1 million Haitians in need of humanitarian assistance - AGAIN

1 Million in Haiti Urgently Need Humanitarian Assistance After Hurricane's "Apocalyptic Destruction 

Democracy Now!

In Haiti, the death toll from Hurricane Matthew has topped 1,000. 

Haitian interim President Jocelerme Privert is warning the country faces a possible famine from what he described as the "apocalyptic destruction" of Hurricane Matthew. 

The country is also battling a growing cholera outbreak. The storm hit a week ago, but many areas have still received no aid. 

Food and medicine have run out. 

Authorities are now digging mass graves for those killed by the Category 4 storm. United Nations officials say nearly 1 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, with up to 80 percent of Haiti’s food crops destroyed in some areas. 

Aid agencies estimate at least 60,000 people are staying in temporary shelters. 

We speak to Ninaj Raoul, executive director of Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees and a board member of IFCO/Pastors for Peace.

To Help Haiti, Don't Donate to American Red Cross: Haitians

Telesur,

9 October, 2016

Haitians shared a 2015 report showing how the U.S.-based organization wasted half a billion dollars of relief after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

As U.S. President Barack Obama urged people to donate to the American Red Cross to help Haiti amid Hurricane Matthew, Haitians took to social media over the weekend to urge people to do the opposite, pointing to how the organization was accused of squandering more than US$500 million in aid to the country in 2010.

"In the coming days, many of you are going to write and ask me how you can 'help Haiti'," A woman from Haiti said in a Facebook Post earlier this week. “Here are my suggestions: 1. Don't give the American Red Cross. Nope. But... Nah.”

The woman also urged people to only give money to local Haitian groups. The post had more than 5,600 shares by Sunday evening. “4. Lastly, we Haitians are tired. We just want to make it through to tomorrow without another ignorant or sensational headline. Please be respectful of that,” the woman concluded in her post.

Obama asked on Friday for “all Americans to go the American Red Cross and other philanthropic agencies” to give money to help Haiti.

But Haitians have lost trust in the U.S.-based organization after a damning 2015 report by NPR and ProPublica showed how the ARC used more than US$500 million in aid for the 2010 earthquake to build only six of the promised 700 permanent homes.

“The Red Cross says it has provided homes to more than 130,000 people, but the number of permanent homes the charity has built is six,” the June 2015 report said. It also added that its investigation had “found a string of poorly-managed projects, questionable spending and dubious claims of success.”

The hurricane struck Haiti earlier this week and left more than 1,000 people dead, sparked a new cholera outbreak, and devastated the country’s already poor infrastructure.

The question of aid and relief has also placed the Clinton Foundation, co-founded by Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her partner Bill, under the spotlight again for failing to use billions of dollars of aid collected for the country following the 2010 earthquake.

While millions of dollars were spent by the foundation on formaldehyde-riddled trailers distributed by Clayton Homes – a top Clinton campaign donor – much of the US$6 billion that the Clintons pledged for the country have yet to be used, according to the New York Times.

This cartoon sums up the world's response to the hurricane in Haiti

https://www.indy100.com/indy100/article/this-cartoon-sums-up-the-worlds-response-to-the-hurricane-in-haiti-7352436

 Following the Paris terror attacks last year, Facebook gave its users the opportunity to temporarily change their profile pictures with a flag of France filter, and hundreds of thousands of people showed solidarity with the victims by tweeting #IamCharlie.

There was also a safety check feature available, to ensure the safety of family and friends in the area.

Similarly, Facebook offered the same services following the Orlando shooting in Pulse nightclub earlier this year, which killed 49.

However, as people have pointed out, despite the colossal fatalities as well as the homes destroyed and the families who have been separated as a result of the disaster, no such service exists for Haitians. 

This isn't the first time Facebook failed to provide support for a global disaster...

Since 2009 Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram have caused the deaths of some 20,000 people, and in 2014 more than 200 school girls were kidnapped from the town of Chibok. While a few girls managed to escape, the majority remain missing.

There was no Nigerian flag filter available on Facebook either. 

indy100 has contacted Facebook for comment.