Aid and NGOs in Haiti

[bcholmes]

This document is pretty surprising. It shows which areas of Haiti are being served by various NGOs (Non-government organizations). The sheer number is pretty stunning.

In an email that I saw this link in, this point was raised:

here is a development mystery about Haiti, perhaps not unique in the Third World, we should solve without delay. namely, with all the apparent intervention, what accounts for the continuing and seemingly worsening situation? which factors are most influential, which less so, etc.? what posture and departure from history should the Haitians and intervenors now take to change course?

Certainly, there's been a lot of writing about the role of NGOs in Haiti and how they've often been very partisan actors. Groups like "Rights and Democracy" and "NCHR-Haiti" appear to have been funded to perpetuate stories of human rights abuses under the Aristide government (and were silent about human rights abuses under the Latortue government). The Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade has an issue of their zine, Press for Change that talks about this role of NGOs in Haiti.

One of the reasons that I like Médecins Sans Frontières is that they engage in a political evaluation of a country before beginning their aid operations. For Haiti, they have declined CIDA funding. (I can't speak for why, but I'm inclined to think that the money is tied to partisan objectives).

Comments

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

Just about everything beyond the basics that I know about Haiti, I've learned from you. But the broader question that you raise fascinates me. I think about the fact that people "helping" Australian aboriginal people get more from the Australian government than the aboriginal people would need to all make living wages. And at the same time, I think about the concerted effort on the part of the right wing to prove that "do-gooders do harm."

I don't know any answers. I'm just glad someone else is looking at the questions.