Haiti's poor forced to eat dirt

(Photo: AP)

As food prices soar, impoverished Haitians are resorting to eating cookies made of mud.

Made from dirt, salt and vegetable shortening, the cookies - which are regularly used by pregnant women and children as an antacid and source of calcium - have become a regular meal for Haitians desperate to satisfy hunger.

In Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, 80 percent of the population lives on less than $2 a day. The mud cookies sell for around five cents each, compared to 60 cents for two cups of rice.

With the need for food being extremely high, Representative William Thomas [R-CA] introduced the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act of 2006 as part of an elaborate tax and trade. Unfortunately, the bill never became a law, but that may have been a blessing in disguise. The Haiti Progres reported that the bill failed to impose labor standards instead of imposing patronizing and burdensome conditions on the Haitian people.

According to Dan Beeton, International Communications Coordinator for the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) in Washington D.C.:

Throughout Haiti’s history, the U.S. has usually been a bad neighbor, invading and occupying the country several times, propping up dictators, and at times blocking economic assistance to the country. A number of economically damaging policy prescriptions have originated in Washington as well, including privatization of state industries and the promotion of export processing zones that hamper the development of Haitian industry and generate little revenue…Considering the history of the U.S.’ relationship with Haiti, Americans owe it to the Haitian people to support their right to organize independent trade unions and advocate for policies that will foster real and lasting economic development.

To get involved and help the people of Haiti, please visit the LAMBI Fund of Haiti website.