What the Haiti earthquake compels one to ponder… (2)
by
Hamza Zeytinoğlu & Mehmet Öğütçü*

Obama announced the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, where two former presidents are working hand in hand to lead a global effort to raise funds for the devastated Haitians. Al Gore, the champion of “Repower America” and global leader for renewable energy, has declared a temporary deviation from their mission toward that of Haiti relief. PayPal, who knows well who pays, has sent a plea for donations. Google opens in a brand new way; you see the Google brand, your favorite search box still there, but nothing else, except for a solemn call for getting more informed on how to donate to this humanitarian cause. Excellent. The US alone has already raised $50 million in six days, declares Hillary Clinton. Haven’t heard from Dick Cheney yet.,

Once more, it’s the American or the global citizen being encouraged to give whatever he or she can according to their beliefs and values. Jane, say, who comes from a moderate income family in the US, is willingly going to donate $30.

What about banks and companies?

As recorded in the US government’s balance books, Washington is already perilously in debt. But as seen from Haiti, it is wealthy beyond imagination. Just one of its banks has reported an annual profit exceeding Haiti’s entire gross domestic product (GDP).

Companies will donate as well. As Bank X did in 2004, way above most others, around $3 million… Meanwhile we have $11.7 billion in earnings. These figures? Well, they’re the 2009 year end, “The Number” figures for Bank X. Close to $40 billion in profit for Bank X. Never mind the crisis, business is good. Let’s think, Bank X, Haiti… Aid?

Now, when the financial market crisis hit the globe last year with its epicenter in Wall Street, NY, Bank X ended up profiting -- massively. What makes people think that they will not be reaping the benefits of other disasters around the globe, let alone in the vicinity of Haiti?

Now, if Jane’s household in the US earning $40,000 a year with a disposable income of 10 percent ($4,000) would pay a similar percentage as the $3 million (Bank X’s Tsunami contribution in 2004) is to the aforementioned $40 billion earnings for the year, that would amount to 30 cents. We all know a household earning that much a year, when it decides to donate, will do much better than that for a cause they don’t stand to gain much from in return except thankful prayers or heartfelt thanks as an anonymous donor. Bank X and the rest will be in on the reconstruction and stand to gain from this disaster as they inevitably have in previous human disasters. Jane’s $30 contribution is 100 times more than the sacrifice that Bank X would make from its disposable income. The $3 million of 2004 should be $300 million in 2010. That would match Jane’s contribution to help Sylvie. John should support this.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, Sylvie needs a lot of help and Jane and John can help her. How about it Bank X? Throw in a billion dollars at least, that much you can afford. Don’t let the people bear the burden of this relief as well! After all, Jane came to your rescue only last year.

Are relief efforts an opportunity to take over?

Knowing anything about history though, one cannot help but think that this is perhaps going to be the cheapest and cleanest take over of a country -- ever. Haiti, for all intents and purposes, became the 51st state in the wake of its deadly earthquake, if not a state, then at least a ward of the state, as Washington mobilized national resources to rush urgent aid to Haiti’s stricken people.

Obama has already dispatched a senior member of his national security team to the scene. An armada of US warships is steaming toward Haiti, to be joined by at least one Coast Guard cutter and aircraft. Thousands of troops are on their way to Haiti or are already there, running the airport and clearing ports for many more to follow. Up to 10,000 troops will be in Haiti or floating just offshore. Strictly speaking, Haiti remains a sovereign country, and there are 9,000 UN peacekeepers already there, charged with maintaining security. But as death stalks those smothered beneath the rubble of buildings flattened like pancakes and poor sanitation triggers outbreaks of dysentery and other diseases, one nation in the world has the muscle to quickly make a difference. That’s why the US is racing with aid to the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

Clinton and Bush declared, “At the request of President Obama, we are partnering to help the Haitian people reclaim their country and rebuild their lives.” Thanks to this support, the Haitian people will be reclaiming their country from the debris. The truth is, with this final shock, after decades of political and economic turbulence, whatever is left to reclaim is not going to be done for the Haitian people; maybe buy their further cheapened labor, yes.

The result is going to be a victory for the US to finally resolve the issue of Haiti. To secure the full dominion of this weakest link, further weakened by this natural or divine intervention, however you see it. All to be actualized by the donations of the people. You and me.

Lessons from Haiti for İstanbul

Let’s assume that’s taken care of. Let’s think now of the future for Sylvie and her remaining children. Will the earthquake of 2010 mark a turning point in the history of Haiti toward stability, independence, peace and egalitarian lifestyles -- or will her citizens be burdened with the repayment of this reconstruction and face the loss of its domestic assets in doing so? What will the future for her children be? Will today’s relief effort deal with today’s disaster or does it come bundled in a package which spells social and economic disaster for the future?

Turkey perhaps walked out unscathed from its earthquake in the long run compared to what’s at stake in Haiti. The fishermen in Phuket in Thailand lost their livelihood and were turned into outcasts because of the hotel expansion brought about by the cleanup of the tsunami. New Orleans may be rebuilt and surpass its former glory, but those who left and were lost will never be able to return.

Let’s all keep a close eye on Haiti, now and tomorrow, because we should never forget what happened in our country in the past and what might happen in the future -- a highly speculated earthquake in İstanbul shattering millions of lives, economic lifelines and the social fabric…