The Business of Disaster: Where's the Haiti-Bound Money Going?

[cory777]

Source: Truthout

"A sweeping exercise in nation-building on a scale and scope not seen in generations," said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the international donors conference on March 31 in New York, where foreign nations and other international institutions pledged $5.3 billion toward Haiti over the next 18 months, of which $1.15 billion comes from the US government. Ban continued, "Today, we have mobilized to give Haiti and its people what they need most: hope for a new future."

In an informal survey of citizens' views of the international communities' plans for their nation, taken over the past two months in urban and rural Haiti, not one expressed "hope" or a similar perspective for the plans of the foreign powers. Their experience of "nation-building" under foreign powers has not been positive, either in process or in result.

Twenty-two Haitian organizations, representing religious, conflict resolution, women, human rights, development, and other sectors, had this to say about the three recent international donors' meetings: "he process is characterized by a near-total exclusion of Haitian social actors and a weak and non-coordinated participation by representatives of the Haitian state ... We need an alternative process which can define a new national project which incorporates strategies to counteract exclusion, political and economic dependence, and poverty."

Read more: http://www.truthout.org/the-business-disaster-wheres-haiti-bound-money-going58422

[thunder rising]

1. When are we going to GET that charities are for rich people to throw parties and feel good.

Nothing more.

[BunkerHill24]

2. The money collected was never for the Haitians...

it was for American corporations to re-build Haiti...just like Iraq and Afghanistan re-construction money.

[unabelladonna]

5. ...and that is why i didn't donate

the money NEVER gets to the people who really need it. sad to say i've stopped all my charitable donations of money. i will gladly donate clothes, food and my time.

[BunkerHill24]

7. you have a heart under your skin....n/t

[KoKo]

3. When you have Clinton / Bush II and various Celebrities raking up bucks from folks

you've got to expect "Global" outcomes, that aren't going to necessarily be in the interests of the average Haitian refugee trying to get by in a tent waiting for the "Multi-Nationals" to decide your fate with money they collected that is destined elsewhere. :-(

[sabrina 1]

4. It was an insult to the people of Haiti to bring that

Moron Bush into their country. He is responsible for ousting their elected president which caused the deaths of over 5,000 people.

Whenever I see Clinton and the Bushes descend on a Disaster area asking for money, I feel sick.

What happened to the donations people made to CNN, eg, or any of the other charities?

From now on, I would prefer to find a family in need and give the money directly to them. I doubt those people will ever get even a small percentage of what was donated for them. The whole thing is disgusting.

[unabelladonna]

6. good idea...

n/t

[truedelphi]

9. Our nation's forces held back critically needed help from other nations

Notably France, for about 24 hours, so that Hillary Clinton could make her grand entrance.

Pretty much tells everything you need to know about how the game is played.

[arikara]

8. Unfortunately I think most of the big charities are like that

I wanted to give what I could and found this group who was working there already helping the Haitians. The lawyer who chairs the organization was actually in Haiti when the earthquake hit.

http://www.haitiaction.net/About/HERF/HERF.html

I also gave to a group in my town who collects to buy these shelterboxes, much needed for the rainy season. I wouldn't give a plug nickel to a place like the sally ann or one of Clinton/Bush's babies though.

http://shelterbox.org/