# Haiti the living hell!!!!



## Merrill (Apr 14, 2009)

I'm going to digress a bit from Thailand and talk a little about what is happening in Haiti. Haiti is one of the most desolate islands in the western hemesphere. It shares space on the island with the country of the Domenican Republic. Haiti has a history that has raped this island nation, and left it almost treeless, poverty stricken, and constantly rudderless and driven by leaders who continue to rape their own. Tuesday this nation was struck by an earthquake that has essentially leveled the capital city and left so many dead, injured and missing and no one to count them. Children died in their schools, patients died in hospitals, and people conducting the day to day business were killed in their shops, or maimed in their tracks. This nation with a history that could make for a great horror film, is again left realing for the living hell of an earthquake. The average Hatian makes about $11 per week, they live with poverty, they live with crime and corrpution. It is a country with an HIV/AIDS rate equal or greater to the African continent. Haiti is a fourth world country!!!!!

This earthquake may be equal to or second too the tusamni of 2005 in Thailand. I am sure that those of you who experienced the disaster in the south and those who viewed it from afar were struck by the human carnage. I came to Thailand just after the tusanmi and I was changed for good on how I see the world. Thailand at least on a physical level has rebuilt, and hopefully rethought how it builds buildings. While on the surface people have recovered, there is a deep seated fear of the what if. Since the time of the tusamni I have snorkeled and swam off Phi Phi Island. What changed me, as I looked at the coral and the sea bottom, was in my own mind. My friend who took me in his boat out there lost most of his family. One thousand people were killed on Phi Phi Island. They just disappeared! I envisioned the skulls of the prople who died, their bones and felt their presence. I became very depressed after this experience, and could not explain it. I have never returned to this area to snorkle again! I was a changed man!

The stories from Haiti are still unfolding, the world is responding, the island will be rebuilt, but the memories will follow many to their own grave. 

Just as I was moved last night to give a gift to the International Red Cross, I ask each of you to count your blessings and to remember the faces of this traumatized island nation. How much you give does not matter, what matters is that you care. Thailand is the land of smiles, please put a smile on the face of someone 10,000 miles away on what has become the island from hell!!!


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2010)

Thoughtful post, thanks Merrill. I've copied it to the Expat Forum Lounge as well.


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## Merrill (Apr 14, 2009)

Thanks!!!!



frogblogger said:


> Thoughtful post, thanks Merrill. I've copied it to the Expat Forum Lounge as well.


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## KhwaamLap (Feb 29, 2008)

Actually I am pretty upset with Thais in general after the sunami. A few weeks ago I went to a fund raiser here in CM (Thailand) for the Philippines that had had about 4 large hurricanes and major flooding etc. It was well advertised. The one I went to was a garden party at the scout grounds in CM. Beer was just 50B a bottle and food was free. There was an aution and I bid on sevaeral items. Some by a famous artitst. The bidding was between me and one othe farang each time. There were almost no Thais there and those thatb were ate a good fill and ******ed off. I was ashamed really given the issues the Phillipines had had at that time and the fact there are many wealthy Thai families who could have spared a few thousand baht to help. Given the enormouse amount of cash that cvame flowing after a sunami that only really grazed Thailand. Merit building seems to stop at buying food and building toilets for temples! I was really disappointed!


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2010)

Maybe there's a touch of the 'charity starts at home' attitude? I wouldn't be surprised. If there's one attitude that does grate a bit, it's the introspective, Thailand's-the-best-country-in-the-world stance of many a Thai, plus more than a touch of racism. 

Was it a farang-organised event? Do the Thais generally go in for the fundraiser dinner-style thing?


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## Merrill (Apr 14, 2009)

There is truth to what you say. My partner always tells me that if they don't pay you, you should not help when I volunteer. Then last night he said I want to donate some money to Haiti. My friend who is the owner of a travel agency in Bangkok donated $100 to Haiti and a couple more are sending money. It seems that it is a more personal approach in Thailand. Fundraisers are not a concept that Thai's buy into. I think that westerner's understand the nature of altruism and we seem to be in many ways programmed to give! In may be assuming something, but I think it is a "face" thing too. The people who are giving, know that I gave and they respect me. So it may be "face" that brought out some of the altruism among my friends. I still volunteer for NGO's doing fundraising online for projects in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. I raise the money in the west and pay for projects in the east. What my partner doesn't know about my clandestine altruism won't hurt him. I know that Thai's give to the Temples, but that is for the most part buying merit. My partner gives money to buy a coffin very often, but he considers it just the Thai way. I guess he's saving his merits for the next life.





KhwaamLap said:


> Actually I am pretty upset with Thais in general after the sunami. A few weeks ago I went to a fund raiser here in CM (Thailand) for the Philippines that had had about 4 large hurricanes and major flooding etc. It was well advertised. The one I went to was a garden party at the scout grounds in CM. Beer was just 50B a bottle and food was free. There was an aution and I bid on sevaeral items. Some by a famous artitst. The bidding was between me and one othe farang each time. There were almost no Thais there and those thatb were ate a good fill and ******ed off. I was ashamed really given the issues the Phillipines had had at that time and the fact there are many wealthy Thai families who could have spared a few thousand baht to help. Given the enormouse amount of cash that cvame flowing after a sunami that only really grazed Thailand. Merit building seems to stop at buying food and building toilets for temples! I was really disappointed!


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## desres (Oct 31, 2009)

Merrill said:


> I'm going to digress a bit from Thailand and talk a little about what is happening in Haiti. Haiti is one of the most desolate islands in the western hemesphere. It shares space on the island with the country of the Domenican Republic. Haiti has a history that has raped this island nation, and left it almost treeless, poverty stricken, and constantly rudderless and driven by leaders who continue to rape their own. Tuesday this nation was struck by an earthquake that has essentially leveled the capital city and left so many dead, injured and missing and no one to count them. Children died in their schools, patients died in hospitals, and people conducting the day to day business were killed in their shops, or maimed in their tracks. This nation with a history that could make for a great horror film, is again left realing for the living hell of an earthquake. The average Hatian makes about $11 per week, they live with poverty, they live with crime and corrpution. It is a country with an HIV/AIDS rate equal or greater to the African continent. Haiti is a fourth world country!!!!!
> 
> This earthquake may be equal to or second too the tusamni of 2005 in Thailand. I am sure that those of you who experienced the disaster in the south and those who viewed it from afar were struck by the human carnage. I came to Thailand just after the tusanmi and I was changed for good on how I see the world. Thailand at least on a physical level has rebuilt, and hopefully rethought how it builds buildings. While on the surface people have recovered, there is a deep seated fear of the what if. Since the time of the tusamni I have snorkeled and swam off Phi Phi Island. What changed me, as I looked at the coral and the sea bottom, was in my own mind. My friend who took me in his boat out there lost most of his family. One thousand people were killed on Phi Phi Island. They just disappeared! I envisioned the skulls of the prople who died, their bones and felt their presence. I became very depressed after this experience, and could not explain it. I have never returned to this area to snorkle again! I was a changed man!
> 
> ...


_I have beev watching this on CCN & BBC NEWS & i can not believe how long any Aid is taking to get through to these poor people 
Never seen anything so bad _


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## Merrill (Apr 14, 2009)

Part of the problem is that they airport is a mess. Planes have been circling for hours. Aid is coming in from every part of the world, and they cannot deal with it. The tower is damages, so no airport control. The US now has military on the ground and a group of Marines who will take control of the airport. The port for the ships coming in is non existent. Roads are destroyed or clogged with people. Help has arrived, but now the question is how to get the help to the people. Haiti has been a lawless place for decades. It is a place that you would not venture out of your hotel compound after dark, or in some areas even during the daytime. Now the danger has become magnified many times. It's a mess, but I hope that by the shear size of the response that things will begin to get done for the Hatians immediate needs. The long term changes are systemic, political and a history that does and will fill volumes. When I was doing work in HIV/AIDS Haiti was considered a 4th world nation after Africa. 






desres said:


> _I have beev watching this on CCN & BBC NEWS & i can not believe how long any Aid is taking to get through to these poor people
> Never seen anything so bad _


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## desres (Oct 31, 2009)

_Hiya .. i know i have beeen stunned by all the things that are against them
Also all the prisoners are on the loose as well .. & they are worried about violence & looting when they start distributing the Aid .. its so sad when u see those poor little kids .. they dont stand a chance _


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