Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Haiti Cholera Outbreak 'Came from UN Camp'
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/12/07-11
Published on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 by Agence France-Presse
Haiti Cholera Outbreak 'Came from UN Camp'
PARIS - The cholera outbreak ravaging Haiti began at a camp for UN peacekeepers from Nepal, according to an expert report submitted to the French foreign ministry, a source close to the matter told AFP on Tuesday.
Haiti cholera outbreak 'came from UN camp'. (AFP)Respected French epidemiologist Professor Renaud Piarroux conducted a study in Haiti last month and concluded the epidemic began with an imported strain of the disease that could be traced back to the Nepalese base, the official said.
"The source of the infection came from the Nepalese camp," the source told AFP, speaking on condition on anonymity as he was not authorised to discuss a report that has not yet been made public.
"The starting point has been very precisely localised," he said, pointing to the UN base at Mirebalais on the Artibonite river in central Haiti.
"There is no other possible explanation given that there was no cholera in the country, and taking into account the intensity and the speed of the spread and the concentration of bacteria in the Artibonite delta," he said.
"The most logical explanation is the massive introduction of faecal matter into the Artibonite river on a single occasion," the source added.
The United Nations, which has faced violent protests in Haiti over its alleged role in an outbreak that has already killed 2,000 people and made 90,000 sick, insists there is no evidence that its troops were to blame.
Foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero did not reveal the conclusion of the report, but confirmed the foreign ministry had received a copy and said it had been passed on to the United Nations for investigation.
"From the outbreak of the epidemic, France sent to Haiti at the request of the Haitian health ministry one of its best cholera specialists, Professor Piarroux, a head of department in Marseille's public hospitals," he said.
Cholera has added to the woes of the impoverished Caribbean nation, which was devastated by a massive earthquake in January that killed a quarter of a million people and left 1.3 million living in ramshackle refugee camps.
Piarroux discussed his report in an interview with AFP last month. He did not directly blame the Nepalese, but said the cholera was from abroad.
"It started in the centre of the country, not by the sea, nor in the refugee camps. The epidemic can't be of local origin. That's to say, it was imported," he said, shortly after his return from Haiti.
Haitian officials say the first cases of cholera, a waterborne illness, broke out on the banks of the Artibonite river, downstream of the UN base.
Last month, Edmond Mulet, head of the United Nations mission in Haiti, said no UN soldier, police officer nor civilian official had tested positive for cholera, and he defended the Nepalese, who have been the target of protests.
All samples taken from the latrines, kitchens and water supply at the suspect Nepalese camp have proved negative, Mulet said.
"There is no scientific evidence that the camp at Mirebalais is the source of this epidemic," he said, complaining of "a lot of disinformation, a lot of rumours around this situation."
But Piarroux -- who works at the University of the Mediterranean in Marseille -- told AFP that the outbreak was not linked to the earthquake devastation, and could not have come from a Haitian environmental source.
"The epidemic exploded in an extremely violent way on October 19, with several thousand cases and several hundreds deaths after many people drank the water of the Artibonite delta," he said.
The professor said the world had not seen cholera spread so quickly since an outbreak in Goma, in eastern Congo, in 1994. "We've had more than 70,000 cases, and we could easily see them hit 200,000," he warned.
Cholera is caused by bacteria spread in contaminated water or food, often through faeces. If untreated, it can kill within a day through dehydration, with the old and the young the most vulnerable.
© 2010 Agence France-Presse E-mail Print Share Close Twitter StumbleUpon Facebook Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo TechnoratiDiscuss
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vaialdiavolo December 7th, 2010 5:53 pm
How is it that faeces made it into the Artibonite River? Why is it that, apparently, no one bothered to consider the Haitian people who need water would be drinking from this river?
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Progressive101 December 7th, 2010 9:03 pm
And Fox as well as other networks made the Haitians out to be crazy for believing the cholera came from UN peacekeepers. M$M was more focused on the rioting than the cholera.
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echoes December 7th, 2010 9:37 pm
why was the us congress waiting till after the elections to distribute the aid money? They could have made water treatment plant in 11 months with the bilion aid pomised and housing too.
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clearbluesky December 8th, 2010 3:40 am
And why did they think no one would notice or even care? This might be a clue, it happens all the time and no one bothers to ask questions. There is a vaccine for cholera and treatment that is relatively inexpensive if administered early. This is a tragedy.
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Lucitanian December 8th, 2010 8:04 am
Haiti – The international community which is a sophisticated name for a bunch of major “western” governments with central banks all controlled by the same elite are using Haiti as their lab rat for experiments in extreme disaster capitalism. They need to make sure that they can stay in charge, and get even richer and more powerful, when they bring the rest of the world’s population down to the same level as Haiti today.
Assets will be repossessed and then they can start lending again to revalue the same stolen assets and so once again doubling or tripling their wealth by slight of hand and usury.
Their lab rat status is the price the Haitians must pay for having revolting against slavery those many years ago, something that we have not the courage to do. But in a way they might see it in a more positive light if they just realise that they have been given a jump start on us by having an early chance to learn to survive on virtually nothing and with everything and all the powers stacked against them.
Be prepared and mark my word. Where Haiti is today, the bankers and your government is sending you tomorrow.
If you think it is not a conspiracy,just have a listen to:
Sen Bernie Sanders Amazing Speech!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5OtB298fHY&feature=player_embedded#!
Login or register to post comments report this comment
jclientelle December 8th, 2010 1:45 pm
Clearly UN peacekeepers in this case are gunslingers who are not trained to understand nor to respect the plight and conditions of the people against whom they are enforcing the peace. Obviously they had little orientation and training in public health during a natural disaster. They imposed a man-made disaster on top of the destruction caused by the earthquake. There is little pretense that they are there to help with the real killers such as homelessness and lack of food and clean water, or the real robbers such as garment industry and agribusiness.
I will say again - the best chance for countries such as Haiti is for the big "Western" institutions, and our IMFs and our World Bank and our corporations and military to stay far away. We overthrow the better leaders and then suppress the people. We rob their land, disrupt their farming and set up dependence on unreliable charity. Given half a chance Haitians will solve their own problems.
If you want to help Haiti, try giving to non-interfering groups like Doctors Without Borders.
Published on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 by Agence France-Presse
Haiti Cholera Outbreak 'Came from UN Camp'
PARIS - The cholera outbreak ravaging Haiti began at a camp for UN peacekeepers from Nepal, according to an expert report submitted to the French foreign ministry, a source close to the matter told AFP on Tuesday.
Haiti cholera outbreak 'came from UN camp'. (AFP)Respected French epidemiologist Professor Renaud Piarroux conducted a study in Haiti last month and concluded the epidemic began with an imported strain of the disease that could be traced back to the Nepalese base, the official said.
"The source of the infection came from the Nepalese camp," the source told AFP, speaking on condition on anonymity as he was not authorised to discuss a report that has not yet been made public.
"The starting point has been very precisely localised," he said, pointing to the UN base at Mirebalais on the Artibonite river in central Haiti.
"There is no other possible explanation given that there was no cholera in the country, and taking into account the intensity and the speed of the spread and the concentration of bacteria in the Artibonite delta," he said.
"The most logical explanation is the massive introduction of faecal matter into the Artibonite river on a single occasion," the source added.
The United Nations, which has faced violent protests in Haiti over its alleged role in an outbreak that has already killed 2,000 people and made 90,000 sick, insists there is no evidence that its troops were to blame.
Foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero did not reveal the conclusion of the report, but confirmed the foreign ministry had received a copy and said it had been passed on to the United Nations for investigation.
"From the outbreak of the epidemic, France sent to Haiti at the request of the Haitian health ministry one of its best cholera specialists, Professor Piarroux, a head of department in Marseille's public hospitals," he said.
Cholera has added to the woes of the impoverished Caribbean nation, which was devastated by a massive earthquake in January that killed a quarter of a million people and left 1.3 million living in ramshackle refugee camps.
Piarroux discussed his report in an interview with AFP last month. He did not directly blame the Nepalese, but said the cholera was from abroad.
"It started in the centre of the country, not by the sea, nor in the refugee camps. The epidemic can't be of local origin. That's to say, it was imported," he said, shortly after his return from Haiti.
Haitian officials say the first cases of cholera, a waterborne illness, broke out on the banks of the Artibonite river, downstream of the UN base.
Last month, Edmond Mulet, head of the United Nations mission in Haiti, said no UN soldier, police officer nor civilian official had tested positive for cholera, and he defended the Nepalese, who have been the target of protests.
All samples taken from the latrines, kitchens and water supply at the suspect Nepalese camp have proved negative, Mulet said.
"There is no scientific evidence that the camp at Mirebalais is the source of this epidemic," he said, complaining of "a lot of disinformation, a lot of rumours around this situation."
But Piarroux -- who works at the University of the Mediterranean in Marseille -- told AFP that the outbreak was not linked to the earthquake devastation, and could not have come from a Haitian environmental source.
"The epidemic exploded in an extremely violent way on October 19, with several thousand cases and several hundreds deaths after many people drank the water of the Artibonite delta," he said.
The professor said the world had not seen cholera spread so quickly since an outbreak in Goma, in eastern Congo, in 1994. "We've had more than 70,000 cases, and we could easily see them hit 200,000," he warned.
Cholera is caused by bacteria spread in contaminated water or food, often through faeces. If untreated, it can kill within a day through dehydration, with the old and the young the most vulnerable.
© 2010 Agence France-Presse E-mail Print Share Close Twitter StumbleUpon Facebook Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo TechnoratiDiscuss
Posted in Haiti,
6 Comments so farHide All
Comment viewing options
Flat list - collapsedFlat list - expandedThreaded list - collapsedThreaded list - expanded Date - newest firstDate - oldest first 10 comments per page30 comments per page50 comments per page70 comments per page90 comments per page150 comments per page200 comments per page250 comments per page300 comments per page
vaialdiavolo December 7th, 2010 5:53 pm
How is it that faeces made it into the Artibonite River? Why is it that, apparently, no one bothered to consider the Haitian people who need water would be drinking from this river?
Login or register to post comments report this comment
Progressive101 December 7th, 2010 9:03 pm
And Fox as well as other networks made the Haitians out to be crazy for believing the cholera came from UN peacekeepers. M$M was more focused on the rioting than the cholera.
Login or register to post comments report this comment
echoes December 7th, 2010 9:37 pm
why was the us congress waiting till after the elections to distribute the aid money? They could have made water treatment plant in 11 months with the bilion aid pomised and housing too.
Login or register to post comments report this comment
clearbluesky December 8th, 2010 3:40 am
And why did they think no one would notice or even care? This might be a clue, it happens all the time and no one bothers to ask questions. There is a vaccine for cholera and treatment that is relatively inexpensive if administered early. This is a tragedy.
Login or register to post comments report this comment
Lucitanian December 8th, 2010 8:04 am
Haiti – The international community which is a sophisticated name for a bunch of major “western” governments with central banks all controlled by the same elite are using Haiti as their lab rat for experiments in extreme disaster capitalism. They need to make sure that they can stay in charge, and get even richer and more powerful, when they bring the rest of the world’s population down to the same level as Haiti today.
Assets will be repossessed and then they can start lending again to revalue the same stolen assets and so once again doubling or tripling their wealth by slight of hand and usury.
Their lab rat status is the price the Haitians must pay for having revolting against slavery those many years ago, something that we have not the courage to do. But in a way they might see it in a more positive light if they just realise that they have been given a jump start on us by having an early chance to learn to survive on virtually nothing and with everything and all the powers stacked against them.
Be prepared and mark my word. Where Haiti is today, the bankers and your government is sending you tomorrow.
If you think it is not a conspiracy,just have a listen to:
Sen Bernie Sanders Amazing Speech!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5OtB298fHY&feature=player_embedded#!
Login or register to post comments report this comment
jclientelle December 8th, 2010 1:45 pm
Clearly UN peacekeepers in this case are gunslingers who are not trained to understand nor to respect the plight and conditions of the people against whom they are enforcing the peace. Obviously they had little orientation and training in public health during a natural disaster. They imposed a man-made disaster on top of the destruction caused by the earthquake. There is little pretense that they are there to help with the real killers such as homelessness and lack of food and clean water, or the real robbers such as garment industry and agribusiness.
I will say again - the best chance for countries such as Haiti is for the big "Western" institutions, and our IMFs and our World Bank and our corporations and military to stay far away. We overthrow the better leaders and then suppress the people. We rob their land, disrupt their farming and set up dependence on unreliable charity. Given half a chance Haitians will solve their own problems.
If you want to help Haiti, try giving to non-interfering groups like Doctors Without Borders.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
The future of the world in Haiti
The future of the world in Haiti
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
By Melanie Newton
http://www.news.utoronto.ca/commentary/the-future-of-the-world-in-haiti.html
Many who have followed Haiti's recent political history have a strong sense that the aftershocks of the Haitian earthquake will not be felt in Haiti alone. What happens now in Haiti is a question of world historical signifi cance.
This is not the fi rst time that events in Haiti have served as harbingers for the world's collective future. An anti-slavery and anti-colonial revolution of 1791-1804 created the independent state of Haiti as only the second independent country in the Americas. In giving birth to Haiti, the revolution transformed the sociopolitical landscape of the 19th-century Atlantic world, unleashing forces that would ultimately lead to the collapse of Atlantic slavery. In a repeat of history, the 2010 earthquake has the potential to transform politics in our own times, either for better, or -- if we fail to take the time to reflect deeply on the full meaning of what has happened -- for worse. Together with Haitians, we must all confront the daunting but inevitable question: how do we imagine the future in the face of a catastrophe of this scale?
On Jan. 25 representatives from several national governments, aid agencies and international donors will meet in Montreal to discuss the issue of the reconstruction of Haiti. It is crucial that such bodies, including the government of Canada, acknowledge some of their responsibility for contributing to the recent human catastrophe. The international community needs to base its contribution to reconstruction efforts on respect for Haiti's government and people, rather than the criminalization and unforgivable ignorance that has undergirded foreign engagements with Haiti since the revolution.
Over the years, western destabilization of Haiti has been fostered by a deep culture of racist paternalism. This is evidence of the failure of countries such as the United States, France and, yes, Canada, to come to terms fully with the legacies of their own support for the slavery that the Haitian Revolution so boldly rejected. Engagement with Haiti must be based on a recognition that Haitians do, in fact, know better than we do what is best for the country.
One of the most destabilizing aspects of Haiti's political history has been the use of aid and loans by powerful external donors in order to call the political shots, control Haiti's economy and facilitate the exploitation of its people. In the midst of this crisis, rather than repeatedly treating the Haitian government like a child who cannot be trusted with money, Canada should spearhead a new kind of engagement with Haiti's government based on respect, transparency and a genuine, non-partisan effort to build up the Haitian government's ability to provide services to its people. Foreign governments have repeatedly used the excuse that the Haitian government is too corrupt to be trusted with these funds. At the same time, these self-interested international actors have failed to reflect on their own role in manipulating such a climate of corruption.
The kleptocratic tendencies of Haiti's government were not a serious enough concern to stop billions of dollars being funnelled to Haiti's horrifically violent Duvalier dictatorship from 1957 to the 1980s so long as the Duvaliers remained a bulwark against the possibility of so called "communist" infi ltration of Haiti. Only when it became clear in the 1980s that the dictator had become a force destabilizing the country and damaging foreign interests there did the aid tap begin to dry up.
The first United States occupation of Haiti from 1915 to 1934 laid part of the groundwork for the current disaster. In an effort to facilitate imperial political and foreign economic exploitation of rural areas, the Americans largely rebuilt the infrastructure of Haiti using the forced labour of Haitians. Ever since then the countryside has hemorrhaged people by the millions, creating most of the massive urban slums that dominate Port-au-Prince.
The political and economic infrastructure left behind by the Americans after 1934 was the primary means through which the r?ɬ�gime of Fran?ɬ�ois Duvalier, which came to power in 1957, was able to establish a degree of violent authoritarian control over Haiti previously impossible for any Haitian government. Under Duvalier the national infrastructure deteriorated and an environmental catastrophe caused by astounding impoverishment accelerated. This centralization of anti-democratic power is a fundamental reason why it has been so hard to transform the political landscape of Haiti and why it has been so diffi cult since the earthquake to bring aid to many devastated areas.
While the reconstruction of Port-au-Prince is crucial, foreign governments must prioritize working in a non-partisan fashion with Haiti's vast network of democratic and popular organizations to revitalize the rural agricultural economy and empower democratic structures and economic life across Haiti. This is a demand long articulated by environmentalists, intellectuals and pro-democracy activists in Haiti, and long ignored both by the Haitian government in Port-au-Prince and by the international community.
Such a reconstruction effort rooted in Haiti's own pro-democracy movements must also be accompanied by the recognition that there are no military solutions to Haiti's crisis. In common with other countries across the Americas that were born out of anti-colonial revolution, Haiti has struggled throughout its history with the challenge of removing the military from civilian government. Repeated foreign interventions have only served to destabilize Haiti and undermine the process of democratic reform. Neither the UN nor individual western countries has ever truly given civilian government in Haiti the support that it requires. The current U.S. and Canadian policy of militarizing Haiti, rather than focusing on public lines of communication with and support for the democratically elected civilian government of Ren?ɬ� Pr?ɬ�val, is a disturbing return to bad habits.
Last, and most important, reconstruction efforts must aim at eliminating Haiti's terrible reality of la mis?ɬ�re, the Haitian Kr?ɬ�yol word for the abject poverty that dominates the lives of most Haitians. As long as Haiti remains one of the world's most socio-economically unequal countries, reconstruction efforts in Haiti are likely to re-create the structures exacerbating the current catastrophe. This is not the time to use Haiti as a testing ground for neo-liberal economic policies or to tie the hands of the Haitian government with debt as it tries to rebuild. This would be a recipe for social, political and economic disaster.
For all of these reasons, the future of Haiti is an issue of basic human justice, not just humanitarian concern. Together with Haitians, we all have a chance to imagine a different and more democratic future. Nothing that Haitians demand of their government or the world is particularly utopian -- these are the basic elements of meaningful democratic government and active citizenship.
Melanie Newton is an associate professor of history.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
By Melanie Newton
http://www.news.utoronto.ca/commentary/the-future-of-the-world-in-haiti.html
Many who have followed Haiti's recent political history have a strong sense that the aftershocks of the Haitian earthquake will not be felt in Haiti alone. What happens now in Haiti is a question of world historical signifi cance.
This is not the fi rst time that events in Haiti have served as harbingers for the world's collective future. An anti-slavery and anti-colonial revolution of 1791-1804 created the independent state of Haiti as only the second independent country in the Americas. In giving birth to Haiti, the revolution transformed the sociopolitical landscape of the 19th-century Atlantic world, unleashing forces that would ultimately lead to the collapse of Atlantic slavery. In a repeat of history, the 2010 earthquake has the potential to transform politics in our own times, either for better, or -- if we fail to take the time to reflect deeply on the full meaning of what has happened -- for worse. Together with Haitians, we must all confront the daunting but inevitable question: how do we imagine the future in the face of a catastrophe of this scale?
On Jan. 25 representatives from several national governments, aid agencies and international donors will meet in Montreal to discuss the issue of the reconstruction of Haiti. It is crucial that such bodies, including the government of Canada, acknowledge some of their responsibility for contributing to the recent human catastrophe. The international community needs to base its contribution to reconstruction efforts on respect for Haiti's government and people, rather than the criminalization and unforgivable ignorance that has undergirded foreign engagements with Haiti since the revolution.
Over the years, western destabilization of Haiti has been fostered by a deep culture of racist paternalism. This is evidence of the failure of countries such as the United States, France and, yes, Canada, to come to terms fully with the legacies of their own support for the slavery that the Haitian Revolution so boldly rejected. Engagement with Haiti must be based on a recognition that Haitians do, in fact, know better than we do what is best for the country.
One of the most destabilizing aspects of Haiti's political history has been the use of aid and loans by powerful external donors in order to call the political shots, control Haiti's economy and facilitate the exploitation of its people. In the midst of this crisis, rather than repeatedly treating the Haitian government like a child who cannot be trusted with money, Canada should spearhead a new kind of engagement with Haiti's government based on respect, transparency and a genuine, non-partisan effort to build up the Haitian government's ability to provide services to its people. Foreign governments have repeatedly used the excuse that the Haitian government is too corrupt to be trusted with these funds. At the same time, these self-interested international actors have failed to reflect on their own role in manipulating such a climate of corruption.
The kleptocratic tendencies of Haiti's government were not a serious enough concern to stop billions of dollars being funnelled to Haiti's horrifically violent Duvalier dictatorship from 1957 to the 1980s so long as the Duvaliers remained a bulwark against the possibility of so called "communist" infi ltration of Haiti. Only when it became clear in the 1980s that the dictator had become a force destabilizing the country and damaging foreign interests there did the aid tap begin to dry up.
The first United States occupation of Haiti from 1915 to 1934 laid part of the groundwork for the current disaster. In an effort to facilitate imperial political and foreign economic exploitation of rural areas, the Americans largely rebuilt the infrastructure of Haiti using the forced labour of Haitians. Ever since then the countryside has hemorrhaged people by the millions, creating most of the massive urban slums that dominate Port-au-Prince.
The political and economic infrastructure left behind by the Americans after 1934 was the primary means through which the r?ɬ�gime of Fran?ɬ�ois Duvalier, which came to power in 1957, was able to establish a degree of violent authoritarian control over Haiti previously impossible for any Haitian government. Under Duvalier the national infrastructure deteriorated and an environmental catastrophe caused by astounding impoverishment accelerated. This centralization of anti-democratic power is a fundamental reason why it has been so hard to transform the political landscape of Haiti and why it has been so diffi cult since the earthquake to bring aid to many devastated areas.
While the reconstruction of Port-au-Prince is crucial, foreign governments must prioritize working in a non-partisan fashion with Haiti's vast network of democratic and popular organizations to revitalize the rural agricultural economy and empower democratic structures and economic life across Haiti. This is a demand long articulated by environmentalists, intellectuals and pro-democracy activists in Haiti, and long ignored both by the Haitian government in Port-au-Prince and by the international community.
Such a reconstruction effort rooted in Haiti's own pro-democracy movements must also be accompanied by the recognition that there are no military solutions to Haiti's crisis. In common with other countries across the Americas that were born out of anti-colonial revolution, Haiti has struggled throughout its history with the challenge of removing the military from civilian government. Repeated foreign interventions have only served to destabilize Haiti and undermine the process of democratic reform. Neither the UN nor individual western countries has ever truly given civilian government in Haiti the support that it requires. The current U.S. and Canadian policy of militarizing Haiti, rather than focusing on public lines of communication with and support for the democratically elected civilian government of Ren?ɬ� Pr?ɬ�val, is a disturbing return to bad habits.
Last, and most important, reconstruction efforts must aim at eliminating Haiti's terrible reality of la mis?ɬ�re, the Haitian Kr?ɬ�yol word for the abject poverty that dominates the lives of most Haitians. As long as Haiti remains one of the world's most socio-economically unequal countries, reconstruction efforts in Haiti are likely to re-create the structures exacerbating the current catastrophe. This is not the time to use Haiti as a testing ground for neo-liberal economic policies or to tie the hands of the Haitian government with debt as it tries to rebuild. This would be a recipe for social, political and economic disaster.
For all of these reasons, the future of Haiti is an issue of basic human justice, not just humanitarian concern. Together with Haitians, we all have a chance to imagine a different and more democratic future. Nothing that Haitians demand of their government or the world is particularly utopian -- these are the basic elements of meaningful democratic government and active citizenship.
Melanie Newton is an associate professor of history.
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