48 Hours and lives at stake in Haiti

I have heard that these early hours after such a disaster are vital.

After Catholic Relief Services, initially feared thousands dead and many affects, the prime minister of Haiti now thinks over 100 000 (ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND) human beings may have died in the tragic catastrophe of the disastrous Haiti quake.

http://www.news24.com/Content/World/News/1073/8fb1ea17d71d44148d21910254d15942/13-01-2010-07-35/Death_toll_may_top_100_000_PM

With over 50 years on the ground, hundreds of staffers in Haiti, their building in Port-au-Prince still standing last report I read of it, and having already dedicated 5 million US dollars to the disaster, Catholic Relief Services, who already do disaster work in Haiti, is the group I and others like me are urging those who feel empathy with this terrible event to consider donating to.

Donate here:

https://secure.crs.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3181&3181.donation=form1

Otherwise, the Catholic News Service, whom we do not usually quote for obvious reasons involving faith issues, has what is likely a good list of some other Catholic organizations who are working to aid victims:

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1000139.htm


Religious groupings are usually the best ones to donate to in these disasters, due to their resources.

We would like to ask that you stop whatever you are doing and pray for the victims of this catastrophe once again. They include the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince and many catholics and religious. The pope also has appealed for aid to these devastated people in what is already the most deeply impoverished nation in the Western and Northern hemispheres.

Thank you for what wonderful good you, our readers and friends have done already in relation to this utter catastrophe. I am sure it is needed and appreciated on the ground.

More on CRS efforts in this disaster:

http://crs-blog.org/crs-commits-5-million-to-haiti%E2%80%99s-quake-survivor-relief/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+CatholicReliefServicesBlog+(Catholic+Relief+Services+Blog)



God bless and thank you, and i ask that you join us in prayer to Saint Philomena, the patron of South African catholic News Service, and to Mary, the mother of the many Christians who died and are dying on Haiti, and to God. Catholic Relief Services aids irrespective of nationality and religion. They have a very good ratio of how much money actually goes to victims of disaster, and I hope you will consider giving a small donation to their cause!

Marc Aupiais,
In Faith, and in hope that you, our friends and reader can help these devastated people.

Natural Disaster: Haiti, a very poor nation, has been hit by a massive Earthquake 7.0 on Richter Scale

(Social Justice South Africa)

[English; Afrikaans; français]

Article by Marc Aupiais

According to America's Associated Press (USA; Independent; American) 13 / 01 | January / 2009:

"PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The strongest earthquake in more than 200 years rocked Haiti on Tuesday, collapsing a hospital where people screamed for help and heavily damaging the National Palace, U.N. peacekeeper headquarters and other buildings. U.S. officials reported bodies in the streets and an aid official described "total disaster and chaos."
United Nations officials said hours after the 7.0-magnitude quake struck at 4:53 p.m. that they still couldn't account for a large number of U.N. personnel.
Communications were widely disrupted, making it impossible to get a full picture of damage as powerful aftershocks shook a desperately poor country where many buildings are flimsy. Electricity was out in some places.
Karel Zelenka, a Catholic Relief Services representative in Port-au-Prince, told U.S. colleagues before phone service failed that "there must be thousands of people dead," according to a spokeswoman for the aid group, Sara Fajardo.
"He reported that it was just total disaster and chaos, that there were clouds of dust surrounding Port-au-Prince," Fajardo said from the group's offices in Maryland."

Catholic Relief Services elaborates (Catholic; Subject to USCCB US Bishops; American; questioned over position on condoms, global partners) 12 / 01 | Janurary / 2009 where the article was written; 13 / 01 | January / 2009 more likely time in GMT+2:

"The U.S. Geological Survey reports that a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti 10 miles southwest of the capital of Port au Prince at 4:53 p.m. Eastern, Tuesday, Jan. 12.

The initial quake was followed by two aftershocks.

Reliable damage and casualty estimates are unavailable at this time. CRS staffers in Baltimore have been in touch with Haiti staff. CRS/Haiti reports that those who remained at the office after 4 p.m. are safe. The condition of other CRS staff is unknown at this time (7:30 p.m. Eastern).

CRS/Haiti reports that cell phone use is unavailable. They communicated with Baltimore via land line. They reported that the CRS office building is still standing, but others, including one near the office, had collapsed. They reported that clouds of dust and smoke surround the city of Port au Prince. Before the phone connection was lost they characterized the situation as choatic, and feared many dead in what they called “a major hit … a direct hit.”

A tsunami watch was issued for Haiti and nearby islands.

CRS will continue to update with information as it becomes available. Our prayers and thoughts are with the people of Haiti and all CRS/Haiti staff and their loved ones."

The position on information relating to condoms, of the CRS has caused CatholicCulture.org to question their fidelity to the faith, along with some of their global partners:

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/reviews/view.cfm?recnum=2323&repos=2&subrepos=0&searchid=568534

To donate to CRS' efforts to attempt to help Haiti, please follow this link:

https://secure.crs.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3181&3181.donation=form1

Kenya, drought a "National Emergency"- Kenyan government

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. Reuters' Alertnet (Article by Reuters:Secular; Independent; Based in great Britain; Global)09 / Jan / 2009; CRS (Catholic; Independent: answer to USCCB though; Relief Organization; American Based)13 / 01 / 2009)

Article by Marc Aupiais

The Kenyan Government, has declared a "National Emergency", after a drought "has" allegedly rendered +-10 000 000 (Ten Million) Kenyan Citizens "Food Insecure"; according to a Reuters article; via AlertNet: which quotes the Kenyan government. This situational report, by Reuters: is largely based on a release, by the office of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki's office, even as Reuters, but not the Kenyan government: notes the role of violence in the situation. Kenya, has seen human rights violation related accusations, and electoral violence in recent times, and accusations: of death squads, and the resulting reduction in tourism, a recent drought has hit it hard.

Kenya, will now, among other measures: begin to import: 5 000 000 (Five Million) additional bags of maize due to a shortfall: largely blamed on 2007 election violence, which resulted in +-1 300 (One Thousand, and Three Hundred) deaths, and +-300 000 (Three Hundred Thousand) people being driven from their homes, due to violence.

Both the Kenyan government, and working independent of them, Catholic Relief Services, are attempting to minimize the damage done by an alleged Drought and Famine, which is affecting many citizens in Kenya. The role of election violence, and allegations of Government death squads, and political persecution in this, possibly, could have increased vulnerability to the situation. Most of the efforts, seem to focus on basics, such as food, water, and farming products. CRS, is helping supply food, according to their dispatch (CRS (Catholic; Independent: answer to USCCB though; Relief Organization; American Based)13 / 01 / 2009).

For those who want to help:

CRS, forwards one to a donation page: from the article they wrote on their efforts:
https://secure2.convio.net/crs/site/Donation2?1080.donation=form1&df_id=1080

It seems to be their general donations page, but I may be mistaken on this, but possibly, one can write in the "Special Request" section, where they want the money to go: I am unsure of this.

A good thing about, our source on this: US based CRS: is that CRS, has a good ratio: of direct funding towards communities, versus the cost of their work.

Kenya: more general Overview:

Kenya, was once one of Africa's so-called: shining stars, however, electoral violence, and purported human rights abuses, along with drought, and famine: have harshly affected, what once was a nation, seen, perhaps falsely as a hope for many.

In previous articles, we have covered, the political situation in Kenya, having stabilized somewhat at this stage. Recent events, however: show a government, made up largely of people, seemingly more interested in their own political success, than in the success of their country. The global economic downturn, will likely also affect such nations: but with such a makeshift government, the chances are, that problems in Kenya, won't be ultimately solved overnight. Efforts, at helping populations make it through such trying times: however, can make differences in lives, just as efforts in Zimbabwe, and the DRC (Congo), have paid off somewhat.

Corruption, and accountability in Africa

What Kenya, and much of Africa: truly need at this point, is accountability for actions, politically, and in business. That a situation, such as the one: over, or perhaps caused by alleged vote rigging, and alleged political human rights abuses: has occurred: has made Kenya less able to deal with life threatening situations.

DRC- Congo- Kivu Region- Catholic Relief Services pulls two relif workers out of country. Only grass roots organizations like Caritas Internationalis still easily operate in wartorn region

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. Catholic News Service 30/10/08; Caritas Internationalis 30/10/08; BBC World News (Secular) 29/10/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Catholic Relief Services has pulled two relief workers out of the DRC into neighboring Rwanda- due to unsafe conditions of operation, however they claim this is an isolated event, and not a general withdrawal. The Relief workers can't wait to get back to the CRS headquarters in the southern Congo, where the organization's efforts are based.

In recent days a UN peace-keeper helicopter was shot at, purportedly, if UN sources quoted by the BBC (29/10/08) are to be taken as accurate- not by rebels, but by Rwandan troops, and DRC troops have been noted as shooting across the border when they saw weapons fire. The BBC's representation- noted exchanges of fire. Rwanda denies involvement in the conflict. Rebels however claim to have a purpose of fighting Rwanda's own claimed rebels they claim to be in the Congo. We cannot verify any of these claims, by the Rebels.


Caritas Internationalis is appealing for an end to violence. After a recent cease fire called for by rebel forces, and a UN condemnation of rebel activities, as rebels have attacked UN troops- there was still the sounds of gunfire under the shadows of the dark African night.

Caritas Internationalis needs better conditions to ensure 16 000 persons who they are supplying with food necessities get this. Other organizations, including Catholic Relief Services, are appealing western governments to intervene diplomatically. Much of the important work on the ground, however- is still being done by Caritas Internationalis, whose use of local grassroots people has enabled them to continue operations where some other organizations have needed to reassess the aid they are giving. Both Catholic Relief Services, who are appealing for US diplomatic support, and Development and Peace (who are asking the Canadian government for intervention), plan to use Caritas Internationalis in order to supply needs in the Goma Region, where Caritas has structures still in place.

Sites of those mentioned for their aid of efforts:

Caritas Internationalis
Catholic Reflief Services
Development and Peace