howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
23 January 2010
20:5438598#1
read a report from a BBC correspondent in port au prince last night(bit late in posting here) but was all rather disturbing.
this chap was touring round with a local to be shown the extreme hunger that people were suffering.
the airport is chock full of relief supplies being guarded by the US military, who seem to be of the opinion that once they start to hand food and water out, riots will occur.
i am trying to understand their rationale here.
apparently civil disturbances are few and far between, people have been incredibly restrained.
the reporter tested things out by giving his guide some supplies for him and his family, whilst others looked on.
no-one took a blind bit of notice.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
23 January 2010
21:0938599#2
ON the positive side, nice to see another survivor found alive
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
23 January 2010
21:1538600#3
I do remember in years gone by Howard, with food sent abroad as aid, there`s always been incompetence, as far as distribution is concerned. Must put some people off from sending in donations.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
23 January 2010
21:3538601#4
great to hear about survivors and yes distribution has always been a problem.
however it seems that the US military has been briefed that they are in a war zone, this is not the case, if it was the people would have tried to storm the airport.
when the reporter spoke to someone with the right pips on, he was told that they were trying to avoid another somalia!!!!
when will the americans ever understand people from another country?
there are no paramilitary forces there, they would know this as their nearest neighbours surely?
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
24 January 2010
10:3038622#5
Haiti is a very unfortunate country. For years it ticked over under the guiding hands, if you can call them that, of Papa Doc. There was much fear, much talk of terror and voodooism and so on. When Papa Doc died and moved on to the destination villains go to in the afterlife, his son Baby Doc took over intending to carry on the reign of terror and misery and of the course dire poverty.
They managed to get rid of him in fairly short order and just as they seem to have the tiny acorns of a proper state in place...the earthquake. As someone on TV said the other day...Haiti doesnt exist anymore.
Yes there has been great discussion about how the International rescue services are failing to get the job done, but at a guess I think its just the sheer scale of the problems this time. But thank god they are there trying.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
24 January 2010
14:5338629#6
The Americans have 'form' for this silliness: when they liberated some of the death camps in Germany and Poland, they actually denied food to the inmates for fear of killing them. One GI reported being overwhelmed by uncontrollable feelings of shame as hundreds of starving people surrounded his platoon, yet they couldn't feed them by order. Ridiculous.
True friends stab you in the front.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
24 January 2010
16:5338634#7
Regarding the nazi death camps Andy, I have a taped documentary from the mid 80s, about a team of British medical student`s who were sent out to Belsen in May 1945, at the end of hostilities. Liberating troops were all anxious to feed these skeletal survivors`s, but in most cases they were sick, as the food was too rich for them, after month`s or years of starvation. They couldn`t keep it down. One doctor said it was dangerous to feed people when they`re in that state. It had to be a gradual process, and of course many died as a result, but there may be some other member`s who maybe able to elaborate on that. Regarding your first line though, it certainly shouldn`t be happening like that today anywhere`s in the world, and as you say, it`s pure silliness.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
24 January 2010
18:4538640#8
My uncle was in a POW in Poland at the end of the war and once 'Liberated' was asked to become a guard as part of the Anglo/American forces.Luckily he spoke Russian German and some English.He was young and fairly fit having only been taken prisoner after the surrender of Warsaw and their failed uprising. So he was able to take limited solids. However those who were dying,ill, old or infirmed and were literally starving had very bloated stomachs and normal food was literally killing them so the British feed them on a very watery gruel type soup which allowed their stomachs to digest the food without jepordising their well being.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)