22743: Hess: Re: 22738: Durban: Wash Post - Haiti's Slim Chance (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Dougrhess2@aol.com

>From the Post editorial:
"What's clear is that Haiti will have no chance at all unless
rich  countries, led by the United States, step up. Last month
the Bush  administration announced $100 million in new aid, on
top of the $50 million  already in the budget; its total pledge
for the next two years stands at $200  million. That is less than
10 percent of what was spent on Afghanistan this  year, and
barely more than 1 percent of the reconstruction aid voted  by
Congress for Iraq. Such parsimony is foolish:  It only
strengthens  the odds that the next administration in Washington
will find itself facing,  once again, a crisis in Haiti."

Wow. I don't recall the Post ever taking such a strong stand on helping
Haiti before.

I hope securing more funds for Haiti is also one of the major points  of the
rally at the World Bank that activists are planning. Ideally, a certain
percent of the money should be earmarked for Haitian organizations doing  community
organizer training and leadership development in local project (coops,
microlending, rural literacy, etc.). If the protest just condemns existing  plans,
little will come of it. Solid suggestions need to be put forth including
goals, management and direction of use of the funds.

-Doug