Aid reaches Haiti by land via Dominican Republic

Aid expected to reach Haiti by land via Dominican Republic

By WSJ Staff

Aid began pouring into Haiti Friday not only by plane, but by truck across the border from the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican border town of Jimani bustled as David Gazashvili, CARE’s head of emergency response, and a team of CARE staff crossed in the early morning on their way to Port-au-Prince.

A couple dozen trucks lined up on the side of the road, about a kilometer outside the border on the Dominican side. Pickups were filled with young men in orange-colored “Defensa Civil” t-shirts. Nearby four more trucks carried huge water tanks, some of which bore the words “Agua Gratis” – or free water.

The people in those trucks, who said they were from Corraasan, a local water provider from the Dominican city of Santiago said that they’d arrived the day before, but were still waiting for the okay to proceed.

Dominican Republic border authorities required those lined up to cross into Haiti passports and disembarkation forms before passing, looking them over and letting people through in an organized fashion.

But on the other side of the border, there appeared to be no Haitian or UN presence. All that was there was an unmanned, blue-painted, swinging gate. The CARE group passed a group of about 50 men on the Haitian side who were milling about.

The group encountered little traffic driving the remaining 60 kilometers through rural Haiti into Port-Au-Prince. Two ambulances from the Dominican Republic rushed by in the opposite direction with their lights flashing and horns blaring. About 10 kilometers outside the capital, roads became increasingly clogged with traffic. Many trucks and pickups, filled with Haitians, were heading north out of the capital. Many of the trucks were painted with signs that read “God Bless You.” One read “Merci.”

Haitian policemen with rifles directed traffic at one intersection.

The group saw little damage until a few kilometers outside Port-au-Prince. In the town of Croix des Bouquets about 10 kilometers north of the city, they saw only two collapsed buildings.
As the group drove up a hill toward CARE’s headquarters, a walled compound in the Petionville area of Port-au-Prince, a man yelled out “We need help!”

CARE’s headquarters were undamaged. But damage was extensive in the southern part of the city. People were trying to get into demolished buildings, and one emerged from a collapsed building with a TV.

Scores of tent cities were forming in squares and parks next to collapsed buildings, created out of blue, green and white plastic sheets. Some had pitched red and gray Coleman tents. There was a large tent city opposite the airport.

Most stores were closed, but street vendors were selling soft drinks. One had cigarettes, candy and bottled champagne.

Aid began pouring into Haiti Friday not only by plane, but by truck across the border from the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican border town of Jimani bustled as David Gazashvili, CARE’s head of emergency response, and a team of CARE staff crossed in the early morning on their way to Port-au-Prince.

A couple dozen trucks lined up on the side of the road, about a kilometer outside the border on the Dominican side. Pickups were filled with young men in orange-colored “Defensa Civil” t-shirts. Nearby four more trucks carried huge water tanks, some of which bore the words “Agua Gratis” – or free water.

The people in those trucks, who said they were from Corraasan, a local water provider from the Dominican city of Santiago said that they’d arrived the day before, but were still waiting for the okay to proceed.

Dominican Republic border authorities required those lined up to cross into Haiti passports and disembarkation forms before passing, looking them over and letting people through in an organized fashion.

But on the other side of the border, there appeared to be no Haitian or UN presence. All that was there was an unmanned, blue-painted, swinging gate. The CARE group passed a group of about 50 men on the Haitian side who were milling about.

The group encountered little traffic driving the remaining 60 kilometers through rural Haiti into Port-Au-Prince. Two ambulances from the Dominican Republic rushed by in the opposite direction with their lights flashing and horns blaring. About 10 kilometers outside the capital, roads became increasingly clogged with traffic. Many trucks and pickups, filled with Haitians, were heading north out of the capital. Many of the trucks were painted with signs that read “God Bless You.” One read “Merci.”

Haitian policemen with rifles directed traffic at one intersection.

The group saw little damage until a few kilometers outside Port-au-Prince. In the town of Croix des Bouquets about 10 kilometers north of the city, they saw only two collapsed buildings.

As the group drove up a hill toward CARE’s headquarters, a walled compound in the Petionville area of Port-au-Prince, a man yelled out “We need help!”

CARE’s headquarters were undamaged. But damage was extensive in the southern part of the city. People were trying to get into demolished buildings, and one emerged from a collapsed building with a TV.

Scores of tent cities were forming in squares and parks next to collapsed buildings, created out of blue, green and white plastic sheets. Some had pitched red and gray Coleman tents. There was a large tent city opposite the airport.

Most stores were closed, but street vendors were selling soft drinks. One had cigarettes, candy and bottled champagne.

–Mike Esterl

Donate to Real Medicine Relief Efforts