Haiti housing concerns mounting
Haitian authorities and aid groups are in a race against time to ensure earthquake survivors have shelter before the rainy season begins in March. Aid groups are hoping to encourage the use of transitional shelters that can later be reinforced into more permanent structures over tents.
Some food aid sold via Haiti’s underground economy
Although food distribution has become more orderly since the chaotic first days after the Jan. 12 Haiti earthquake, some of the food has been diverted to the black market. World Food Programme representatives say some such corruption is inevitable and don’t know how much food aid is being diverted.
New UN food coupons as good as money in Haiti
With hunger still a mounting problem for many in Haiti, the UN has introduced a new food-distribution program to replace the haphazard and Darwinian giveaways that have until now marked aid efforts. A coupon redeemable for 55 pounds of rice has become more valuable than money — the effective currency of a country whose capital and government were destroyed in the earthquake. By emphasizing women as the recipients and installing the coupons in 16 stable locations, food distribution has improved, though disorientation remains a significant obstacle to providing aid.
With much work to do, normalcy arrives in Léogâne
In the Haitian city of Léogâne, a marketplace has returned to the town’s central square, where vendors are selling to people who can afford to pay little more than cost for goods and services. Though aid finally has arrived in Léogâne, none of the buildings that collapsed during the earthquake has been excavated.
Stars align to update “We Are the World” for Haiti
Dozens of singers and actors joined forces to record an updated version of “We Are the World” to benefit Haiti earthquake victims, 25 years after the original raised funds to fight famine in Africa. Barbara Streisand, Carlos Santana, Josh Groban, Lil Wayne and LL Cool J contributed to the track, which will see its official launch on NBC on Feb. 12 during the opening night of the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Scientists urge a move for Haiti’s capital
Scientists are encouraging Haitians officials to rebuild the country’s capital in a new location, citing the presence of nearby fault lines and the possibility of another earthquake within the next few decades.
Orphan case highlights Haiti’s worst fears
The case of 10 Americans accused of human trafficking for attempting to remove children from Haiti has reinforced fears of criminal activity in the country’s post-earthquake chaos and elicited angry rebukes on issues of national sovereignty from Haitian officials. The group has admitted attempting to remove the children and placing them in an orphanage in the neighboring Dominican Republic without proper identification or paperwork.
UNESCO campaigns to protect Haiti artifacts
UNESCO is calling for a ban on the trade of Haitian artifacts in the wake of the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake in a bid to prevent the looting of cultural artifacts that occurred in Iraq and Afghanistan during recent periods of crisis, agency Director-General Irina Bokova says. UNESCO is seeking UN troops to provide security and a Security Council resolution endorsing a temporary ban.
UN to send senior envoy to North Korea
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe will travel to North Korea this month for wide-ranging talks, the UN says. Pascoe also will visit China, Japan and South Korea, the three other Asian countries involved in suspended talks to address concerns about North Korea’s nuclear program.
Haiti relief may be raising hopes for U.S. aid too high
Relief workers and U.S. troops have been more successful in delivering food aid, but expectations of future U.S. assistance might be rising to unrealistic heights. U.S. representatives insist they will not take responsibility for reconstruction and continue to describe efforts as “Haiti-led.”
UN launches major Haiti food distribution plan
The United Nations launched a large-scale distribution program to provide food aid to 2 million Haitians. Under the program, only women will be able to collect food by trading in vouchers at distribution centers in a bid to prevent the repeat of recent incidents of violence and looting.
