by Kevin Pina

US marines watches as demonstrators march towards UN headquarters near the airport

Demonstrators clash with Haitian police

Sign reads: “The rain has soaked us. The MINUSTAH (UN) must go. We need help. We need aid.”

Port au Prince, Haiti – HIP — About one inch of rain fell on the capital of Port au Prince early this morning sparking angry protests that tied up traffic near the airport for nearly four hours.

At 4:30 am as the rain began to fall a collective wail could be heard rising from the makeshift camps of those left homeless due to a massive earthquake that rocked Haiti on January 12. Cries of helplessness and misery quickly turned into shouts of anger and invectives against Haitian president Rene Preval as thousands then took to the streets in several spontaneous street demonstrations.

Throughout one of the largest marches that headed towards the United Nations headquarters located near the airport protesters also sang, “If Aristide was here he would be soaked along with us.” The reference was to former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide who was ousted in a coup in 2004 and continues to live in exile in the Republic of South Africa. Aristide offered to return to Haiti to assist in relief and reconstruction efforts but Preval and the Obama administration have rebuffed the offer. The U.S. currently has as many as 20,000 US Marines on the ground ostensibly to aid in relief efforts following the quake that killed an estimated 200,000 and left more than a one million homeless.

A quick visit to the homeless camps in the center of the capital showed why the homeless victims of the quake feel as if the pace of relief efforts has been too slow. Lack of proper shelter and sanitation left children lying in pools of water clearly contaminated by nearby feces as families desperately tried to salvage and dry out their belongings as the morning sun broke through the clouds.

Before today’s rain epidemics of diarrhea, flu, scabies, ringworm and many other preventable diseases were already raging through the makeshift camps that are estimated to be home to more than 300,000 people in the capital alone. The situation has grown increasingly desperate during the past week as complaints of corruption and incompetence in managing relief efforts by the Preval government and the UN have grown in proportion from the camp residents.

“We can’t take this anymore!,” shouted the protestors as the march snaked thru traffic towards the Touissaint Louverture Airport currently under the control of the US military. As the march approached UN headquarters where relief efforts are currently being organized a line of shield and club wielding Haitian riot police barred their progress. The police held the march back as a short scuffle broke out with angry protesters demanding tents, food, water and the return of former president Aristide to help in relief efforts. Two protesters received minor scrapes and injuries as the police pushed a few of them towards a deep canal lining the road where they fell in. There were no reports of injuries to the police as the march turned back and protesters began blocking the main road to the airport with large rocks and debris.

—————————————————————————————————————–

COMMENT: HAITIAN-TRUTH.ORG

Congresswoman Maxine Waters recently visited Haiti. When she met with the so-called Haitian political leaders they asked what they could/should do about the Preval government’s criminal disinterest in the Haitian people’s well-being. She was surprised by the question abd replied…”Put the people on the street. March on the government offices to protest. Put thousands on the street and the world will take notice.”

She said she was surprised how bad the situation was and how incompetent Rene Preval and Bellerive actually were.

The so-called political leaders are still waiting to do something.

God may have taken the decision from their hands. Last night there was a light rain showers. This created disastrous conditions in the makeshift camps as the bed sheets, used for tents, quickly soaked and dripped on the  people sheltering beneath them.  This morning there were demonstration as a large number of people protested against Rene Preval and his incompetent Prime Minister Bellerive.

It is now 10:30 P.M. and it is raining heavily.

The rain has soaked a number of damaged building and these have collapsed with some injuries. Yesterday, the remains of the Caribbean Market collapsed, killing a half-dozen people, including two police officers.

Tonight’s rain will add to an already miserable situation. Many people are now suffering from a bad cold with chest congestion. This could worsen into pneumonia. Without proper treatment or nutrition a wave of cold-related deaths must follow.

It is now that the Haitian people must protest their condition and the indifference of their government to their well-being and the well-being of their children. Schools have not opened, even though Preval has claimed they have. He lies.

The Preval government stands on the verge of collapse.

It only needs a slight push.

Now is the time to act, before the rainy season really gets a hold and kills thousands more.