OUI-IOHE Blog

January 19, 2010

Dear Friends,

This is the first time that I have had a chance to use the Internet since the earthquake on Tuesday. Please forgive me for my lack of communication; I have been concentrating all my efforts on relief work and in helping families affected by the earthquake.
My personal convictions and resolve in searching for survivors was steadfast throughout the process. When it had been officially confirmed that we had found bodies of the deceased, we had to temporarily stop the search. Below, is a summary of my experience:
After our group efforts in searching for survivors, I began the more arduous task of recovering the bodies from the debris, some of which had been identified.  There were five students from the Faculty of Pedagogy, which included two priests from the Silesian congregation; a bishop, a sister from the St Croix parish, a professor, an engineer, and two gardeners. This morning we learnt that there were other victims who had also been identified.
Since the bodies had decomposed, we had to prepare a kind of vault in the area where there were the botanical gardens. This burial ground will be the mausoleum for the earthquake victims. Bishop Dumas and the congregations from the provinces of Don Bosco and St Croix held a mass at midday for the deceased. For those who could not attend the service, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your families.
I would especially like to thank the students and young volunteers (most of whom have had not entered high school) for their extraordinary courage and in working non-stop for 48 hours in removing debris. It was here beneath this debris that approximately twenty survivors had been rescued. All of this was done with great expertise, despite the fact that many of the volunteers had to risk their lives in the process.
The individuals who tragically died before our very own eyes did so because of a lack of machinery or equipment. This equipment was necessary to remove the beams and the slabs of stone under which many had been trapped.
All the main buildings have been destroyed, including the Museum where an exhibition had been held of the US painter of Haitian descent, notably Jean Michel Basquait. In addition, three apartments that were purposely built for visiting professors who taught at Quisqueya and other recognized Haitian universities, were also damaged beyond repair. So for now, all we can do is to start rebuilding from scratch.
I have no doubts in my mind, however, about our resolve and our ability to achieve our mission. In the meantime, the University of Quisqueya is prepared to help the families affected by the earthquake. The campus on the Harry Truman Boulevard has turned into an emergency crisis centre where 10,000 people from the ‘Eternal City’ have been given shelter. The Gheskio Centres and American doctors are also providing assistance to the injured and sick.
The students who have graduated from the Quisqueya Faculty of Medicine are urged to come and offer help in providing basic medical care and attention. It is our understanding that the area at the entrance where food deliveries are made is safe and that the walls are closed off. This should prevent looting.
The plaza and the Turgeua campus car park have been turned into an emergency relief centre for earthquake victims. As mentioned earlier, we are located near the main reservoir in the central metropolitan area.  It is here that a small water treatment facility is being built. This facility can produce three thousand gallons of water per day. It will eventually provide water supply to city residents and the suburban districts of Turgeau and Debussy. We hope to receive emergency aid from ‘Action Aid’ so that equipment can be brought from the Dominican Republic, i.e. for the installation of the water treatment facility. The Quisqueya students are thus urged to form an academic network of solidarity.
By helping the most vulnerable groups, it has been observed that Haitians themselves have miraculously been able to find the strength and the inspiration to rebuild their own personal lives and to establish a collective space.
There has been no lack of international aid. However, the work that has been done has not been very well-coordinated, so there is great sense of frustration that has been felt by people here. There have been clusters of individuals who have been spontaneously organizing themselves in neighbourhood groups. We should support these groups, so that they can work effectively, whilst channelling aid to help to the most needy.
Finally, I would like to thank all our friends for showing a wonderful sense of solidarity and comradeship. The greatest of challenges, however, lie ahead of us, namely in rebuilding our society. When the kind gestures of solidarity begin to disappear, this will be the moment to encourage Haitians to work in an organized manner with support networks, namely those groups who are not merely motivated by seeking media attention.

Dr. Jachy Lumarque
Rector of the University of  Quisqueya