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| Caribbean-Latin America | ||||
| Anger at US builds at Port-au-Prince airport | ||||
| 2010-01-17 | ||||
"Let's take over the runway," shouted one voice. "We need to send a message to (US President Barack) Obama," cried another. Control remained in the hands of US forces, who face criticism for the continued disarray at the overwhelmed airfield. Dozens of French citizens and dual Haitian-French nationals crowded the airport Saturday seeking to be evacuated after Tuesday's massive 7.0 earthquake, which leveled much of the capital Port-au-Prince. But at the last minute, a plane due to take them to the French island of Guadeloupe was prevented from landing, leaving them to sleep on the tarmac, waiting for a way out. "They're repatriating the Americans and not anyone else," said Charles Misteder, 50. "The American monopoly has to end. They are dominating us and not allowing us to return home."
Others waiting for a way out were taken aback by the chaotic scenes confronted them when they arrived at the Toussaint L'Ouverture airport. "I haven't been able to tell my family that I'm alive. The coordination is a joke," said Wilfried Brevil, a 33-year-old housekeeper. "I was at the Christopher Hotel," said Daniele Saada, referring to the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti, MINUSTAH. "I was extremely shaken up. I was pulled out, the others weren't," added Saada, 65, a MINUSTAH employee. "I decided to return to France. I have nothing and now I am stuck," she said, caught between fury at the chaos and sheer exhaustion. The disorder even appeared to cause diplomatic ripples, with French Secretary of State for Cooperation Alain Joyandet telling reporters he had lodged a complaint with the United States over its handling of the Port-au-Prince airport. "I have made an official protest to the Americans through the US embassy," he said at the Haitian airport after a French plane carrying a field hospital was turned away.
The US ambassador to Haiti defended American efforts at the small airport, which was up-and-running 24 hours after the massive quake, even though the air traffic control tower was damaged. "We're working in coordination with the United Nations and the Haitians," said Ambassador Kenneth Merten, though he acknowledged some difficulties. "Clearly it's necessary to prioritize the planes. It's clear that there's a problem." Sounds like your problem is that you're coordinating with the UN and the Haitians... Despite the chaos, a group of French citizens was eventually able to take off on Saturday, and the French plane carrying a field hospital landed safely around noon. Still, with aid continuing to flood into the quake-stricken country, concern remains about the lack of coordination at the airport, and across devastated Port-au-Prince. "The Haitians haven't been notified about the arrival of planes. And when they do land, there's no one to take charge and a large amount of goods are arriving without coordination," said Haitian government official Michel Chancy.
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #28 "lotp, glad to see you know that "ya'll" is singular and "all of ya'll" is plural." You must not be from the South, Almost. "Y'all" is always plural. We really do know that "you" is singular. We often say "y'all" when we're talking to just one person (as in, "y'all come on over"), but in that case is really means "you and you family and you crazy aunt in the basement and anyone who happens to be visiting you at the time." ;-p |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2010-01-17 23:04 |
| #27 Thanks, guys. I love you, too. |
| Posted by: SR-71 2010-01-17 22:43 |
| #26 Our lotp is multilingual... in several senses. I, on the other hand, only have one quarter of Hebrew high school Yiddish under my belt, and "Der bear is kaken in yam" isn't getting me very far today. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-01-17 21:38 |
| #25 And there's the inimitable "anonymous 5089" too. I can't think of any other numbered regulars off the top of my head. |
| Posted by: James 2010-01-17 21:31 |
| #24 lotp, glad to see you know that "ya'll" is singular and "all of ya'll" is plural. ;-) |
| Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 2010-01-17 21:18 |
| #23 It takes a faygele to know a shvants when he sees one... As the voice of experience, you would know. |
| Posted by: Solomon Spogum5839 2010-01-17 20:21 |
| #22 It takes a faygele to know a shvants when he sees one, prostak Solomon Spogum5839 |
| Posted by: Snaimble Lumumba1616 2010-01-17 17:52 |
| #21 Huh. I've been stuck with this dumb "Frank G" since 2001...oh wait...nevermind /Emily Litella |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-01-17 16:47 |
| #20 Apologies for the ambiguity: our multinym'd new poster has used 'Solomon the Geek'. Y'all other Solomons are not only wise but innocent. And all y'all are welcome here. Re: keeping someone else from using your nym, the best way is to select one of your own that isn't likely to be generated by Fred's autonym assigner. Check out the regulars here and you'll see that their names don't end in numbers. When you comment, type that name in the poster box instead of the autogenerated one. If your browser is set up to allow cookies the new one will also be automatically entered in the future. |
| Posted by: lotp 2010-01-17 16:30 |
| #19 @Phusoling Gonque6722 2010-01-17 14:30 There is a Yiddish term for your sort. I think it's something like...shvants, yeah, that's it. Shvants. It suits you. |
| Posted by: Solomon Spogum5839 2010-01-17 15:06 |
| #18 Hey Solomon Glulet1502, say, I saw your pic on the FBI 10 most wanted right next to Solomon Spogum5839. Just wanted you boys to know,keep posting,makes their jobs that much easier. /snark |
| Posted by: Phusoling Gonque6722 2010-01-17 14:30 |
| #17 Even more clarification. I was posting as Solomon Spogum5839 on Friday and maybe Thursday. My count says I have commented 234 times. That can't be right, unless you recycle these nyms. Now for some on topic commentary. Almost every Haitian alive today has existed their entire life as a result of international aid. They are one of the best example of what you get when you create a population that is entirely dependent on others to survive. The respect nothing. They appreciate nothing. The developments we've seen in just the last 48 hours alone will only get worse. Hence, mu suggestion of Evac, Quarantine & allow nature to take its course. The Haitians much like the Palestinians are not salvageable, although each for different reasons. |
| Posted by: Solomon Spogum5839 2010-01-17 14:07 |
| #16 Clarification to mods. I only post as Solomon Glulet1502, as assigned in my first post. Don't know others.. Did see a post other day from a similar "solomon" name. Not me and a little surprised at how close the name was. anyway. Not me. Mind you, the "you have commented xxx times" counter shot up yesterday to over 200. I've commented less than 50 times so far. What should I do to stop someone using my nic? |
| Posted by: Solomon Glulet1502 2010-01-17 13:48 |
| #15 Sounds like they are pissed of that we didn't cater to their (the French Elite's) little needs first before taking care of the starving, wounded, and dying lower class.... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2010-01-17 12:40 |
| #14 No problem. When the U.N., the French, etal, get their aircraft carriers, hospital ships and ATC troops on site, we can sign a few checks and leave.... |
| Posted by: Uncle Phester 2010-01-17 12:32 |
| #13 Daffy/Schlep/Solomon/etc.: pick one 'nym and stick to it, please. - The Mods. |
| Posted by: lotp 2010-01-17 12:24 |
| #12 Perhaps the Haitians who created the roadblocks with corpses to "protest" the perceived slowness of aid getting through to POP would like to remove them so land transport can get through. Haitians have never been grateful for any of the aid given to them over decades, be it political stabalization or humanitarian or other. Never. 80% of Haitians live on hand outs. Have done so for decades. Food and water and basics of life have always been handed out. Now they have no idea or conception that they might have to do a little waiting this time. Like do some work for the able-bodied instead of sitting around whining about the slowness of aid to arrive in your lap. Clear the damn roads. And stay clear of the freakin' runways. |
| Posted by: Solomon Glulet1502 2010-01-17 10:24 |
| #11 I hope and pray it does NOT get outta hand. The first GI to shoot somebody will be in big trouble. I can only guess what the Rules of Engagement (ROE) must be, if there are any. More "feeding hand meets biting dog" stories at eleven. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-01-17 09:04 |
| #10 Sounds like the typical privileged caste whining when something doesn't go their way. After all, how many Haitians have an escape pass to France? I'm guessing.....not a lot of them. The rest of their fellow Haitians are lucky to even have a roof over their heads, not be seriously injured, have drinking water and something to eat. They don't have anywhere else to go. Somehow, I'm not moved by the "plight" of a few whiny biatches who have been without steak au poivre and pommes frites for a few days. |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2010-01-17 09:01 |
| #9 They are in a 3rd world country where the infrastructure, that was almost worthless before, is now destroyed and they are complaining that relief isn't like ordering a pizza back home? Fuck you, you sniveling parasites. How about this? You can just die in the hot sun while we go about our business and actually try to help others. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2010-01-17 08:40 |
| #8 But at the last minute, a plane due to take them to the French island of Guadeloupe was prevented from landing, leaving them to sleep on the tarmac, waiting for a way out. Die Hilderbeast's airplane(s) had landing priority? Sucks to be a French citizen stranded on a forsaken former French colony doughnut Charles? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-01-17 08:26 |
| #7 When is the last time the Haitians came to the United States to assist us.? Have the Haitians ever helped the United States in any way? Done us some big favors? Made a generous gesture.? Dominating? get a row boat. Its YOUR problem. Get the French to help you. Get Chavez to help you. Get a pogo stick. Go over there and suck your thumb and shut up. Got any money for all this free stuff? No? Then get a shovel and dig some graves, Hey, They are YOUR people, not ours. We arent responsible to your dead momma. You hungry? Go steal from your neighbors. Show 'em some Voo Doo and wave a machete. Its YOUR culture, not ours. We dont HAVE to help you. Go yell and see if the EU will send you something. Get some Palestinians to advise you. Obama? yeah like Obama is going to miss Lunch over your problems. Face it, you are nutz deep in crap and you are totally unable to take care of yourselves ( for some reason). Take what you can get and give God the finger if you dont like the way you are being treated. Maybe China will leap into action, whatcha tink? Demand that China DO SOMETHING for you. Anybody here from Argentina? How about the UN...any of them left alive? You got a problem. Maybe Iran will help, why dont you ask? This is a job for Lassie or Superman and we are fresh out of comic books. By all means, send a message to President Barack Hussein Obama. Send a letter to the King and demand your "rights". Mail it to California. If you could only write and he could only read. As soon as he flips you $155$ Million and walks his dog. We dont have an act in Haiti...the Haitians do, its their problem and their roller skates. "The American Monopoly has to end"? yeah? Go on, jacko, take over the runway. Do it today. What are you having for dinner tonite? Clinton says he feels your pain. But you cant depend on me, Its YOUR problem. And Ronald McDonald says to say hello. The United States is doing what it can. You ARE screwed. And the sun comes up in the morning. |
| Posted by: Daffy Snotbox 2010-01-17 02:24 |
| #6 Gratitude is a wonderful emotion---it makes civilization possible. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2010-01-17 02:20 |
| #5 Whiny Frenchies. Why I am shocked to the core... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2010-01-17 02:06 |
| #4 They are right. The Americans are useless. We should just get out and let the UN do everything. The Carl Vinson should just continue on to San Diego. We should remove all our equipment from the airport and let the Haitians run it. After all, we did not show up until a day after the earthquake, and thus we are useless. The UN and the French could do a much better job. Just like they did after the tsunami in Indonesia. /sarcasm |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2010-01-17 01:49 |
| #3 These whining muthaf*ckers need to realize that P au P infrastructure is destroyed and we are working on things from the ground zero up. That is the nice answer. The direct and rude answer from the US should be, Here have a jug of water and some MREs. Now get out of the way and shut the f*ck up, so we can do our jobs. There are other people in deeper trouble than you. Maybe you can organize yourselves and do something useful to help while you are waiting. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2010-01-17 01:20 |
| #2 There is another problem brewing. As far as I know the only major communications hum functioning in Haiti is the Port au Prince NAP (Network Access Point) which keeps both the government (such as it exists at the moment) and NGOs connected to the outside world. At Noon Eastern, that access point was down to 1/3 of it's fuel supply for its only source of power, the emergency generator. It was reported that it has a run rate of 8 gal/hr and has 160gal of diesel left. This means that if they don't get a few hundred gallons of diesel, Haiti is cut off by 8am Eastern when the generator runs out of fuel.
If anyone knows someone who knows someone down there, they could use some fuel. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2010-01-17 00:54 |
| #1 David Sedaris knows the word for "bottleneck." Why doesn't Alain? |
| Posted by: Pstanley 2010-01-17 00:22 |