The Independent News Source
NCR on Kindle - NCR classifieds - YouTube - Twitter - Facebook - Email Alerts - RSS
Printer-friendly version
PDF versionHaitian bishop leery of 'militarization' of US aid
Feb. 05, 2010
VATICAN CITY -- A Haitian Catholic bishop said the United States "can do much more" to help his earthquake-stricken country, and warned against an "excessive militarization" of American relief efforts.
Bishop Pierre-Andre Dumas, head of the Haitian branch of the Catholic relief network Caritas, made his remarks at a press conference in Rome Feb. 3. The Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti has left more than 180,000 dead, at least 195,000 wounded, and more than 1 million homeless.
Dumas praised Washington's recent decision to subsidize the treatment of wounded Haitians in Florida hospitals, but said that "given its geographic position with respect to Haiti, the American government can do much more."
Echoing criticism by some Latin American and Italian officials of the large U.S. troop presence in the country, Dumas said "it is necessary to avoid an excessive militarization of aid, and to rediscover the humane and humanitarian side of the aid that must be given to the Haitian people."
Dumas called on "President Obama, as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, to use all his influence to make aid efforts more comprehensive and global." He said he hoped Obama himself would visit Haiti "in the next days or weeks."
The bishop spoke to the press shortly after meeting briefly with Pope Benedict XVI, following the pope's weekly public audience at the Vatican. Dumas said he told Benedict of the urgent need to rebuild the many Haitian churches, including Notre Dame Cathedral in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, which was destroyed by the earthquake.
"But it is not only a question of rebuilding churches," Dumas said he told the pope. "We must also create spaces, near the churches, of welcome and education for our people."
somebody needs to get to the
somebody needs to get to the bottom of this comment. 1. who bites the hand that feeds you? 2. Did not the Holy Father place the CRS USA in charge of coordinating the international catholic releif efforts. Sounds to me like something was misunderstood in the translation.
Unbelievable! the bishop is
Unbelievable! the bishop is worried about the US and the "militarization of US aid" of the poor people on the Island.God forbid he say something construtive like why the other counties in the area wont do more to help.Has he spoken to their goverment leaders lately.
Question, What did he have to say in the press from the Vatican before the earthquake about the corruption in the goverment of his country?
Where did all the money go that has been sent over the years to help Haitian people?
Just wondering!
All the liberals are
All the liberals are criticizing the US' aid to Haiti. The wacky European leaders, like those in France and Italy, are saying we are invading Haiti. Well, maybe if these other countries got off their you know what and did something, the US would not have to take care of everyone else. The US has given, and will give, probably a billion dollars between government and private relief. I bet all other countries of the world combine for less than 5 million. Put up--or shut up!
I am curious as to just what
I am curious as to just what assets the good bishop thinks the US should use, if not the military ones. If he really finds our aid objectionable, I'm quite sure we can put the money and energy to other worthy efforts. That hospital ship isn't cheap to run.
Were it mine to direct, I would immediately end any activities involving rebuilding churches, and concentrate our troops' efforts on delivering food, water, medical care, and the rebuilding of secular structures only. It wouldn't do to offend the Bishop by insisting he take help from the US military, after all.
Bite the hand that feeds you, indeed.
The U.S. military is often
The U.S. military is often used for providing assistance after a natural catastrophe. They have the equipment, the manpower and the training. I'm not sure what the Bishop is proposing, hordes of untrained American volunteers descending on the country.
Post new comment