March 12 2010
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Chile earthquake: Dramatic eyewitness report

 

Chile earthquake: A personal account from Santiago
Fiona Scott 
I was in my sister’s one-bedroom central Santiago apartment when the earthquake hit Chile at 3.34am on Saturday morning. We were awake as soon as the small loft apartment began to shake but, accustomed to the weak tremors often felt in Chile, I was calm at first. 
However, as the quake began to crescendo into something far different to what we had ever felt before, I began to panic. The sound of glass shattering, car alarms sounding and women screaming overwhelmed our groggy senses. All we could think was 35th floor.
Our parents were on the 35th floor of one of the tallest buildings in Santiago. I remember reassuring my sister, telling her they would be fine, that the building was strong – but I don’t think I was sure of anything at that point.
We didn’t get out of the bed we were sharing until the intense jolting finally stopped. We quickly felt our way out of the darkness grabbing shoes, phones, keys and our beloved old cat as we fled the apartment and made our way out onto the street.
Outside the building we were joined by other scared and dishevelled neighbours. I stood near the open window of a car that had its radio blaring as the first frenzied reports came through. Phone communication was impossible at that point – but after some time, perhaps 40 minutes later, a text message came through from my father telling us they were out on the street and fine.
We later learnt that my parents had been sure their numbers were up when the quake hit. As their room began to shudder they managed to roll out of bed and onto the floor. Seconds later the bed shot through into the living room and the headboard crashed to the floor as the building began to sway and shake violently. 
They were able to make it down the thirty-five flights of stairs once the worst of the movement had stopped. Reunited within several hours, we were some of the lucky ones. Over the weekend we yo-yoed between feelings of relief that we were safe and horror as the catastrophe began to unfold elsewhere in the country.
Other regions of Chile, particularly further south and on the coast, have been devastated beyond belief. More than half a million people have lost their homes. The death toll is in the seven hundreds and rising. Many people are still anxiously awaiting news from family and friends while armed looters now add to the terror that is already being felt by many. The live testimonies from survivors, constantly being aired across local radio stations, give a voice to the tragedy.
Aftershocks continue and millions of people in the most effected areas are still desperate for basic necessities. Rescue and aid efforts, and the maintenance of order must come first, followed by the process of rebuilding this shaken country. Chile is a humble nation, reserved, modest – but also quietly strong and inherently proud. This country will no doubt rise to such an undeserved challenge and continue to flourish again. But it will take time. 

Fiona Scott - in Santiago, Chile

Aftermath of the disasterAftermath of the disasterI was in my sister’s one-bedroom central Santiago apartment when the earthquake hit Chile at 3.34 on Saturday morning. We were awake as soon as the small loft apartment began to shake but, accustomed to the weak tremors often felt in Chile, I was calm at first.

submitted by Editor on March 2nd 2010

Sign petition to demand the West cancels Haiti's 'debts'

 

Ben Wikler
Despite the earthquake, Haiti owes crushing payments for "dictator debt" run up years ago. Sign the petition to cancel Haiti's debt, and Avaaz and partners will deliver it to the IMF and key finance ministers next week. 
It's shocking: even as aid flows in to Haiti's desperate communities, money is flowing out to pay off the country's crushing debt - more than $1 billion in unfair debt racked up years ago by unscrupulous lenders and governments.
The call for full cancelation of Haiti's debt is building up steam across the world, and has won over some leaders - but other rich lender countries are rumoured to be resisting. And time is short: G7 finance ministers could reach a final decision next week at their summit in Canada. 
Let's raise a massive global call for justice, mercy and commonsense for the people of Haiti in this hour of tragedy. Avaaz and partners will deliver the call for debt relief directly to the summit - click below to sign the petition, and then pass email it to friends: 
http://www.avaaz.org/en/haiti_cancel_the_debt_13/?vl 
Even before the earthquake, Haiti was one of the world's poorest countries. After Haitian slaves rose up and won their independence in 1804, France demanded billions in reparations - launching a spiral of poverty and unjust debt that has lasted two centuries. 
In recent years, the tremendous worldwide campaign for debt relief has awoken the world's conscience. And in the last few days, under mounting public pressure, lenders have begun to say the right things about erasing Haiti's still-devastating debt burden.
But the devil is in the details. After the 2004 tsunami, the IMF announced relief from debt payments for stricken countries - but the underlying debt went right on growing. Once public attention had faded, the debt payments were bigger than ever.
It's time to cancel Haiti's debt fully and without conditions and ensure that earthquake aid is made with grants, not loans. A victory now will change lives in Haiti even after the world's attention has moved on. 
As we watch the images on our televisions and computers, it's hard not to be overwhelmed. And the history of rich countries' relations with Haiti is dark indeed. 
But, at moments like this, one can bring transformation. Across the world, ordinary people have generously donated money and much-needed materials to save lives in Haiti - indeed, Avaaz members have given more than $1 million in the last 10 days. But we also need to raise our voices as global citizens, to address the man-made tragedies that left our brothers and sisters in Haiti so vulnerable to natural crises.
There is not enough that we can do. But let's all do everything we can.
SOURCES 
"West urged to write-off Haiti's $1bn debt", The Telegraph, 25 January, 2010: 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/haiti/7074099/West-urged-to-write-off-Haitis-1bn-debt.html 
"Haiti: the land where children eat mud" - history of Haiti's debt from The Sunday Times, 17 May 2009 
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6281614.ece 
"To Heal Haiti, Look to History, Not Nature" - Mark Danner in the New York Times, 21 January 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/opinion/22danner.html
UK and France call for debt cancellation, The Guardian, 19 January 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/19/haiti-debts-uk-taiwan-venezuela
IMF Chief Calls for 'Marshall Plan' for Shattered Haiti January 20, 2010
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2010/NEW012010A.htm
ABOUT AVAAZ Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in Ottawa, London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Buenos Aires, and Geneva. Click here to learn more about our largest campaigns. Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Myspace and Bebo pages! You can also follow Avaaz on Twitter!
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To contact Avaaz write to us via the webform at http://www.avaaz.org/en/contact. You can also call us at +1-888-922-8229 (US) or +55 21 2509 0368 (Brazil).

Ben Wikler

Despite the devastating earthquake it has suffered, Haiti owes crushing payments for "dictator debt" run up years ago by its corrupt Western-sponsored leaders. Sign the petition to cancel Haiti's debt and campaigners Avaaz and partners like The-Latest will make sure it's sent to the IMF and key finance ministers next week.

submitted by Newsdesk on February 2nd 2010

Not forsaken or forgotten: Global community responds to Haiti disaster

"To the people of Haiti, we say clearly and with conviction, you will not be forsaken, you will not be forgotten."

submitted by Newsdesk on January 14th 2010
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