HAITI: AS DESPERATE HAITIAN FLOOD VICTIMS CONTINUE TO FIGHT OVER FOOD AID LEADERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MEET TO DISCUSS SITUATION

Record ID: 376116

  • Title: HAITI: AS DESPERATE HAITIAN FLOOD VICTIMS CONTINUE TO FIGHT OVER FOOD AID LEADERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MEET TO DISCUSS SITUATION
  • Date: 28th September 2004
  • Summary: (W1) GONAIVES, HAITI (SEPTEMBER 28, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. HAITIANS FOLLOWING A TRUCK FILLED WITH FOOD 0.05 2. HAITIANS LINING UP FOR FOOD 0.08 3. HAITIANS GRABBING AS FOOD IS HANDED OUT 0.14 4. VARIOUS OF HAITIANS FIGHTING OVER CONTAINERS OF FOOD (2 SHOTS) 0.25 5. BOYS FIGHTING OVER FOOD 0.29 6. VARIOUS OF HAITIANS FIGHTING OVER FOOD (3 SHOTS) 0.45 7. SCU: WOMAN WATCHING THE FIGHTING 0.49 8. U.N. TROOPS GUARDING THE AREA 0.52 9. HAITIANS WAITING FOR FOOD 0.55 10. U.N. TROOPS GUARDING THE AREA 0.58 11. LAS: HAITIANS IN LINE FOR FOOD 1.01 12. (SOUNDBITE) (Creole) WOMAN WAITING FOR FOOD, PIERRE ANDIS, SAYING: "I am hungry. I don't have any clothes to wear because I lost everything I had. The water took my house away. The aid they are handing out is only going to the strongest people who can get it. Everyone is fighting for this aid." 1.18 13. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WASHING CLOTHES IN A POLLUTED RIVER (6 SHOTS) 1.45 (W1) PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (SEPTEMBER 28, 2004) (REUTERS) 14. VARIOUS OF AID FROM BELGIUM ARRIVING (6 SHOTS) 2.17 15. VARIOUS OF AID FROM OXFAM IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ARRIVING (5 SHOTS) 2.42 16. VARIOUS OF AMBASSADORS FROM BRAZIL, MEXICO, CHILE, FRANCE, CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES MEETING TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION IN HAITI (3 SHOTS) 2.59 17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF THE U.N. MISSION IN HAITI, JUAN GABRIEL VALDEZ, SAYING: "I think that what the meeting showed is first of all, the commitment of the international community with Gonaives and with Haiti. I'm satisfied with the level of engagement." 3.12 18. CANADIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PIERRE PETTIGREW MEETING WITH HAITIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS 3.21 19. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANADIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PIERRE PETTIGREW SAYING: "We are here obviously because we want to work with the government that is in place here, we want to work with the populations, with the NGOs to make sure that the generosity that Canadian citizens have demonstrated over the past few days will reach the victims of Gonaives." 3.41 (NIGHTSHOT) 20. WS: EXTERIOR OF PRESIDENTIAL PALACE WHERE PETTIGREW MET INTERIM HAITIAN PRESIDENT BONIFACE ALEXANDER 3.45 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 13th October 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GONAIVES AND PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
  • Country: Haiti
  • Reuters ID: LVA35XDG7TI3F2QRPRVEKEHS4V3T
  • Story Text: As desperate Haitian flood victims fight over food,
    the leaders in the international community meet to
    discuss the situation.


    Haitian flood victims desperate for food continued
    fought for aid being handed out by international
    organisations on Tuesday (September 28).

    Men, women and children crawled over each other
    grabbing for cans of food tossed out of a truck by aid
    workers in the northern city of Gonaives.

    The estimated toll from the floods triggered by
    Tropical Storm Jeanne climbed to about 2,400 after a parish
    priest reported "a total disaster" in small towns in
    Poteau, a region outside Gonaives.

    In Gonaives, young men grabbed food from an aid convoy
    and others robbed women for bags of rice. Aid workers,
    backed by armed U.N. peacekeeping forces, increased the
    number of distribution points for emergency supplies to
    four but still faced tense crowds of destitute people
    clamouring for help.

    Angry men complained about a policy of handing out food
    only to women, who traditionally care for the feeding of
    their households, and many women despaired of getting clean
    water for drinking and cooking, resorting to muddy wells.

    "I am hungry. I don't have any clothes to wear because
    I lost everything I had. The water took my house away. The
    aid they are handing out is only going to the strongest
    people who can get it. Everyone is fighting for this aid,"
    said Pierre Andis, as she waited in line for food.

    Torrential rain from Tropical Storm Jeanne engulfed
    much of the port city of 200,000 people last week.

    Government estimates had put the death toll at 1,650, with
    about 800 missing.

    Meanwhile, in Port-au-Prince, international aid
    continued to arrive. Forty-two tonnes of aid from Belgium
    came in, including tents, tables, medical supplies and
    tarpaulins. The UK-based charity Oxfam also sent 27 tonnes
    of provisions, including water, portable bathrooms and
    water purifying instruments.

    Ambassadors from various countries also met to discuss
    the disaster and find ways to help. Ambassadors from
    Brazil, Mexico, Chile, France, Canada and the U.S.

    participated in the meeting.

    The head of the UN mission in Haiti said the discussion
    had been productive.

    "I think that what the meeting showed is first of all,
    the commitment of the international community with Gonaives
    and with Haiti. I'm satisfied with the level of
    engagement," said Juan Gabriel Valdez.

    Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew also arrived
    in Haiti on Tuesday to find out how Canada could play a
    larger role in the situation.

    "We are here obviously because we want to work with the
    government that is in place here, we want to work with the
    populations, with the NGOs to make sure that the generosity
    that Canadian citizens have demonstrated over the past few
    days will reach the victims of Gonaives," he said.

    Pettigrew met various government officials during the
    day and with interim Haitian President Boniface Alexander
    at night.

    kn/jrc


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