12. januar opplevde Haiti et jordskjelv som vi ennå ikke vet helt konsekvensen av - ut over at det er en ufattelig tragedie. Jeg har tidligere skrevet om den internasjonale studentfestivalen ISFIT og at vi to ganger har hatt en student fra Haiti boende hos oss. Siden har vi holdt kontakten med Noel. I dag er dette enkelt via sosiale medier som Facebook.

Det har vært sterkt å følge jordskjelvet sett fra Noels perspektiv. Han er for tiden i USA som Fulbrightstudent.

Noel representerer Haitis framtid og har sterke ønsker om en annen utvikling for landet sitt enn hva dagens politikere har klart å realisere.

I dette blogginnlegget ønsker jeg å referere til noen av Noels kommentarer på Facebook i dagene etter jordskjelvet. Dette er engelske kommentarer – Noels morsmål er fransk. Kommentarene er referert kronologisk.

13.januar:

I can’t join anyboby on the phone in Haiti… Whoever has been able to do so, please keep me posted…

Report from a friend who just tal;ked with people in Haiti: Only Haitel network is available. Collapsed: part of the presidential palace, the new building of Digicel (in Canapa-Vert), a hospital in Carrefour… Please share VERIFIED information guys.

Bad news, bad news, bad news… This is being the longest night in the haitian nation’s whole history… We must expect the worst for tomorrow morning, when the sun rises again over the country… Let’s start planning the future now. After more than two centuries of political, social and economic failure, this shall be… the turning point for us to start the Toussaint Louverture’s true nation building project…with selflessness, honesty, hard work and solidarity.

Thank you guys for your sympathy. I’ve been able to talk with some people in Haiti this morning. But, my brother David is still not answering the phone. I’ll keep you posted. Those of you willing to help, go on the White House website. They just set up a system with the American Red Cross. I’ll also l…et you know abo…ut other means to help as soon as they are put in place.

When History calls, we must be ready. I, you, we just cannot stay away expecting other people to rescue our fellow citizens. This people pay my studies. All I get, all I have come from them. To whom much is given, much is expected. In the midst of this catastrophe, this nation needs its most educated, luckier sons and …daughters. I’m dropping this semester, going back to Haiti rescuing people.

I’m supposed to arrive at Santiago (Dominican Republic) Jan 15th in the morning. I need one of the Haitian student in Madre y Maestra as guide once I’m there. All of you who are not hearing about relatives, send me names, address and phone numbers, I’ll try to inform you once I’m in the country and help as much as I c……an. My parents in Miami are crazying now… still no news about David…

14.januar

We have an urgent need of nurses, doctors, antibiotics, first aid medication, pain killers, water purification tablets, alcohol, etc. Those of you travelling to Haiti, bring some of these items with you. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THERE IS AN URGENT NEED OF NURSES & DOCTORS IN HAITI. PLEASE, ALL HAITIAN NURSES AND DOCTORS ABOARD WHO CAN, DO YOUR BEST TO GO TO HAITI. NOWWWW! BOOK A FLIGHT (jetblue.com) TO SANTO-DOMINGO AND FROM THERE TRAVEL BY BUS TO THE BORDER (JIMANI-MALPASSE). ALSO, BRING FIRST AID ITEMS WITH YOU. DON’T FORGET THOSE HOURS ARE …CRITICAL TO RESCUE PEOPLE UNDER RUBBLES AND SAVE LIVES… NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT. NOT LATER!

THANKS GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just got a text message from him! “Mwen anfom. Mwen pral Senmak maten an.” (I’m fine. I’m going to Saint-Marc this morning.”)

I just got a call from the US department of States:” strongly discourage Fulbrighters yo go back but respecting their”. They say there is a massive international effort already on the ground and the situation is being under control. They ask me to take that into account…

15.januar

The US Department of State ask the Haitian Fulbrighters to delay our plan to go back to Haiti and will organize a retreat for us next week so that we can coordinate our efforts and what we intend to do to help. We are already working on an Information system (webapplication + call center) to gather information, help re…scue teams, volunteers on the ground and help people track their loves one. Please, send advice.

Hi Guys! The American Red Cross has a database to help locate and connect people in Haiti. It’s both in English and French. Please, do use it. We need not spent time to create a new one (we can use our efforts more efficiently). You will also find a list of the most needed items and how to contribute and volunteer.

Drinking water is needed on the ground. People have not drunk water for about 3 days and are dying…Helicopters should drop bottles of water to every part of Port-au-Prince. Please pass the message.

So, so, so many of you are still missing… Who can tell me about my fellow colleagues from the Haitian Central Bank (BRH). WHere is Ronald Rodrigue (the singer)? where are all of you my friends?…

The poet once said: “One person is missing and the whole world seems depopulated.” (“Un seul nous manque et tout est dépeuplé.”, Alphonse de Lamartine). And now, so many of you are missing…

Make sure you make your donation for Haiti through a good organization. The American Red Cross is collecting money (not items) on its website. And again folks, instead of buying items yourselves to donate them, it’s better to give the money. The organization will get the items in neighbouring countries.

16.januar

We have to take our responsibility as Haitians but I don’t need Preval, Aristide and all the other like people, corrupted and rogue politicians to jeopardize the effort on the ground right now. Let the US and other countries who are leading the effort coordinate for now. We don’t need any FALSE PRIDE from the same rogu…es who for more than 2 centuries jeopardize our national project. Stop lying to ourselves!!!

To understand how huge the losses are for the country: Ronald Rodrigue is still missing with high probability of being dead. He is the Haitian Central Bank Expert on disaster recovery. Just before I left to USA for my studies last July, I was working with him on reviewing the Central Bank risk analysis and rapid recove…ry plan in case of major disaster. He was the one who trained me in the field…

Put political differences, hatred aside. It doesn’t matter that you don’t like this or that President. They are helping Haiti. The American people and government, as well as other people and government, are heavily mobilized for my country. And I thank them for that. Please donate.

Jeg tror at disse kommentarene ikke trenger flere refleksjoner fra meg. Til tross for den ufattelige tragedien så ser jeg også muligheter for en bedre framtid for dette spennende landet. Jeg håper at Noel blir en av framtidens ledere.

Nå blir jobben vår å bidra med penger.