Reports of fighting and looting suggest Haiti could descend into further chaos
The U.S. plans to send up to 10,000 troops to Haiti by Monday to help with the massive relief effort after an earthquake destroyed much of the country’s capital. In the meantime, Defence Minister Peter MacKay says Canada ishelping keep the peace in Haiti amid growing concerns the country could descend into social chaos. Reports of looting have started to emerge as supplies grow increasingly scarce in the devastated country. According to The Guardian, “groups of men with machetes roved the ruins seeking supplies of food or water; others used corpses as roadblocks, a macabre sign that the capital had reached breaking point after four days of apocalyptic scenes.” Brazil’s Defence Minister, Nelson Jobim, has ominously warned that “as long as the people are hungry and thirsty, as long as we haven’t fixed the problem of shelter, we run the risk of riots.” Meanwhile, UN humanitarian chief John Holmes estimated 30% of buildings throughout Port-au-Prince had been damaged by the quake, with the figure rising to 50% in some areas, and the Pan American Health Organization says the death toll could climb as high as 100,000. The UN currently has about $310 million in pledges for the relief effort, but plans to launch an appeal to for $550 million later Friday.