Published on January 24, 2010, 8:10 am
Opinion
Eleven days ago the world learnt that Haiti was struck by a magnitude 7 earthquake. Images of rubble and the corrugated iron of former buildings including the presidential palace have been screened relentlessly since then, along with shots of white body bags, possibly containing government ministers who might have perished.

The world has learnt largely through western media that the president survived and is living in the airport, but there has been no sign of him.

The international community has been told that the president is still alive, yet unlike the leaders of other nations whose countries have been devastated by natural disasters, the President of Haiti has made no public appearance to express his grief or to offer gratitude for the global response to his country's plight.

Instead, people around the world are receiving updates concerning the current situation and future plans from former US President, Bill Clinton, under the guise of the UN's representative to Haiti.

The names of ministers who might have perished in the earthquake have not been released, nor have the names of ministers who survived the earthquake. The children of Haiti are being shipped abroad without the people's consent but no one knows who took that decision.

On Saturday, the UN announced that the government of Haiti decided to end all rescue missions, but no- one knows the constitution of the present government and why a government representative did not make this announcement.

People around the world have a right to know what is happening regarding Haiti's governance especially when we are all being encouraged to donate to charities established by Bill Clinton and George W Bush plus those mentioned by Clinton during a recent press conference - UNICEF, World Vision and the Red Cross.

It is unprecedented for a leader not to face the world's press when faced with a national disaster. It is equally unprecedented for the former leader of another nation or the UN to tell the international community which charity to support.


More Reading
Andy Kershaw's commentary "Stop treating these people like savages"
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/andy-; kershaw- stop- treating- these- people- like- savages- 1874218.html

Ben MacIntyre's commentary 'The fault line in Haiti runs straight to France'
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/ben_macintyre/article6995750.ece