Red Cross rallies round for Haiti refugees

2 March 2004
by Eva M. Calvo

“The situation in Haiti is very volatile and uncertain now. We hope that the situation calms down a little so that humanitarian needs can be met and the Red Cross can fulfil its mandate,” said Santiago Gil, head of the International Federation’s Americas department.

He was speaking amid continuing uncertainty surrounding the future of Haiti, following the resignation and departure of the president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who fled his country after a rebellion that has claimed more than 100 lives and left the country in turmoil.

The Federation’s focus is primarily on refugees leaving Haiti, but the organization is also concerned at the plight of those inside the country. In its continuing efforts to support the Haitian National Red Cross Society, it has already released 60,000 Swiss francs from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund, which have been used for an initial assessment of needs and planning for a response.

Relief items are already being pre-positioned in the region. Additional supplies are available at the Federation’s Pan-American Disaster Response Unit in Panama.

Hundreds of Haitian Red Cross workers and volunteers, working under very difficult circumstances, have been mobilised to provide life-saving first aid, run an ambulance service in the capital, Port-au-Prince and other regions, and distribute humanitarian goods to victims of the confrontations.

“Taking into account the security situation, it is difficult to assess the needs. But clearly there are fears of food shortages, electricity outages, lack of clean water and failing public services, particularly health care,” said Hanna Mollan, Federation delegate for Haiti, now in Santo Domingo.

Since the main humanitarian agencies have referred in recent days to a potential exodus of Haitians to neighbouring countries, the Red Cross in the region has been pre-positioning humanitarian goods and focusing its efforts on contingency planning in those countries where population influxes are expected.

The United Nations Refugee agency states that some 400 Haitians have fled to the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Cuba since the unrest began in early February. In addition, some 500 Haitians migrants had reportedly been intercepted by US coastguards.

The Dominican Republic Red Cross has made a commitment to provide direct support to the Haitian Red Cross in the area of provision of medicines, ambulances and food. The border branches of Jimani, Dajabon, Pedernales and Elias Piñas have volunteers ready to support. Work has begun in the Dominican Red Cross on the installation of radio networks in branches along the border to facilitate communication.

More than 100 Haitians have reached Jamaica, and the Red Cross there has accommodated them in a shelter in Portland and provided them with food, thanks to donations from the private sector, and hygiene kits. It is planned to move the people to shelters in Saint James and the Jamaican Red Cross, which is coordinating closely with the government’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, has been requested to ensure shelter management.

Finally, the Cuban Red Cross is assisting displaced people in camps run by the Cuban government in Punta de Maisi, with UNHCR support.

The Federation’s two delegates in Haiti, together with the French Red Cross and Netherlands Red Cross delegates, were relocated to Santo Domingo on 26 February in view of the growing insecurity. They all are now ready to come back and support the Haiti Red Cross, once the situation improves.

A Federation water and sanitation/ relief delegate was part of an ICRC team mission in the city of Gonaïves where access to potable water is reportedly becoming a major problem, as stocks of fuel run short.

The Spanish Red Cross has donated 30,000 euros from its emergency funds and sent telecommunication equipment to support the activities of the Haitian Red Cross inside the country, while the French Red Cross is sending seven ambulances to support its medical activities.

The Federation is coordinating its activities with the ICRC and National Societies active in Haiti, but the Federation is also stepping up coordination efforts with international organizations based in Port-au-Prince, Santo Domingo and Geneva.