JANUARY 26, 2010

We headed to the UN this morning where I join a World Food Programme convoy taking a consignment of rice to people living in refugee camps in the centre of Port Au Prince. The UN have based their operations at the city’s airport and hundreds of their vehicles clog the car park inside the heavily guarded compound.

Click image to enlarge (Ben Gurr/The Times)

Numerous countries are represented in the peacekeeping force, all with different weaponry and different languages. The administration hub buzzes with activity with representatives of the numerous relief agencies. It must be difficult to efficiently coordinate all these different groups with their individual agendas.

Click image to enlarge (Ben Gurr/The Times)

Two lorry loads of rice are guarded by two armoured vehicles, and another two join as we near the drop point. Our driver, Clark, stays close behind which is not difficult in the chaotic, grid locked traffic.

Click image to enlarge (Ben Gurr/The Times)

It does clear though and as we arrive at the city centre people start chasing the convoy and many others stream from the make-shift settlements knowing that food is arriving. One man shouts: ‘It’s not enough, there are not enough lorries’.

Click image to enlarge (Ben Gurr/The Times)

The sun’s heat beats down on thousands of Haitians as they form orderly queues but there is lots of desperate queue jumping and scuffles begin. The peacekeepers try to calm the situation but resort to firing their weapons in the air and using pepper spray that causes all, including myself, to retreat coughing and rubbing our eyes.

Click image to enlarge (Ben Gurr/The Times)

The effects of the gas subside, the queue reforms and one-by-one people are allowed into the temporary distribution compound. A woman with her tearful daughter of about 12 climbs through the barriers and after being apprehended by the peacekeepers is allowed through.

Click image to enlarge (Ben Gurr/The Times)

Inside is organised. Sacks of rice are handed out to people with big grins on their faces. I wonder what percentage of the rice is eaten by the needy or how much is sold on the open market. There is no way of preventing some from re-queueing. The woman who came with her daughter of about twelve did come again and got a second helping but the lorries were soon empty. There were still thousands who had received nothing. There is no system in place to ensure that those people would be first in line next time.

Click image to enlarge (Ben Gurr/The Times)