industry, you can actually fire poor performing companies.

   One more thing.  It looks like escaped prisoners are one of the main culprits of looting and crime after that earthquake in Chile.  Anyone else seeing a pattern here?  After these quakes, disaster response should include security forces tasked specifically to contain the prisons and recapture these criminals.  Especially if the criminals are violent and criminally insane (which is the case with Haiti).  They are a threat to crippled society and to the relief effort, and to not respond to that during the initial attack and extended attack is pure negligence in my opinion.  We must call upon every resource we can to stop that, to include using private industry, and to not do that is just stupid and irresponsible in my book. But don’t take my word for it, just read all the reports that I have collected for your reading pleasure below. -Matt

P.S. – I posted five stories below, if you are interested in reading the entire update.

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U.N. Is Faulted as Lacking Coordination of Aid and Security in Haiti

By NEIL MacFARQUHAR

March 2, 2010

UNITED NATIONS — Humanitarian efforts by the United Nations in Haiti have lacked sufficient coordination with local organizations in delivering aid and establishing security, according to an independent assessment released on Tuesday.

One consequence was a surge in the sexual abuse of women and girls living in camps for the displaced, with some young girls trading sex for shelter, said Emilie Parry, an aid consultant who helped write the evaluation of the United Nations’ effort for Refugees International, a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of refugees.

“Women reported to us that there has been a lot of violence and sexual abuse at nighttime,” Ms. Parry said, noting that there is no system of nighttime patrols in the makeshift camps where many displaced people have been living.

“By all accounts, the leadership of the humanitarian country team is ineffectual,” said the report, based on 10 days of evaluations in February. The report, titled “Haiti: From the Ground Up,” also acknowledged that the scale of the disaster made the response a singular challenge.

Closer work with Haitian organizations, as well as better knowledge about conditions, would also enhance the ability of local groups to deal with problems long after the international groups left, Ms. Parry said.

The report suggests a number of ways to improve the delivery of aid, including allowing more participation by Haitian organizations whose leaders are now living among as many as several million displaced earthquake victims.

While the United Nations does not actively discriminate against such groups, it effectively bars them through a lack of advertising and the system of passes that are needed to attend meetings, Ms. Parry said. Appointing liaison officers dedicated to such groups would help, the report suggests.

It also recommended that the United Nations appoint one person responsible for leading the team distributing humanitarian aid in the country, rather than have the responsibility be among many tasks taken on by senior management.

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Haiti: Private Industry To The Rescue!

Feb 19

Posted by Matt in Disaster Response, Haiti | 9 Comments

“If Scahill and Klein have the resources, the capabilities, the equipment, to go in and do it themselves then more power to them.” -Doug Brooks, IPOA 

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     Your damn right, and good on Doug for calling it like it is. I read through these two articles below, thinking that the authors were actually going to present a convincing argument that what the IPOA and private industry is doing is a bad thing. In fact, I read through both of these articles and thought, ‘ private industry to the rescue’!  So thanks to Anthony Fenton and Jeremy Gantz for actually writing two articles that were inspirational to me, and did the exact opposite of what they intended to do. Critics are funny that way.

   I will explain.  You see all of these critics of the industry continue to complain that private industry is actually doing something about the rebuilding of Haiti.  At face value, that is just ridiculous. Who are they to say that the IPOA or GIS can’t help? Can they help if they are wearing a Che Guevera t-shirt?  Can they only help if they donate their entire savings to the Haitian government, and live on the streets of Vancouver BC begging for money for the rest of their lives?

    To me, the critics have actually taken a pretty immoral stance in my opinion.  If I am the public and reading this stuff, I am thinking ‘where the hell is the money supposed to go anyways’ and ‘who cares if private industry wants to help’?  The public wants action, and they want to make sure that Haiti is getting a good value for the dollar. The donations are supposed to be used for rebuilding and helping Haiti, not for paying aid agency salaries or for aid agency ad campaigns so they can make even more money.  Put that money to work, and lets get going on the rebuild.

   Also, all of these IPOA companies are specialists in rebuilding in the worst kind of disaster zones.  Namely, war.  They provide the specialists, and they also hire local Haitians, and get projects built.  Private industry will be helping government, but they will also be helping other private groups.  Who are the critics to say that private industry cannot participate in that process?  This is how the real world works, and I just shake my head every time I read this stuff.

   Klein is classic though.  The biggest disaster capitalists on this planet, are the media and aid agencies, and yet private industry is the bad guy here?  Pfffft. If anything, Klein lacks the courage to criticize the media or aid agencies, partly because most of her cheerleaders come from those two groups. Not to mention that the media and aid agencies both depend upon my industry to go on their little disaster crusades around the world.

    Naomi is also living in a fairy tale if she thinks that private industry can’t help, or that their ‘cookie cutter’ responses in Iraq or Afghanistan are not helpful to Haiti.  I am still trying to figure out what she means by cookie cutter response, because I have yet to see anything of the sort from any of the companies over in Iraq or Afghanistan.  Actually, they all do things quite differently and approach problems based on their personal experience and capability.  Most are pretty innovative and can certainly get things done.  They have to, if they want to survive in a war zone and be competitive in this market.

   Any way, I wanted to give kudos to the IPOA and GIS for putting the critics in their place, and for all the hard work they have done.  I also want to thank these two journalists for providing examples of what happens when criticism backfires. Especially when they are trying to attack those that are taking action to help Haiti. -Matt

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HAITI:Private Contractors ‘Like Vultures Coming to Grab the Loot’ 

Anthony Fenton

VANCOUVER, Canada, Feb 19 (IPS) – Critics are concerned that private military contractors are positioning themselves at the centre of an emerging “shock doctrine” for earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

Next month, a prominent umbrella organisation for private military and logistic corporations, the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA), is co-organising a “Haiti summit” which aims to bring together “leading officials” for “private consultations with attending contractors and investors” in Miami, Florida.

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Industry Talk: IPOA/GIS Conference On Haiti– Resources For Reconstruction And Humanitarian Assistance

Feb 19

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, Haiti, Industry Talk | No Comments

   A couple things on this particular conference.  It sounds like past conferences have been extremely successful in matching private industry with the various government needs of countries around the world. Their last conference was on Afghanistan, and it was so successful that they have decided to do more of them.  And usually these things take a little time to put together, but because Haiti just popped up on the scene, they have decided to put together a special conference just for that disaster.

   They are also donating the proceeds made at the conference to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, and that is awesome.  Bravo guys and I hope the conference is a success.  I know Haiti needs action and not just words, and when the dust settles and all of the media and celebrities have packed up and gone home, there will still be a Haiti that needs to rebuild.  And because most of the companies that the IPOA deals with, have extensive experience in rebuilding in that other disaster called ‘war’, I think Haiti will be well served. Haiti also has all the power right now.  They can pick and choose what they want, and they can fire who they don’t want helping them.  The big one here is that they have some operating capital, thanks to all the donations world wide, and they will have plenty of assistance on how to properly spend that money to get the most bang for the buck.

    Private industry will answer the call, and the IPOA and GIS will be an excellent catalyst for that process. -Matt

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 HAITI titlebarIndustry Talk: IPOA/GIS Conference On Haiti Resources For Reconstruction And Humanitarian Assistance

 

Global Investment Summits

The United Nations has labelled the devastating January 2010 Haiti earthquake and its aftermath as one of the world’s ‘worst humanitarian crises in decades’.

International organisations, aid agencies and governments mobilised a massive emergency relief effort in its aftermath, bringing immediate assistance to millions of victims. The critical emergency relief phase now remains to be followed by a second phase of recovery and rebuilding, the outcomes of which will be essential to assuring the long-term infrastructural and economic rehabilitation of the country and the wellbeing of millions of Haitians. World leaders and international bodies have envisioned the need for a minimum 10-year reconstruction period. The UN and other organisations such as the World Bank will carry out post-disaster needs assessments to gauge the extent of the damage and needs in all fields in the following weeks.

The private sector will play a pivotal role in long term reconstruction projects in Haiti. The significance of including the private sector in reconstruction operations has been acknowledged by the Reconstruction Principles set out at the recent international summit on Haiti in Montreal, Canada. The private sector is undoubtedly essential to ensure that maximum amounts of aid can be delivered and distributed and that reconstruction projects operate successfully and beneficially.

This not-for-profit event constitutes a partnership between Global Investment Summits and the IPOA. Jointly, we plan to bring relevant international organisations and aid agencies together with key players from the private sector. The discussion and meeting-oriented format of the summit will allow the parties involved to begin addressing the vast efforts required to reconstruct Haitian infrastructure and rehabilitate the country’s economy and society. Most significantly, all profits from the event will be donated to leading Haitian relief funds.

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Haiti: Food Convoy Attacked; U.N. Warns Of Volatility

Feb 2

Posted by Matt in Disaster Response, Government Work, Haiti | 3 Comments

   Folks are just going to get more angry and frustrated as this continues, and that is expected.  But to me, this looks more like an outcome of individuals taking advantage of a weakened state.  They could be part of the crew that escaped from the prison during the quake, and no doubt they will do what they can to take advantage.

   In other news, there is a new weapons policy for government guys heading to Haiti for work.  Check it out here. -Matt

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Haiti food convoy attacked; UN warns of volatility

By PAISLEY DODDS, Associated Press Writer Paisley Dodds,

February 2, 2010

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Twenty armed men blocked a road and tried to hijack a convoy of food for earthquake victims, but were driven off by police gunfire, U.N. officials said Tuesday.

The attack on the convoy as it carried supplies from an airport in the southern town of Jeremie underscored what the United Nations calls a “potentially volatile” security situation as frustration has grown at the slow pace of aid since the Jan. 12 earthquake.

Most quake victims are still living outside in squalid tents of sheets and sticks and aid officials acknowedge they have not yet gotten food to the majority of those in need. Mobs have stolen food and looted goods from their neighbors in the camps, prompting many to band together or stay awake at night to prevent raids.

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Haiti: The Growth Of Aid And The Decline Of Humanitarianism, From The Lancet

Jan 24

Posted by Matt in Africa, Disaster Response, Haiti, Industry Talk | 1 Comment

   Boy, this is a big slam on aid organizations.  Bravo to the Lancet for having the courage to point this out, and especially during this time with the Haiti earthquake.  I am sure they will get all sorts of hate mail.  The truth hurts though, and these aid groups do the same things in places like Africa or war zones.

   So why is this on Feral Jundi?  Part of the reason is that there is no regulatory apparatus in place to keep these aid organizations in check. Where is the scrutiny, and why do we give them a free pass?  My industry is constantly getting the label as disaster capitalists, yet you never hear that kind of language used to describe aid organizations.

   And when it comes to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, security is pretty damn important. You can’t be happy or live in peace, when rebels or criminals are actively trying to kill you and your family for whatever reason.  You can’t eat, if rebels and criminals are stealing your food or destroying your farm lands.  It takes security forces to step up and be that sheep dog, in order for others to be able to eat and live in peace.  Yet my industry continues to get this treatment as if we are less than, or not needed. Pffffft. We put our life on the line to protect others, and that is our value in the world of disasters and wars. And to me, we are worth every penny spent.

   Finally, what really kills me about these aid organizations, is that they will scream until they are blue in the face on how immoral or unethical security contractors are, and yet they will contract the services of our industry so they can do their thing in countries like Africa, or in wars like Iraq and Afghanistan. Pure hypocrisy, and when you couple that, with this article written below, you start to realize that this is an industry that needs some attention. -Matt

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Haiti aid agency accused of rivalry tactics

By Andrew Jack in New York and David Blair and Benedict Mander in Port-au-Prince

The Financial Times

January 22 2010

A prominent British medical journal, The Lancet, has accused aid agencies operating in earthquake-ravaged Haiti of using “unsavoury” corporate tactics as they compete with each other to attract funding during a chaotic relief effort.

More than 500 relief agencies are operating in Haiti and the skies are filled with aircraft ferrying supplies to Port-au-Prince.

With 150 arrivals at the airport every day, immense quantities of material are piling up in hangars or on the taxi-ways.

But while flying supplies in to the stricken city has become relatively easy, getting them out to people is more challenging, a week and a half after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that killed an estimated 75,000 people.

In an editorial published on its website on Friday, The Lancet said the situation in Haiti remained “chaotic, devastating and anything but co-ordinated”. It accused agencies of “jostling for position” and needless competition for funds.

“Polluted by the internal power politics and the unsavoury characteristics seen in many big corporations, large aid agencies can be obsessed with raising money through their own appeal efforts,” The Lancet wrote.

One logistics specialist handling airport arrivals for Haiti said: “You should see the circus that has come to town.”

Aid workers in Haiti deny any suggestion of rivalry. “To say that there is something of a bad feeling among us is totally false – period,” said Louis Belanger, a spokesman for Oxfam. “This is a massive disaster and it takes time.”

Meanwhile, an 84-year-old woman was pulled alive by rescuers from under a wrecked building in Port-au-Prince yesterday, 10 days after the earthquake struck.

Story here.

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Growth of aid and the decline of humanitarianism

The Lancet

Picture the situation in Haiti: families living on top of sewage-contaminated rubbish dumps, with no reliable sources of food and water and virtually no access to health care. This scenario depicts the situation in Haiti before the earthquake that catapulted this impoverished and conflict-ridden country into the international headlines. Now the latest target of humanitarian relief, international organisations, national governments, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are rightly mobilising, but also jostling for position, each claiming that they are doing the most for earthquake survivors. Some agencies even claim that they are “spearheading” the relief effort. In fact, as we only too clearly see, the situation in Haiti is chaotic, devastating, and anything but coordinated.

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