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Obama calls for help for Haitians |
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Sunday, 14 September 2008 |
In response to Haiti’s plight following four hurricanes and tropical storms, Senator Barack Obama issued a statement asking for humanitarian assistance for the impoverished nation.
He said he was praying for the hundreds of thousands of Haitians who were struggling and extended his “deepest sympathies to those affected by the loss of more than 500 lives.”
The Democratic Presidential nominee said, "Time is of the essence in helping Haiti cope with this humanitarian crisis and begin to recover. Tens of thousands of Haitians have been displaced and left without shelter, Haiti's already struggling agricultural sector has been devastated - and hurricane season is not yet over.”
He acknowledged the work of the Haitian American community which he said was doing their part “by supporting family and friends in Haiti in their time of need.” In fact, relief agencies in South Florida are busy organizing relief to the country.
Food for the Poor, an international relief agency based in Coconut Creek, responded immediately with attempts to reach storm victims stranded because roads were cut off. The agency used helicopters and boats to rescue stranded and hungry Haitians, some who were sitting on roofs for days.
Haitian radio hosts also suspended the usual format of their shows to provide update reports on the situation in Haiti, and airing requests from agencies in the tri-county area for relief supplies and cash donations.
The efforts by local agencies are good, but not enough, according to the Senator who in his statement said, “Now the United States government and the international community must intensify relief efforts to bring food, water and shelter to the storm victims.”
He applauded the efforts by USAID who dispatched 100,000 in emergency assistance and promised 50 tons of relief supplies, in addition to the deployment of U.S. Coast Guard personnel to help stem the crisis in Gonaives, bus said “there's more we can do.”
He called for the “ships, helicopters and air cargo capacity of the U.S. Southern Command [to] be directed to provide Haiti the logistical support our Armed Forces so ably provide around the world in times of humanitarian crisis.”
He also “urged the United States to work in partnership with President Rene Préval and the new Haitian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis, and with key international actors (the United Nations Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, the Organization of American States, and crucial bilateral donors) to immediately assemble a task force on reconstruction and recovery to begin work as soon as the storms pass.”
He said this along with the help from Haitian-Americans can help Haiti in its recovery efforts “to bring hope and opportunity to the people of Haiti."
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