Subscribe to RSSAnger at rubble and remains by Haiti roadside
Haiti – Yesterday I was wandering around the Cite Soleil neighborhood again. But this time I kept going farther out of town. Just after passing the last camps and slums one will find the “country side”, a treeless grassy land standing between the sea and the inner land hills.
The deep blue sea jumps out of the landscape and reminds me that unlike my new friends here, I will get to leave this place soon.
Trust me, we are very far from the all-inclusive hotels of the Dominican Republic. No tourists are suntanning; instead, I see skinny cows chewing under the burning sun,
Haitian “cowboys” trying to get them to move.
You can see the odd wanderer looking for building material, or scrap metal, like the scavenger in blue (above).
A soldier had told Nadine (the director of the Inside Disaster documentary) that “since the government has started to clean the city of its rubble, the trucks have been unloading near the slums and on the roads just outside of town”. Today, I wanted to find out if this was true.
Unfortunately, it was. Even though there are designated spots to drop-off the trash, rubble, and human remains where they bury with them with backhoes, I can see kilometers of road side covered with piles of rubble and flesh.
Even with the dusty winds crossing the valley, the smell of rotting bodies will grab your throat.
The people from the city’s slums who are used to go through piles of garbage to survive don’t stop to notice the bodies. But for others, like Fanel Milfran, it is an outrage.
Fanel doesn’t understand how the government can let its truck drivers pollute the road ways with rubble full of human remains. To him this is a huge disrespect for the public and the inhabitants of the area. If this keeps going, the valley will become a waste land. Since the drivers work for the government, Fanel can’t do much but try to yell at them and ask them to stop.
He hopes they will clean up this mess one day.
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12 Comments
2010-02-01
13:10:07
This is so shocking!
2010-02-01
13:31:38
Oui en effet ces photos sont très belles et terriblement choquantes.
Plein de courage pour tes dernières heures en Haiti. Tu auras fait un boulot inoubliable, chapeau
Mylène
2010-02-01
14:50:37
This blog details daily happenings in Haiti that are deeply moving and personal. Thank you, Nico, for your hard work of keeping me informed on both the heroics and the horrors of events in Haiti.
2010-02-01
16:32:20
Nico
Thanks to you and your team for your work. Please pass my admiration on to them.
I address you because a friend of yours introduced me to your blog. I particularly want to encourage you all to keep on with your work.
I have been a print reporter for 45 years and I hope you don't mind my saying your work is clean, simple and direct. I like your man-on-the-street approach and the blend of text and photos. Just what we need to bridge the gap between our lives and theirs. We donate to varous organizations out of faith that it will help. Your blog shows Haiti's need and our potential to help.
Bill
2010-02-01
17:04:31
C'est vraiment très choquant et ceci démontre s'il le fallait encore la gravité sans précédent de cette catastrophe. Personne ne pouvais imaginé un telle drame et ils sont bien démunis et impuissant pour trouver des solutions acceptables et rapides.
2010-02-02
07:08:28
Whiew! i can't imagine what happening for those officials in haiti to think about this situational cases. how shocking! its so sad that they have no respect in a victim of this scenario especially dead who dump thier bodies like an isolated.... thanks nico. hopefully, haiti governemnt can establish proper dsimination of dead bodies with some respect not because they are dead but becasue a victim with respect even they died... regards...
mizael
philippines
2010-02-13
00:53:52
Like Fanel, I believe this is an outrage and the Haitian "powers" need to have some more compassion for their fellow citizens, following this disaster. This is simply a case where "humanity" is stifled and suffocating for survival. This has been going on too long, from the Papadoc and Babydoc era, to now. Enough is enough. As Caribbean (CARICOM) nationals we denounce this activity immensely. Please, treat our black brothers and sisters better. The WHOLE WORLD is watching.
2010-02-17
14:52:17
so sadd
2010-02-17
15:01:08
i think everyone should donate.
2010-02-17
15:06:38
Im so sorry :(
2010-02-17
15:07:38
these pictures are so sad I hope everyone donates so people in Haiti don't have to live like this seeing dead people everywhere :(
2010-02-17
15:16:43
hopfully they can start dumping somwere else