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Help Haiti! Guinea, Pakistan, the French press and what about Liberia?

by Tony Cross

Article published on the 2010-01-15 Latest update 2010-01-15 21:52 TU

Canadian evacuees from Haiti hug as they arrive in Montreal
(Photo: Reuters)

Haiti's earthquake gives rise to compassion and impatience. France's attitude to Guinea Conakry arouses criticism, as does the US's policy towards Pakistan. And there's praise for RFI from the Philippines, the UK and Liberia.

The earthquake that has devastated Haiti has caused sorrow and concern around the world. Millions of people have offered donations. States have also sent help. But not quickly enough for some of our site visitors.

“Chip in to those whom you enslaved!” is the message to the French from Tyreah from Florida, USA.

In a second email, she tells us off at RFI.

“I expected your news organization to be calling for private donations and referring them by link to trusted charitable organizations to help the poor people of Haiti. The scenes there are unimaginable as you have surely seen and it seems that the rest of the world ( Europe & Asia ) need to do more. THE US CANNOT AFFORD THIS AND HERE WE ARE IN THE FOREFRONT!

“Step up thou French denizens. Support, Promote assistance and send more help!”

The French, along with many other countries, have sent more help since Tyreah wrote. And RFI’s website has taken up her suggestion and responded to the appeal of the relative of a missing UN worker, with a list of numbers, although we have to admit that it is far from complete.

Bkner of Havana, Cuba, slams French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner for his attitude to Guinea under Captain Moussa Dadis Camara.

“If he was in the US in the late 1960s, he would have called for a self-imposed exile on Martin Luther king Jr to Ghana for daring to ask for equal rights and affirmative action for the Blackman,” he writes. “My advise to President Obama's Permanent Rep to UN, Susan Rice, don't follow Kouchner. He is an angry Frenchman. He continues to show his disdain for the blackman and Guinea's Head of State, Dadis Camara.”

Violence in Pakistan will continue  “as long as the Americans insist on financing Pakistan as their agent in the region”, Jose Filardo comments after reports of more turbulence in Karachi.

“I'm not quite sure that the Afghans are the real enemy and the real danger,” he goes on. “If we consider that they are still fighting with conventional primitive weapons, while Pakistan represents a nuke threat, the Americans are feeding the dragon.

“Washington should better detain the Pakistani nuclear scientists in GITMO and confiscate all the nuclear devices in Pakistan, because sooner or later an inside agent will make a betise.”

Our interview with ex-Cocteau Twin, Robin Guthrie, pleased Xever Santos of Taguig City in the Philippines.

“An awesome news.,’ he writes.”I really like Cocteau Twins musique...here in the Philippines only few appreciate their music and that includes me, big time...”

And there’s more praise … this time for the daily French press review.

“I've just discovered your French press reviews, and I really, really like them very much,” comments Ian in Britain.  “I wondered how long the archives last? Will you be deleting them? I enjoy not just their content, but the tone in which they're written. They're great.”

Everything on RFI’s site remains available indefinitely. You just need to search for your desired article in our search engine, although unfortunately that will only look for one word at a time. In this case, “press” should do the trick.

Alpina Clay seems to be  another satisfied customer, although the praise has a sting in the tail.

“I write to express my bountiful thanks and appreciation for the regular up-date and factual information contain on your website. Though it is my very first time visiting this much talked about site but the infromation learnt can not be underestimated in any way. At the same wave length, i was a bit disappointed when I did not find anything current on my beloved country Liberia especially high profile criminal cases like the ongoing Little Angel Togba Murder Trial, information Minister Bropleh alleged corruption audit report released by GAC just to name a few. BRAVO RFI!!!”

News about RFI

RFI's website in English is preparing a change in format which should come into effect mid-February. The French-language service has already made the change, if you want an idea of what it will look like.

A three-CD box set Francophone 2009 showcases musicians from French-speaking Africa and the Indian Ocean, many of whose careers received a boost from RFI's Découvertes RFI prize. You will be able to hear tracks from it on Susan Owensby's Club9516/The Sound Kitchen in the future. 

Most viewed on RFI this week:

• France on high alert as snow and ice sweep south;
• Massive earthquake strikes Haiti; death toll estimates in hundreds;
• Building a nation through football;
• Scheduling madness;
• Cup of Nations to proceed after three die in bus attack;

·            .

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