http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100226/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_haiti_earthquake_18
This link is to an article that reduced me to tears of despair and frustration. Pretty much the opposite of the last one. It seems that the new plan, spearheaded by the International Organization for Migration, which was well-funded but almost invisible prior to the earthquake and now seems to ineptly taking the lead in many post-earthquake initiatives, the new plan is to encourage people to return to their old neighborhoods, rather than moving them to UN/government/NGO-supervised camps outside of town while they remove rubble from the city. Have they seriously not considered that most of the people living in PAP right now were living in some of the worst neighborhoods before the earthquake, such as the bidonvilles that covered the hillsides and were never safe even before this event?? Do they seriously believe that it is a better idea to encourage millions of people to once again take up residence in what is now recognized as an intrinsically unstable area, due to location on the fault and soil composition?? Do they not remember that PAP was FAR overpopulated prior to the earthquake, a fact which contributed directly to the human loss of this event?? Do they not understand that people will still need secure, organized places to live while the government and other agencies clear rubble, even from so-called 'approved' neighborhoods?? If the point of this is to reduce congestion in the city camps and provide people with a longer-term home, why not proceed with the original plan to set up long-term, but temporary, camps outside of town and/or assist people in migrating out of the city to other parts of the country (with the proper caveats there, of course -- seed money, existing family/social support in relocation area, etc.)?? Why on earth would these people think it is most effective to shove people back into their dilapidated neighborhoods, or to spend time promoting this plan when ultimately, if they really do the things they are saying the will do (namely, relocate people whose neighborhoods are too badly damaged for repatriation), they will *still* end up having to establish large camps outside of the city?? How can they do this to the people of Port-au-Prince?? How can these agencies condemn them to insecurity and further suffering, due to nothing more than the absolute, shameful incompetence of said agencies??
I am reminded of my impulse to yell at those teenagers in Bea's classes, but there is no one here to yell at. My anger, frustration, anxiety, and fear are at this moment overwhelming. I cannot stop shaking and I am fighting the urge to go to my bed and never leave.
This link is to an article that reduced me to tears of despair and frustration. Pretty much the opposite of the last one. It seems that the new plan, spearheaded by the International Organization for Migration, which was well-funded but almost invisible prior to the earthquake and now seems to ineptly taking the lead in many post-earthquake initiatives, the new plan is to encourage people to return to their old neighborhoods, rather than moving them to UN/government/NGO-supervised camps outside of town while they remove rubble from the city. Have they seriously not considered that most of the people living in PAP right now were living in some of the worst neighborhoods before the earthquake, such as the bidonvilles that covered the hillsides and were never safe even before this event?? Do they seriously believe that it is a better idea to encourage millions of people to once again take up residence in what is now recognized as an intrinsically unstable area, due to location on the fault and soil composition?? Do they not remember that PAP was FAR overpopulated prior to the earthquake, a fact which contributed directly to the human loss of this event?? Do they not understand that people will still need secure, organized places to live while the government and other agencies clear rubble, even from so-called 'approved' neighborhoods?? If the point of this is to reduce congestion in the city camps and provide people with a longer-term home, why not proceed with the original plan to set up long-term, but temporary, camps outside of town and/or assist people in migrating out of the city to other parts of the country (with the proper caveats there, of course -- seed money, existing family/social support in relocation area, etc.)?? Why on earth would these people think it is most effective to shove people back into their dilapidated neighborhoods, or to spend time promoting this plan when ultimately, if they really do the things they are saying the will do (namely, relocate people whose neighborhoods are too badly damaged for repatriation), they will *still* end up having to establish large camps outside of the city?? How can they do this to the people of Port-au-Prince?? How can these agencies condemn them to insecurity and further suffering, due to nothing more than the absolute, shameful incompetence of said agencies??
I am reminded of my impulse to yell at those teenagers in Bea's classes, but there is no one here to yell at. My anger, frustration, anxiety, and fear are at this moment overwhelming. I cannot stop shaking and I am fighting the urge to go to my bed and never leave.
No comments:
Post a Comment