We, like the rest of the international community, are horrified by the destruction in Japan. Search and rescue teams continue to work around the clock to find missing people while the country deals with emergencies at its nuclear power plants. Just yesterday, the chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission called radiation levels "extremely high." Meanwhile, Japan's citizens must try to pick up the pieces after losing their homes and loved ones.
We know that, however painfully, Japan will rebuild from this horrible tragedy. But that such wreckage can happen in such a rich country is appalling and still somehow shocking. As the international community sends its prayers and turns its attention to the people of Japan, we wanted to readdress the aftermath of a disaster in a country whose economy, political institutions and infrastructure are far more vulnerable: Haiti.
Over a year has gone by since an earthquake hit Haiti in January 2010, and the nation remains in shambles. While Japan ranks third in the world in gross domestic product, Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, exacerbating an already difficult situation.
Over one million people in Haiti are still displaced and live under tents as their only means of shelter. While aid from the international community was vital in the initial relief period, Haiti has yet to make significant inroads in its long-term recovery. Last October, the country experienced an outbreak of cholera, likely caused by problems in hygienic infrastructure and water supply. Further, allegations of fraud and vote-tampering marred December's presidential elections. Protests around the country against the elections turned violent and produced many casualties.
The University responded promptly and decisively to the destruction in Haiti. Just a week after the earthquake, it formed the Brown Haiti Crisis Response Committee that encouraged donations — including a union with Partners in Health — scholarly lectures and disaster relief. Last March, student groups on campus raised $25,000 for Haiti relief. This past fall, Brown committed to increasing "educational partnerships" with groups in Haiti and started the Brown-Haiti Medical Exchange and the Brown Haitian Studies Initiatives.
With another crisis now present, and with all of the commitments the University has made, it is natural to pat ourselves on the back and direct our gaze elsewhere. But Haiti was poor even before the earthquake. We urge University officials to continue to sustain and increase our partnership with the agencies and people of Haiti.
Japan, just like Haiti, will need a long-term recovery plan after the initial relief. Just two weeks after the Haitian earthquake, CNN reported that donations had decreased over 50 percent, and recovery workers noted that "after the initial response, care from outside Haiti has markedly decreased." It will take an extremely long time to rebuild infrastructure in both Haiti and Japan, and thus our community must make a long-term commitment to both.
Ultimately, Brown students continue to devote their energy, time and money to the many international disasters that have occurred in the past decade. The Brown Disaster Relief Group has organized a spring break service trip to Tennessee to work in the aftermath of the storm and flood there last year. Countless Brown students have worked with Habitat for Humanity and other groups to help the Gulf Coast years after Hurricane Katrina. We hope that as the Brown community looks East and offers support to Japan and its people, it will still remember that there is much, much more to be done in Haiti as well.
Editorials are written by The Herald's editorial page board. Send comments to editorials(at)browndailyherald.com.
