SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic —Cesar Valera, a young rescue worker from the Dominican Republic, rushed to help earthquake survivors in neighboring Haiti as soon as he heard about the tragedy. The Epoch Times caught up with Cesar in Santo Domingo.
Although Cesar has belonged to a volunteer fire department in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, for 10 years, nothing has matched the intensity of his experience in Haiti since after the quake.
“It’s very sad to see so many children crying, traumatized, sleeping in the streets, begging for food and water, the bodies on the ground, and the smell of death that pervades the city. It has made a great impact on me.”
Cesar has been doing rescue work since Jan. 13, putting in at least a week of his time at the epicenter of the devastation. He has witnessed and lived amid the dire and deadly physical consequences of the earthquake. He said that the present living conditions for the affected Haitians cannot be completely undestood abroad.
Although Cesar has belonged to a volunteer fire department in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, for 10 years, nothing has matched the intensity of his experience in Haiti since after the quake.
“It’s very sad to see so many children crying, traumatized, sleeping in the streets, begging for food and water, the bodies on the ground, and the smell of death that pervades the city. It has made a great impact on me.”
Cesar has been doing rescue work since Jan. 13, putting in at least a week of his time at the epicenter of the devastation. He has witnessed and lived amid the dire and deadly physical consequences of the earthquake. He said that the present living conditions for the affected Haitians cannot be completely undestood abroad.
Prior to the earthquake, 80 percent of the Haitian population lived below the poverty line, with 50 percent living in abject poverty. For centuries, relations between the two countries, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which share the same island, have been tense. Border crossing usually had armed guards, but aide workers and refugees seeking medical attention freely pass back and forth.
Cesar said that in the first few days of the rescue effort, even in the midst of more quakes and aftershocks, one of the largest uncertainties Haitains faced was related to the political arena. During that period of time, most people did not know the whereabouts or health status of their president, who was widely believed to have died in the earthquake.
With the collapse of internal security and the unknown fate of the president, Haitian citizens told Cesar they feared the possibilities of revolutionary groups trying to seize power and civil war. However, news of the Haitian’s president’s good health, along with the landing of military support from other areas, particularly the United States, dispelled the fears.
However, according to the rescue worker, that was just one less issue to worry about, in the chaos of Port-au-Prince. And only the survivors there can fully understand this.
“I was walking down the street and saw piles of bodies everywhere,” says Cesar. And the unbearable stench emanating from approximately one hundred thousand decaying bodies is a factor that is present in every moment of the lives of the survivors and the rescue forces.
Cesar said that in the first few days of the rescue effort, even in the midst of more quakes and aftershocks, one of the largest uncertainties Haitains faced was related to the political arena. During that period of time, most people did not know the whereabouts or health status of their president, who was widely believed to have died in the earthquake.
With the collapse of internal security and the unknown fate of the president, Haitian citizens told Cesar they feared the possibilities of revolutionary groups trying to seize power and civil war. However, news of the Haitian’s president’s good health, along with the landing of military support from other areas, particularly the United States, dispelled the fears.
However, according to the rescue worker, that was just one less issue to worry about, in the chaos of Port-au-Prince. And only the survivors there can fully understand this.
“I was walking down the street and saw piles of bodies everywhere,” says Cesar. And the unbearable stench emanating from approximately one hundred thousand decaying bodies is a factor that is present in every moment of the lives of the survivors and the rescue forces.
With so many rotting corpses everywhere, and the odor as a constant reminder even when the eyes are closed, fear of epidemics quickly spread throughout the affected areas.
Subsequently, anxiety to be rid of the bodies became the top priority of the population, sometimes taking precedence over rescuing lives, Cesar said.
“When ambulances passed, they threw corpses on the road to force them to slow down, and pick up the bodies. The ambulances collected the bodies to get through and left them at the next corner,” Cesar said.
They had nowhere to place the bodies, he explained.
Cesar also said that many rescue calls to the authorities were false and were intended to have the rescuers carry the lifeless bodies from the rubble.
These dynamics lasted until they began removing the corpses en masse with bulldozers—another factor that left a strong impression on rescuers and the surviving residents. With heavy equipment, great quantities of bodies are scooped up and taken to trucks for transport mass graves for burial.
Subsequently, anxiety to be rid of the bodies became the top priority of the population, sometimes taking precedence over rescuing lives, Cesar said.
“When ambulances passed, they threw corpses on the road to force them to slow down, and pick up the bodies. The ambulances collected the bodies to get through and left them at the next corner,” Cesar said.
They had nowhere to place the bodies, he explained.
Cesar also said that many rescue calls to the authorities were false and were intended to have the rescuers carry the lifeless bodies from the rubble.
These dynamics lasted until they began removing the corpses en masse with bulldozers—another factor that left a strong impression on rescuers and the surviving residents. With heavy equipment, great quantities of bodies are scooped up and taken to trucks for transport mass graves for burial.
A drop of good news outweighs a thousand bad ones
Despite all grim impressions, obstacles, and interference, Cesar is happy that his team was able to rescue many people, including five children who were miraculously saved after being trapped under the rubble of a school that had totally collapsed.
“It was touching [to finding them alive], taking into account that most of those who there were killed.”
The rescued children were dehydrated and had fractures and bruises, but all are out of danger.
“With this rescue, the rescue group was satisfied and energized to continue the search for more people.”
Cesar said that at first they used shovels, cutting saws, some other instruments, their spirit, and their primary senses to save lives. Then, the situation improved with the arrival of sophisticated resources from abroad. For example, Spanish rescue teams brought dogs trained to detect live people.
A Strong Impression
“Our team was only able to find survivors during the first two days into our rescue work, then it became a great removal of corpses.”
“Although I knew this [would be the case] beforehand, it did have an affect. We were shocked to see how fragile life is,“ Caesar said. ”When we came upon a corpse, we looked at its face and thought of someone close to us. Amid the pain, you have to fill yourself with courage and strength to move ahead.”
Currently, rescue efforts have ended. The fear of a new quake remains, which makes projections about the future seem impossible. However some, like Cesar, dare to look at positives factors and hope.
“One thing that surprised me was that amid this calamity, the Haitian people have maintained a strong will, they didn’t faint, and they showed great strength to keep living.”
“I could feel the survivors’ faith and unity, and from small shelters, I could hear the songs and praises. This experience helped me appreciate life more, and love those around me. ”
Cesar also predicts that the care shown by the world powers to help in this catastrophe may be a new beginning for Haiti. Cesar took the opportunity to be interviewed by The Epoch Times to urge “all nations to cooperate with our brothers from Haiti. Today it is them, tomorrow it could be us.”
“Although I knew this [would be the case] beforehand, it did have an affect. We were shocked to see how fragile life is,“ Caesar said. ”When we came upon a corpse, we looked at its face and thought of someone close to us. Amid the pain, you have to fill yourself with courage and strength to move ahead.”
Faith in the Future
Currently, rescue efforts have ended. The fear of a new quake remains, which makes projections about the future seem impossible. However some, like Cesar, dare to look at positives factors and hope.
“One thing that surprised me was that amid this calamity, the Haitian people have maintained a strong will, they didn’t faint, and they showed great strength to keep living.”
“I could feel the survivors’ faith and unity, and from small shelters, I could hear the songs and praises. This experience helped me appreciate life more, and love those around me. ”
Cesar also predicts that the care shown by the world powers to help in this catastrophe may be a new beginning for Haiti. Cesar took the opportunity to be interviewed by The Epoch Times to urge “all nations to cooperate with our brothers from Haiti. Today it is them, tomorrow it could be us.”
