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U.S. Withholds Loans in Water-Starved Haiti

picasaweb / gohaitimission

Haiti, where only 30 percent of the population has reliable access to potable water, was the site of a 2004 U.S.-backed rebellion that ousted the nation’s president.

The U.S. is under heavy criticism by human rights groups for withholding funds for clean water projects in Haiti as leverage for U.S.-led political reform in the country. A total of $54 million in loans to Haitians—70 percent of whom already lack daily access to potable water—is being delayed.

The New York Times:

An array of human rights groups has strongly criticized the United States government, saying it withheld money meant to provide clean drinking water to Haiti as leverage for political change in the country.

The activists, in a report released Monday, called the delay of $54 million in international loans to the Haitian government “one of the most egregious examples of malfeasance by the United States in recent years.”

The loans from the Inter-American Development Bank were intended to revamp the water and sanitation systems in Les Cayes and Port-de-Paix, two Haitian towns in dire need of the money to improve their infrastructure. Nearly 70 percent of Haitians lack regular and direct access to potable water, experts say. The lack of clean water contributes to intestinal parasites and amoebic dysentery.

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TAGS: capitalism debt dependency haiti iadb imf imperialism politics potable water poverty trade water world bank wtf

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By stevelaudig, June 26, 2008 at 7:03 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

The U.S. has invaded Haiti more than any other country. So we are seeing the results of it.

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By yours truly, June 26, 2008 at 1:57 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Our Government Considers Ideology More Important Than The Lives Of Haitians

“Based on?”

“The number of Haitians who, because our government is withholding funds for clean water projects, are going to die for lack of potable water.”

“How can we get a government that puts life before ideology?”

“We elect a president who’ll end the Iraq War, negotiate with Iran plus turning things around here at home.”

“And then what sort of world?”

“It’ll be up to us.”

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By jackpine savage, June 25, 2008 at 6:42 pm #

Will their come a day when some other nation (or block of them) starts treating us this way? What will China want us to do in order to forgive the debt?

Long live the Empire…nobody’s ready for what comes next.

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By cyrena, June 25, 2008 at 6:27 pm #

Shepard,

If you weren’t such a moron, you’d know that’s exactly what many people HAVE been doing…giving up their time and money to go over there to help.

Did you not read that first paragraph? Here it is again..

“..The U.S. is under heavy criticism by human rights groups for withholding funds for clean water projects in Haiti as leverage for U.S.-led political reform in the country…”

HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS spend their time and money trying to help.

Here’s more.

“The ACTIVISTS, in a report released Monday, called the delay of $54 million in international loans to the Haitian government one of the most egregious examples of malfeasance by the United States in recent years.

The money (LOANS) are set up to be provided by the Inter-American Development Bank. We call that HELPING to arrange for these most basic of human rights…clean potable drinking water.

Now help us understand why the Dick Bush Thugs have GIVEN $5.6 BILLION of US taxpayer funds, (not international loans, but US taxpayer money) to Pakistan, and are holding up $54 million in International LOANS for drinking water.

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By De Niece, June 25, 2008 at 3:55 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

The entire nation and its people suffer while the BOAIB* continues.

*Hoover’s motto

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By Gregg Gordon, June 25, 2008 at 2:53 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

The last line of the Times story can hardly be improved on:

“A Treasury Department spokeswoman, Brookly McLaughlin, said on Friday that she had not yet seen a copy of the report but that the United States government and other international agencies had played a major financial role in the development of Haiti.”

Exactly so.

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