Food security collapses in Haiti as machete-wielding gangs fight in the streets

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Food security collapses in Haiti as machete-wielding gangs fight in the streets

Overnight, Haiti has gone from an organized, civil nation to a scenario of total chaos with gangs running wild through the streets, ransacking shops and fighting over food with machetes.

Learning this, many an ignorant westerner might naively say, “That could only happen in Haiti. It’s because those people are so poor, so uncivilized. It could never happen here…”

Oh but it could.

Haiti isn’t so different from wherever you live — a city in America, Canada, Australia, the UK or anywhere else. Everywhere in the world, people will fight for survival when the situation becomes desperate. The only reason the streets in your town aren’t overrun with firearms and machetes right now is because food is plentiful. The electricity works. The water supply is functioning and police keep the relatively few criminals under control.

Doesn't sound like a pretty situation over there. Maybe this is why they are ramping up laws to place martial law on the USA?

[edit on 15-1-2010 by seattletruth]

Bs on this one...seems like an exxageration or misinterpretation of events. I just heard a report about how well-behaved most are considering the circumstances.

Seems more like someone has an agenda and is distorting events to suit it.

reply to post by seattletruth


I agree, this could happen anywhere in this world after any series of events.
Problem is, so people are so used to their little comfort bubble that they dismiss this.

reply to post by apacheman


Maybe they are just saying that to water down the situation..You have to consider that there are atleast 40,000 unacounted hatian-American
and Americans who worked there..They prob dont want everyone to worry that there are machete wilding hatian's pillaging for survival

Well i saw the BBC news earlier. I only saw a bit but it was a clip of several Haitians running through a crowd with machetes.

reply to post by Ophiuchus13


Except that machete-weilding gangs make for great tv and support stereotypes. If it were actually happening, we'd be seeing it as fast as they could get a camera on it. We'd also be hearing breathless reporters offering a dozen different takes on it while they were waiting for the video feed.

survival is the agenda if my family had no food water or shelter you better pray for the familys around me that do. because in thos sort of desperate times anything goes as long as my family survives that would be my priority as your family would be yours. survival of the fittest. for all the aid thats being provided none of it seems to be reaching the sreets and even the msm seems to be noticeing this. please correct me if im wrong ( and i dont mean spelling i know its sh*t)

delete

[edit on 15-1-2010 by john124]

IMO it is deffinalty happening...The media is more focused on the aid and rescue that is going on right now..I think in the day's to come the media will begin to focus more on the saftey situation as these gang's begin to grow more in number's..The military is going to deploy 9,000-10,000 troops to haiti by monday..

also iv noticed on sky news (not sure about other news sources ) but theyre acting more like a charity advert than news whith one of those to donate press the red button things . im not saying its bad but its not their job . thier job is to give us the news not to guilt trip us into sending money if i want that il watch an oxfam ad. that doesnt mean i dont think they should get help. and i wont even pretend i know what the people their are going throughe as i have a roof over my head food in my somatch water in my tap and my family are in this room as i speak. to be honest i dont morally have the right to comment on any of this but its something i find weird. i also have seen that wycliff the singer dude is over their clearing bodies. props to him and anyone else doing thier bit

www.telegraph.co.uk...

its my opinion and i may be stating the obvipus but this situation is gonna get real bad very fast once the water runs out and the people realize their all alone its gonna be realll badd. The country is already a disaster and the entire region is suffering from almost a nuclear bomb type of isloation and lack of aid. We barely got through Katrina and that was a total cluster f..k for us THE USA this country is gonna end up being like parts of the congo and eastern europe not long before we see the war lords develope. I hope its not some kinda spiraling effect these people have suffered enough...

What a terrible world. Have any of you ever read the book "the road"? You should I think. A great masterpiece, with a lot of relevance to this thread. Humans truly can be animals.
danielhanson420, its good to be honest, most people would probably act like you, but your comment did shock me. I would rather starve then kill an innocent person.
I think so anyway. But who knows, when push comes to shove?

reply to post by Elethiel


When push comes to shove you WILL do anything, make no mistake. You are kidding yourself, that you would sit there and watch your family die because of your moral position of the day!! Wake up, guess everything is fine and cosy infront of your computer.

Where is the aid?!? Where is the help, it has taken too long and there is no excuse!!! As I said in another thread who is running this?!? Mickey Mouse!

I could go into detail what should have happened but sadly it's wasted here. There is no excuses that can cover up the fact people should have been helped within 48 Hours at the very latest. But I guess some are only interested in the internationally funded rebuild contracts. Makes me PUKE!

These people are in total hell, I don't blame them even for a second. I am actually sick of ATS and some of the insane stuff posted on here. Wake up this place is quick sand, whilst you all sit in your ivory towers complain and do sod all the world is falling apart.

That's me done, won't be back here and I WILL get out there do something trying to stop some of the stuff you choose to debate rather than respond too. What a waste on your part.. SHAME ON YOU

And that is not just in response to this crisis but on many topics posted on here. But this was the last straw on the donkeys back, awake and pissed off now!

@Bunker or Bust

Maybe before you completely lose your mind about "not enough" being done in the first 48 hours you should really put more time into understanding the logistics of what you are condemning. As you point out, Haiti is in bad shape and Port au prince is nearly leveled. Ports a wreck, airport is a wreck, the Haitians actually requested flights to delay because they couldn't support them! So, while I understand your frustration, you have to understand logistics. It doesn't happen the way you or anyone, would like it to... at the drop of a hat.

This video is Red Cross update within the first 48 hours, if you take the time to watch it, you will see what type of logistics problems they are trying to overcome...

cant they have a shoot to terminate on spot policy, in these situations?