Haiti: Security or Survival
Posted on 19. Jan, 2010 by Ben Waldman in Op-Ed, [Inter]national
As governments and aid organizations struggle to distribute desperately needed aid, it is becoming clear that this disaster in Haiti is larger than anyone can yet imagine. Aid is slowly trickling in while the response teams figure out how to best distribute aid in a city with heavily damaged infrastructure. Haitians are running out of patience and have begun taking matters into their own hands searching for food and other goods in stores.
Undoubtedly, petty looting is occurring; however the media coverage is over hyping the situation. For those who recall 2005, the coverage resembles the press of Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath of Katrina, while people still awaited rescue after three days, New Orleanians broke into Wal-Marts, grocery stores, and many other businesses to get the basic necessities for survival. The media called the situation chaotic, violent, and dangerous. Although it is impossible to know just how many people were actually looting and how many were gathering food, it is certain that the media was blurring the two, ensuring high ratings on the evening news.
The situation after a disaster is certainly chaotic, but we can do without the media spin. The hype only serves to back the notion that the military’s conventional wisdom of security and order are priority one in a disaster zone. The necessity of pointing guns at Haitians as they walk through a food line is questionable. It is clear that military personnel are running the operations and not trained disaster managers.
The increasing amount of US troops and warships arriving every day in Haiti and the lack of aid being distributed makes the relief effort look more and more like a security force than humanitarian assistance. No doubt, it is critical that outside forces step in while the Haitian Police and President Preval recoup and regain control of the country. However, given the history of US invasions and kidnapping, the situation must be followed closely and be open for debate. It is too easy to fall into the trap that since the US is “opening its arms”, it does not have a covert agenda. With the disaster happening only 7 days ago, it is too early to tell.
If we truly want to quell violence and looting before it starts, that means getting food, water and medical care to people within 48 hours. The US has certainly failed to achieve that goal and the effectiveness of the aid now arriving remains still undetermined.
Check back weekly for updates as the situation in Haiti develops.
