Gunsly Milsoit, left, comforts his brother-in-law Leo Pierre after Leo's wife and Gunsly's sister, Milsoit Kelly, who was three months pregnant, died in a four story building collapse from the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Wednesday, January 13. (AP Photo)
New York, January 14 (Agencies): American televangelist Pat Robertson has blamed the devastating earthquake in Haiti on a pact between the impoverished nation's founders and the devil. It is feared that up to 100,000 people may have lost their lives when the magnitude 7.0 earthquake flattened massive areas of the capital Port-au-Prince yesterday.
Speaking on his television program The 700 Club, Robertson said the pact happened "a long time ago in Haiti".
"They were under the heel of the French, you know Napoleon III (sic) and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil," he said. "They said 'We will serve you if you will get us free from the prince.' True story. And so the devil said, 'OK it's a deal'. And they kicked the French out." Robertson said after the pact, the Haitians "revolted and got something – themselves free. "But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after another," he said. Haiti won its independence from France in 1804 after a slave rebellion. Robertson said the curse was evident when Haiti was contrasted with its neighbour, the Dominican Republic. "That island of Hispaniola is one island. It is cut down the middle – on the one side is Haiti, on the other is the Dominican Republic," he said.
"Dominican Republic is prosperous, healthy, full of resorts, etc. Haiti is in desperate poverty. Same island. They need to have, and we need to pray for them, a great turning to God and out of this tragedy I'm optimistic something good may come.
"But right now we are helping the suffering people and the suffering is unimaginable." Robertson's outspoken comments have caused controversy in the past. He was widely criticised for his 2005 call for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's assassination. He also said the 2006 stroke suffered by then-Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon was punishment from God.
He blamed the September 11 terrorist attacks on civil liberties, promised a disastrous tsunami in America in 2006 and a terrorist attack on United States soil in 2007. When both attacks failed to happen, Robertson said people must have prayed to God, and "God in his mercy spared us".
Speaking on his television program The 700 Club, Robertson said the pact happened "a long time ago in Haiti".
"They were under the heel of the French, you know Napoleon III (sic) and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil," he said. "They said 'We will serve you if you will get us free from the prince.' True story. And so the devil said, 'OK it's a deal'. And they kicked the French out." Robertson said after the pact, the Haitians "revolted and got something – themselves free. "But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after another," he said. Haiti won its independence from France in 1804 after a slave rebellion. Robertson said the curse was evident when Haiti was contrasted with its neighbour, the Dominican Republic. "That island of Hispaniola is one island. It is cut down the middle – on the one side is Haiti, on the other is the Dominican Republic," he said.
"Dominican Republic is prosperous, healthy, full of resorts, etc. Haiti is in desperate poverty. Same island. They need to have, and we need to pray for them, a great turning to God and out of this tragedy I'm optimistic something good may come.
"But right now we are helping the suffering people and the suffering is unimaginable." Robertson's outspoken comments have caused controversy in the past. He was widely criticised for his 2005 call for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's assassination. He also said the 2006 stroke suffered by then-Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon was punishment from God.
He blamed the September 11 terrorist attacks on civil liberties, promised a disastrous tsunami in America in 2006 and a terrorist attack on United States soil in 2007. When both attacks failed to happen, Robertson said people must have prayed to God, and "God in his mercy spared us".
Clinton cancels Australian trip
Washington, January 14 (Agencies): United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Defense Secretary Robert Gates have cancelled their planned trips to Australia next week to concentrate on the Haiti earthquake disaster.
Clinton and Gates were due to visit Canberra next Monday for talks with Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and Defence Minister John Faulkner. Clinton had also planned to visit Melbourne. Clinton confirmed the trip was being cancelled as the US ramped up its efforts to get aid into Haiti's devastated earthquake zone. Planned visits to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand have also been scrapped. Clinton says it is tragic that Haiti, which is already facing so many challenges, has to go through this humanitarian crisis. "This is not only a physical catastrophe, but it's just a devastating blow to the people of Haiti," she said. "But I have seen their resilience, their joy, so I am confident that we will have the opportunity, along with our colleagues around the world, to once again help the Haitian people towards that better future."
Clinton said she had been personally floored by the Haitian disaster. "It is biblical, the tragedy that continues to stalk Haiti and the Haitian people," she said. The Acting Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, says she understands Hilary Clinton's decision to cancel her trip to Australia. "We are obviously disappointed that Secretary of State Clinton is no longer visiting Australia for the AUSMIN talks, but we absolutely understand that this crisis in Haiti requires her attention," she said.
"It is obviously taking the attention of the world."
Washington, January 14 (Agencies): United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Defense Secretary Robert Gates have cancelled their planned trips to Australia next week to concentrate on the Haiti earthquake disaster.
Clinton and Gates were due to visit Canberra next Monday for talks with Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and Defence Minister John Faulkner. Clinton had also planned to visit Melbourne. Clinton confirmed the trip was being cancelled as the US ramped up its efforts to get aid into Haiti's devastated earthquake zone. Planned visits to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand have also been scrapped. Clinton says it is tragic that Haiti, which is already facing so many challenges, has to go through this humanitarian crisis. "This is not only a physical catastrophe, but it's just a devastating blow to the people of Haiti," she said. "But I have seen their resilience, their joy, so I am confident that we will have the opportunity, along with our colleagues around the world, to once again help the Haitian people towards that better future."
Clinton said she had been personally floored by the Haitian disaster. "It is biblical, the tragedy that continues to stalk Haiti and the Haitian people," she said. The Acting Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, says she understands Hilary Clinton's decision to cancel her trip to Australia. "We are obviously disappointed that Secretary of State Clinton is no longer visiting Australia for the AUSMIN talks, but we absolutely understand that this crisis in Haiti requires her attention," she said.
"It is obviously taking the attention of the world."
Haiti death toll could rival tsunami
canberra, January 14 (agencies): Australia pledged $10 million in aid to Haiti today as US officials said the death toll from yesterday's huge earthquake could rival the loss of life from the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. As aftershocks continued to shake the devastated capital Port-au-Prince, residents tried to rescue people trapped under rubble, clawing at chunks of concrete with bare hands. The Federal Government says $5mn of Australian aid will be made available immediately.
Tens of thousands wandered dazed and sobbing in the chaotic, broken streets, hoping desperately for assistance. One young man yelled at reporters in English: "Too many people are dying. We need international help ... no emergency, no food, no phone, no water, no nothing." Bodies were visible all around the hilly city: under rubble, lying beside roads, and being loaded into trucks. The UN headquarters in Port-au-Prince was flattened by the quake and a UN spokesman told the ABC that around 150 staff members were still unaccounted for.
An American Red Cross worker in Port-au-Prince says the city is in chaos as people continue to dig for loved ones. "I was in the streets last night all night and walking around people are scared, they're sleeping in the streets ... it just highlights the fear that everyone has and the desperation at this point," Matt Marek said. "Seeing thousands and thousands of people bundled up under light bedsheets, huddling together for a little bit of warmth and comfort, it was a very unreal scene. "People have nowhere to go... a lot of people don't have home to go back to."
Former US president Bill Clinton, who is the UN's special envoy to Haiti, says if people want to help, they should donate money to a legitimate charity rather than sending food or other supplies. "We do not have the logistical and organisational capacity right now to handle a lot of things," he said. "So the most important thing individuals can do who care is to send cash – even if it's a dollar, or two dollars."
-- Tens of thousands wandered dazed and sobbing in the chaotic, broken streets, hoping desperately for assistance. One young man yelled at reporters in English: "Too many people are dying. We need international help ... no emergency, no food, no phone, no water, no nothing." Bodies were visible all around the hilly city: under rubble, lying beside roads, and being loaded into trucks. The UN headquarters in Port-au-Prince was flattened by the quake and a UN spokesman told the ABC that around 150 staff members were still unaccounted for.
An American Red Cross worker in Port-au-Prince says the city is in chaos as people continue to dig for loved ones. "I was in the streets last night all night and walking around people are scared, they're sleeping in the streets ... it just highlights the fear that everyone has and the desperation at this point," Matt Marek said. "Seeing thousands and thousands of people bundled up under light bedsheets, huddling together for a little bit of warmth and comfort, it was a very unreal scene. "People have nowhere to go... a lot of people don't have home to go back to."
Former US president Bill Clinton, who is the UN's special envoy to Haiti, says if people want to help, they should donate money to a legitimate charity rather than sending food or other supplies. "We do not have the logistical and organisational capacity right now to handle a lot of things," he said. "So the most important thing individuals can do who care is to send cash – even if it's a dollar, or two dollars."
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