US Troops Occupy Haiti, Cancel Humanitarian Aid from Russia

All foreign journalists staying at the international airport of Haiti’s Port-au-Prince will have to leave the territory of the airdrome in connection with a requirement from the defense authorities of the United States which control the airport, Itar-Tass reports. US officials did not explain the reason for the order, but said that all journalists living in the camp on the territory of the airport would have to leave before 8 a.m. January 21.

Photo: US Troops Occupy Haiti, Cancel Humanitarian Aid from Russia

In the meantime, Russian rescue teams faced serious problems with the delivery of humanitarian cargoes from Russia to Haiti. An Il-76 cargo plane has not been able to fly from Venezuela to Haiti for more than 24 hours already because US authorities had not issued the permission for the flight.

US flight control officers claimed that the flight of the Russian aircraft had been repeatedly delayed because the international airport of port-au-Prince was very busy. However, the US military do not have any problems with receiving the same permissions for their own needs, Russian diplomat Tokmakov said.

The Il-76 plane of the Russian EMERCOM carries medicines, food and essential goods. The plane will also deliver five tons of drinking water to Russian rescuers working in Haiti, RIA Novosti reports.

Bolivian President Evo Morales believes that the USA has launched a military occupation of Haiti under the guise of assistance to quake victims.

"The United States cannot use a natural disaster to militarily occupy Haiti," he told reporters at the presidential palace.

"Haiti doesn't need more blood," Morales added, implying that the militarized U.S. humanitarian mission could lead to bloodshed, The Associated Press quoted Morales as saying.

The Bolivian president also said that he would strive for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to condemn the US-led military occupation of Haiti.

Morales stated that it was immoral to deploy US troops in Haiti under the pretext of the efforts aimed to liquidate the consequences of the monstrous earthquake. He added that the money, food and water that is used to maintain 12,000 US servicemen in Haiti should be used for the needs of the victims of the quake, not the military men.