IN SOLIDARITY WITH HAITI News on SOLIDAR Members Activities in Support of Haiti - 2 March 2010 Assemblea de Cooperacion Por la Paz (ACPP) & Solidaridad Internacional (SI) ACPP and SI are coordinating relief action in Jacmel (South East, the second most affected city in the country but isolated from humanitarian aid) with their Haitian NGO partner CROSE (Coordination Régionale des Organisations du Sud-Est) which has mobilized more than 200 volunteers and ATEPASE. They bring assistance in 3 refugee camps, and also to distressed families and vulnerable people in the streets (reaching about 180 people a day). Their current operations focuses on primary emergency action: water, basic medical equipment, blankets, tents, hygiene kits, cooking kits, etc. All supplies are being sent from Dominican Republic, either by road and boats. They are working in coordination with other humanitarian actors on the field through the Comité de Coordination which is functioning well in the South-East region of Haiti. The WFP and the Dominican military services are providing logistical support (space, transport ) to their action. Until last week ACPP and SI have been sending humanitarian aid from Pedernales (Dominican Republic) to Jacmel in boats that were put at their disposal by the Dominican Navy. The load was bought in Santo Domingo by ACPP staff, carried to Pedernales in trucks and loaded into the boats. Nearly 65 tons have been carried this way. A coordination committee was built up in Pedernales to manage the operations, in which the permanent ACPP staff located in Pedernales actively participates. Last week, when the Dominican Navy decided to get their boats out of Pedernales, ACPP and SI investigated the possibility of carrying the load by road to Jacmel. The first truck left Santo Domingo on 24th February by courtesy of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). 25 tons of food, personal hygiene kits, blankets, kitchen kits and 1.000 torches were loaded in two trucks that drove for about 20 hours via Jimaní and Port-au- Prince, which reached Jacmel the next morning, 25 Feb. Below are two updated charts of the humanitarian aid sent to Haiti by ACPP and SI (Table 1) and what has been distributed in the camps up to 23 February: Humanitarian Aid sent to Haiti up to February 25 weight in tons EUROS Water 6,09 5.156,15 Personal hygiene kits 35,9442857 108.606,03 Medicins and medical supplies 13,02 72.341,14 Mosquito nets and blankets 5,055 45.876,41 Kitchen kits 6,89 99.380,16 Torches 13.456,00 Food 24,727 Cash 12.249,97 Management and transport 17.137,03 expenses TOTAL 91,7287857 374.202,90 1
Humanitarian Aid Distribution in Jacmel and surroundings up to February 23 Medicines and medical supplies have been distributed and used in three health care stations in the three refugee camps run by CROSE (Siloé, Loge Maçonnique and Wolf) according to medical criteria. WATER (liters) HIGIENE KITS (2) KITCHEN KITS WASHING POWDER (sacks) 8.605 4.170 213 649 DETERGENTE DISINFECTANT BLEACH MOSQUITO BLANKETS (bottles) (Liters) (bottles) NETS 408 2,119,600 123 2.008 1.796 (2) Hygiene kits' composition: 1 container for water, 1 toothbrush, 1 tube of toothpaste, 1 deodorant, 1 pack of sanitary towels and 4 bars of soap. ACPP and SI are continuing their emergency relief support, and are starting to prepare and plan for a rehabilitation action in house reconstruction. ACPP and SI have worked together with SOLIDAR member Völkshilfe Austria and submitted a proposal Neighbour in Need which was successfully approved. ACPP, SI and Völkshilfe are planning to submit another proposal of about 100.000. Moreover, ACPP and SI are planning to apply together to ECHO for funds to support a project in shelter provision. Both ACPP and SI have permanent staff on the field in Haiti and in Dominican Republic (local contacts below). The contact persons in charge in Spain are Aida Sanz (caribe@acpp.com) and Javier Garcia (jgarcia@solidaridad.org). Movimiento por la Paz (MPDL) MPDL s staff in the Dominican Republic are working in coordination with international institutions and local partner NGO CEDESO in Santo, Croix des Bouquets Municipality, West department, 20km from Port-au-Prince. They are distributing basic goods, including food aid to over 600 victims affected by the earthquake, and providing medical and psychological support to over 110 families. The aim of the project entitled Emergency Health Care to Santos, Croix-des-Bouquets, Ouest Department, Haiti is to cover the basic needs of the earthquake victims by improving emergency health care and food security situation in the Haitian community of Santos, where more than 2.410 families that are housed in provisional shelters and lacking minimal sanitary conditions. The project focuses on helping the families who lost their homes or close relatives in the crisis, as well as the injured or psychologically shocked. The food assistance is transported in shipments from Dominican Republic and distributed in coordination with the Municipality of Croix des Bouquets and civil protection organizations. Medical CEDESO teams are attending people who are still in need of treatment following the earthquake, as well as people exposed to stress factors caused by the earthquake with psychosocial assistance. The project will be implemented until end of April; However it could be extended in terms of time and population served, according to the donations received because the level of needs in this 2
area is still high. MPDL will maintain a close coordination with the Haitian government authorities and civil protection agencies throughout the duration of the project. In parallel, MPDL is carrying a need assessment for the planning of a longer-term intervention in support to the reconstruction effort. More information resulting from their needs assessment study should be available next week. Contact persons are Angel Conde (a.conde@mpdl.org) and Fernando Diaz (americalatina.tec@mpdl.org). Istituto Sindacale di Cooperazione allo Sviluppo (ISCOS) ISCOS, an organisation of the Italian trade union CISL, affiliated to the ITUC, is currently present in Republica Dominicana with its own staff and office, supporting the efforts of the main Dominican trade union, CASC, to provide the Haitian people primary goods such as food, water, medicines and basic shelters. They are working with the Haiti trade unions CTH with whom they already collaborate on co-operation activities. ISCOS believes that the empowerment of the principal trade union of Haiti, CTH, is a fundamental step in the reconstruction of the country. ISCOS s objective is thus to empower and strengthen their partnership with the CTH (Haitian Trade Union) through the setting up of a training program for representatives and workers. The programme would focus on improving the registration of Haitian workers in Haiti and in Dominican Republic, encouraging Haitian construction s workers currently in Dominican Republic to participate in the Haitian reconstruction, the promotion of Decent Work, as well as supporting the informal sector through skill training and the creation of microenterprises. ISCOS will make a strong reference to their strategy paper during the trade unions summit organized by ITUC to be held on 8-9 April in Santo Domingo. In Italy, ISCOS together with the other main Italian trade unions, CGIL and UIL, and the organization of Italian enterprises, CONFINDUSTRIA, are carrying out a campaign among Italian workers to support the Haitian people: Until July 2010, any Italian worker can give one hour of his/her work to support Haitì s reconstruction and development efforts. Please contact Alessio Adanti (iscosdominicana@gmail.com) in Dominican Republic for more information. Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB) Austria ASB Austria together with their affiliate GEZA organized the sending of medical teams to bring support to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The first phase of their Haiti relief mission, focusing on emergency aid, has been concluded on Feb. 19 th, four weeks after the beginning of their emergency aid mission in Haiti, when ASB medical teams returned to Vienna. During its 28-day-mission, Samaritan Austria s medical team treated more than 2100 patients. On behalf of the local UN Cluster Meeting, the mobile medical team was locating villages, which previously had to get by without any medical care, in the mountain area surrounding the ruined city of Leogane. The team s emergency doctor, assisted by two paramedics, regularly performed open-air surgery. Abscesses, necrosis, amputations, infectious diseases, fractures and malnutrition were treated. With a total of ten persons, Samaritan Austria had dispatched one of the largest mission teams of any Austrian NGO to Haiti. Four team members were deployed by Samaritan Slovakia 3
(ASSR), who had been cooperating with Samaritan Austria in the field of emergency aid for several years. ASB Austria is now preparing to bring support in rebuilding and repairing essential infrastructures in Haiti. The on-site mission team already explored future project sites in Haiti. For more info contact Karola Foltyn-Binder (karola.foltyn-binder@samariterbund.net) and Wolfgang Wedan (Wolfgang.wedan@samariterbund.net). Arbeiter Samariter Bund (ASB) Germany ASB Germany has set up an immediate relief intervention coordinated by ASB-programme manager Wolfgang Gressmann. On 29 January 2010, 1 MT of food has been distributed in a child hospital in Fondwa (10 km east of Leogane). This activity has been carried out in close cooperation with LandsAid. Further food deliveries will follow over the next days. 8,5 MT of hygiene kits from the ASB-stock in Germany have been transported to Port au Prince and will be distributed over the week-end. This will be done together with ADRA. The medical team, consisting of four experienced staff from ASB branches and HQ, is working in a hospital in Fond Parisien (border area Haiti/Dom Rep). They brought with them an Emergency Health Kit (treatment for 10,000 persons over a period of three months) as well as surgical material worth 50,000 EUR. For more details contact Edith Wallmeier (e.wallmeier@asb-online.de) Solidarité Laique Solidarité Laique has released a call for funds to support their partners in Haiti with whom they have been working on education and development projects. They have already transferred funds to one of their partners to provide shelter, food and clothes to the youth victims of their education centres. The president of their partner association has been appointed Minister for Youth in Haiti. They are planning a rehabilitation project for public schools in Port au Prince, as well as a project to assist street children. Roland Biache is the contact person (rbiache@solidarite-laique.asso.fr). Progetto Sud (UIL - Istituto di Cooperazione per i Paesi in Via di Sviluppo) Progetto Sud is also present in the Dominican Republic and has sent an expert delegation to Santo Domingo to undertake relief action in support to the Haitians. We shall be able to tell you more about their activities in Haiti by next week. Contact Barbara for information: prosud@uil.it. SOLIDAR Haiti Solidarity Fund The SOLIDAR Secretariat opened a separate bank account to collect contributions in support of Haiti. The initiative of launching the Haiti Solidarity Fund has made it possible for SOLIDAR to centralize the collection of fund raising efforts related to the Haiti crisis of its members and partners, in order to support the work of SOLIDAR member organisations who provide assistance to the victims of the Haiti 13 January earthquake on the field. SOLIDAR member Norvegian People s Aid (NPA) approached the trade union organizations affiliated to the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO-Norway) for grants in support to the earthquake victims in Haiti. NPA intends to take advantage of the SOLIDAR structure to ensure that funds received are used effectively in the best way possible. 290,000 EUR have 4
been collected so far to support a rehabilitation effort in Haiti. NPA also encouraged other parts of the labour movement to fundraise namely: the Norwegian Labour Party, The Socialist Left Party of Norway, the Norwegian Labour Youth and the Socialist Youth League of Norway. ARCI, our Belgian members FOS and and our Luxemburg affiliate Solidarité Syndicale Luxembourg are organizing a fund collection to contribute to the SOLIDAR Haiti fund. Solidarité Syndicale Luxembourg has already transfered 15,000 EUR to the SOLIDAR Haiti fund. ARCI/ARCS has collected 5,000 EUR, FOS has collected 30,000 EUR. Donations through FOS and SolSoc (for SOLIDAR in Haiti) are tax deductible. The Swiss Trade Union Confederation, through our member Swiss Labour Assistance will also be putting the funds that they collect into the SOLIDAR Haiti account, through the SLA online collection system. 2,500 EUR have been collected so far. The PES, as well as the FGTB, the IUSY (International Union of the Socialist Youth), the Global Progressive Forum (GPF) and the Belgian Mutualité Socialiste have launched a call to activists and partners, asking them to direct their donations in support to Haiti to SOLIDAR. The PES is also aiming to make a 5,000 EUR contribution to SOLIDAR Haiti Solidarity Fund. SOLIDAR, in partnership with the European Socialist Youth and its Belgian member Solidarité Socialiste is organizing a fund raiser event in Brussels on 5 th March 2010 evening at the café La Maison du Peuple in Saint Gilles. All proceeds will go to the SOLIDAR Haiti Fund. SOLIDAR and its members are concerned that guidelines and criteria are developed to guide the fund in an appropriate way and that legal aspects are taken care of. It is also SOLIDAR s intend to encourage cooperation between its members working in development and humanitarian aid through the use of the SOLIDAR Haiti Solidarity Fund. The guidelines were approved by SOLIDAR Board on 4 th February. More information on guidelines, criteria, procedures and the timeline will follow in the coming days. Other funding opportunities for action in Haiti Solidarité Syndicale Luxembourg is informing SOLIDAR members that they have an opportunity to access funds to support relief action on the ground from the Luxemburg Ministry. Please get in touch with Armand Drews (drewsa@pt.lu) asap. 5
Volskhilfe Austria are already cooperating with SI and ACPP. Together they have submitted a proposal Neighbour in Need which has just been approved and an amount of 126.300 will be made available to SI and ACPP for their emergency and relief action in Haiti. They are planning to submit another proposal of about 100.000 to Neighbour in Need on 9th February. You can contact Gundi Dick (gundi.dick@volkshilfe.at) for more details. The Swiss Labour Assistance will not intervene directly in Haiti but they have launched an appeal for donations, which will be transferred to SOLIDAR members or to Swiss Solidarity. SLA also wishes to inform interested SOLIDAR members that one of their main funders Swiss Solidarity has released a Humanitarian call for Haiti (20% self-contribution requested). For more info contact Zoltan Doka (zoltan.doka@sah.ch) Our Australian affiliates Union Aid Abroad APHEDA is also having a small appeal amongst Australian unions and individual donors. They will be sending any funds raised to the Canadian Auto Workers Social Justice Fund who have worked in Haiti for many years with the unions and worker-based NGOs. For more info contact Peter pjennings@apheda.org.au. Contacts on the field ACPP expatriate staff in Haiti: Hernan Badenas and Alexander Konezer. -Mobile phone (satellite): 0059384978335 -Email: haiti@acpp.com -Skype: Alexander username: pepess80 Hernan username: hernan.badenas SI staff in Haiti: Egido Sanz and Jose Antonio Plaza. -Cell phone: 00509 368 691, 00509 36785677 -Email: haiti.dominicana@solidaridad.org ISCOS in Dominican Republic Alessio Adanti Director de proyecto "Una Isla para ti" Av. Altagracia 91 2.do Nivel; Higüey, República Dominicana Tel/fax (+01) 809 554-4165 Cel.(+01) 829 340 6985 Email: iscosdominicana@gmail.com Skype: iscosdominicana CROSE Gerald Mathurin, Coordinador General + 509 38148717. Email gemathht@yahoo.fr CROSE Bureau + 509 24067163; Email: crosebepp@yahoo.fr CROSE Pitchon Espady, Coordinateur Programmes 509 377 56913; Email: agropitctchon@yahoo.fr Advocacy initiatives for Haiti Read Eurodad s report on Haiti s debt burden (February 2010) 6
Send a letter to your Finance Minister opposing the IMF s increase in current lending for emergency assistance in Haiti Download the Eurodad and JDC statement CNCD (Belgian NGO platform) petition to denounce the recent IMF loan to Haiti Other online petitions on Haiti On the side of the EU Baroness Ashton, Europe's foreign policy chief, will fly to Haiti on Wednesday 3 rd March two months after the earthquake following criticism over her failure to visit the scene of the devastation. On Tuesday 2 nd March, during a briefing on EU efforts to help the Chilean earthquake effort, she said Haiti should not be forgotten: ''There is still massive work waiting for us (in Haiti). A real Marshall Plan is needed. That is why it is now the right moment to go to Haiti. The airport is open again and high-level visits are not taking up valuable air space and resources [ ] Now is the time for real political engagement about the future of Haiti and my visit will feed into the forthcoming New York conference (on Haiti aid pledges) at the end of this month''. Baroness Ashton will meet the Haitian president and prime minister to talk about the EUresponse so far and to get a feel of what they may need from the EU in the longer term. Meanwhile the new EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Kristalina Georgieva, who is already in Haiti ''assessing the situation on the ground'', is preparing to travel on to the Chilean earthquake region. Photos ACPP Aid sent from Pedernales (Rep. Dominicana) to Jacmel (Haití) 7
aid ACPP Distribution of humanitarian aid ACPP This is one of the personal hygiene kits sent by ACPP. They sent at least 20 tons of these necessities ACPP Distribution of humanitarian aid 8
ASB Austria Emergency medical assistance ASB Austria Emergency medical assistance Solidaridad Internacional Distribution of humanitarian aid 9
Solidaridad Internacional Distribution of humanitarian aid 10