{"id":8732,"date":"2010-12-06T00:00:05","date_gmt":"2010-12-05T23:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=8732"},"modified":"2010-12-01T16:02:16","modified_gmt":"2010-12-01T15:02:16","slug":"genocide-in-haiti-carelessness-or-malice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2010\/12\/genocide-in-haiti-carelessness-or-malice\/","title":{"rendered":"Genocide in Haiti: Carelessness or Malice?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dollars for Every Haitian with Cholera<\/strong><\/p>\n

The UN and 42 NGOs are asking <\/a>to be paid $607 dollars for every Haitian to be contaminated with cholera.\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\u00a0 The exact numbers are 164 million dollars for 270,000 Haitians to be contaminated.\u00a0 Do the math. There is money in cholera.<\/p>\n

The 270K Haitians estimate comes, not from serious epidemiological information, but a back of the envelope extrapolation from Peru of the 1990\u2019s to Haiti of today by Dr. Jon Andrus<\/a> of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).\u00a0 His explanation follows:<\/p>\n

\u201dTo give some historical context: the cholera epidemic that began in Peru in 1991 spread to some 16 other countries throughout the hemisphere, from Argentina to Canada, with cases even reported in Montreal and New York City. In Peru alone, it produced more than 650,000 cases over six years.<\/p>\n

“At the time, Peru’s population was about two-and-a-half times larger than today’s Haitian population. Extrapolating from Peru’s experience, one might expect upwards of 270,000 cases if Haiti’s epidemic continues for several years, as did Peru’s.\u201d<\/p>\n

In other words, on November 9th, Mr. Andrus of the PAHO divided 650,000 by 2.5 and gave a press conference about it.\u00a0 Mainstream news organizations all over the world copied, without question, the PAHO statement that the world could expect over 270,000 cases of cholera in Haiti.\u00a0 The news reminded no one that PAHO belongs to the UN.\u00a0 Why is the UN so certain that 270,000 Haitians will become infected with cholera?<\/p>\n

The epidemic did later reach other countries, but this expansion could be accounted for by the movements of peoples from the afflicted places.\u00a0 Between 1991 and 1995, there was a single case of cholera in Canada, and it was not fatal.\u00a0 During the same four-year period, there were slightly over 100 cases in the U.S., of which one was fatal.\u00a0 All could be accounted for by travel. Interestingly, although Chile borders Peru, like the U.S., Chile also saw slightly more than 100 cases and only one death.\u00a0 Why did Chile\u2019s outcome differ from those of Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil where many tens of thousands died from 1991-1995.\u00a0Chile was probably spared because of its excellent public health programs and its policy of disallowing NGOs from its territory. Cholera does not spread like the bubonic plague.\u00a0 It is easily controlled.<\/p>\n

Vibrio Cholerae O1 Ogawa Biotype El Tor Calls on Afghanistan and Haiti<\/strong><\/p>\n

The cholera epidemic in Haiti closely resembles two outbreaks that started in Afghanistan in 2005<\/strong><\/a> and 2009<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 In both Haiti and Afghanistan, strain O1 Ogawa El Tor appeared in a place where cholera was virtually unknown, and the outbreaks were quickly blamed on the presumed poor hygiene of the victims and fragile infrastructure of the country.<\/p>\n

In both Haiti and Afghanistan, the infections spread faster than should have been possible. In Afghanistan, the lethal bacteria were found in irrigation ditches and in the wells that were the source of drinking water for most of Kabul\u2019s poorer residents.<\/p>\n

A Spread of Disease that Defies Logic<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

At the beginning of the epidemic in Haiti around the third week of October:<\/p>\n