Haiti/France - earthquake response

French-Haitians call for immigration rules waiver

Article published on the 2010-01-17 Latest update 2010-01-18 14:55 TU

A woman is rushed to an operation room after being transported by the USS Carl Vinson
(Photo: Reuters)

After gathering at Paris's Place du Trocadéro on Saturday evening, Haitians in France called on the government to loosen its immigration rules for relatives of earthquake victims.

Paris's large Haitian community rallied in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower on Saturday to pay tribute to the victims of this week's earthquake.

With many frantic for news of their families, they called  for an internet site to be set up on which photos of survivors can be posted.

And they called on the government to allow immigrants who do not have residency papers to be allowed to leave France and return, if they wish to go and bury dead relatives.

A mass for the vicitims was held at Paris's Notre Dame cathedral on Saturday evening.

And an appeal broadcast by television and state radio channels has raised over 1.5 million euros in 48 hours. The broadcast appeal, which started on Firday, is planned to run unitl 19 January.