Hillary Clinton’s ‘Hard Choices’ Retrospective Part Six Chapter 23 Haiti: Disaster and Development

This chapter is an intensely personal one for me.  Like anyone who has ever lived there, I remember exactly where I was - sitting in my car at an intersection I was at daily on my way home from work - when I heard the news of the earthquake on the radio.  As soon as I heard the magnitude, I knew what the number 7 meant.  I looked at the Getty station on the corner where I was waiting for the green light and imagined it crumbled.  I knew that many buildings I knew, loved, had been in, had lived, studied, and worked in had been destroyed.  I knew that people I cared for, had taught or studied with were gone. I was not prepared for this.

No, I had never been in the National Palace, but like the Getty station I had been next to when I heard the news, it was a building I passed four times daily on my way to and from work at the Haitian-American Institute where I taught English.  That link goes to a whole new building.  The building where I taught was an old mansion on the east end of the Champs-de-Mars on Rue Capois.  Like the National Palace, it had collapsed - probably while evening classes were going on at the busiest time of day there.

On July 4,1942, Haitians and Americans founded a bi-national center to reinforce friendship and cultural ties between their two countries. Located in the heart of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian-American Institute has enjoyed decades of continuous community service and remains faithful to the ideal of its founders.
The Haitian-American Institute itself stands on a landmark site. The original building was the house that once belonged to former Haitian President Elie LESCOT. This building, pictured in the pen and ink drawing at the top of this page, was destroyed in the January 12, 2010 earthquake.

It is a bi-national center run partially by the State Department.  It's great to see this grand new facility!
In the old building,  I loved teaching at six in the morning in the classroom on that very top floor.  You could see the city waking up.  I would walk up the many flights of stairs early just to go out on that balcony and watch for a few minutes before the students arrived.  When Dr. Ainslie Minor was director,  as was his position as Cultural Affairs officer at the embassy, he was often on the front steps to greet me and the arriving students prior to the early morning classes.  We all loved him!  He loved the institute and everything about it.  We teachers were disdained by some subsequent directors until Millie McCoo arrived.  She, too, loved the institute, the students, and the teachers.

Passing the palace, on my way to work, I was usually on foot.   I nodded to the guards in the guardhouse every day - several times a day.  I later learned that the police headquarters adjacent to the palace had also crumbled to the ground.  I was in there regularly on my annual trek through the ministries to renew my visas.

All of those ministries were gone.  So were the people in all of them.  All the people in all of those buildings.  My HAI and all of the government buildings.

It was beyond my imagination, much the way the collapse of the twin towers had been on 9/11.  I heard the news only one traffic light away from where, that September morning, I had heard that a plane had flown into One World Trade.

How could it be?  Who could have survived this?  How on earth could my poor, dear Haïti Chérie recover?

As I had over those "green weekends" in June 2009 when the Iranians were protesting their elections, I took to Twitter.  A girl had texted, trapped in rubble beneath a supermarket that I knew.  One where I had shopped.  Many of us continually retweeted her location (and many others).  24 hours later, on the news,  I saw her pulled out alive and well and wept.  The reporter said they had found her from the tweets.

That tarmac, where I had boarded and disembarked so many, many times was the tarmac where Hillary landed only five days after the worst disaster in memory in that country - the very first high foreign official to set foot on Haiti's shaken soil after the quake.  This was no photo op or campaign junket.  Hillary's visit was from her heart.  It was dangerous, responsive, and crucial.

That, and much more was in my heart as I started reading this chapter and Hillary's words about landing at the airport that, when I lived there,  was named for François Duvalier and had undergone a major upgrade just before I left the country for good.

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Hillary was in Hawaii on her way to Asia when the quake - that came to be known as "Haitiquake" - occurred.

Hillary Clinton: “… it is Biblical…”

January 13, 2010 by still4hill

Hillary had to change her plans.  She flew back to D.C. immediately.

Hillary Headed Home to Manage Help For Haiti

January 13, 2010 by still4hill

She was at the White House the next morning and the pain was in her face ... the terrible pain.
I  followed her progress to Haiti partially thanks to Greta Van Susteren who tweeted generously from the plane where she sat beside Andrea Mitchell and less so thanks to the old State Department Twitter that went by the handle "Dipnote," which, in retrospect,  was not so bad and pretty democratic.
When Hillary landed I thought of her as really and truly "superwoman."   I am sure the Americans at the airport waiting to be evacuated thought of her that way too - or as an angel of mercy.

She was landing on menacingly shaky ground. People who demand further service from her ought to consider the risks she has already taken, the sacrifices she has already endured,  the time in the air and on sometimes dangerous foreign soil,  away from her family.  When does this "superwoman" get a chance to step back and let someone else take the reins?

Hillary Clinton, Angel of Mercy: Her Press Conference & Details on her trip to stricken Haiti

January 15, 2010 by still4hill

The guy with the argumentative comment on that post was wrong.  She did come in by military transport, as I had predicted. She brought needed supplies and left the press entourage behind to bring injured Americans out.  The purpose of her visit was to get an agreement from the President of Haiti to allow American military to take over the airport operations so that aid - waiting and blocked - could begin to flow.  Sometimes, in a disaster, you must, judiciously, let one important visitor in for the greater good.  Haiti was no textbook case.  Who knew there was such a thing as a portable airport control tower?  That is what the FAA sent and that would not have happened without Hillary's intervention and visit, i.e.  sometimes more is more.

Video: Hillary Clinton’s Press Briefing about her trip to Haiti

January 15, 2010 by still4hill

Hillary Clinton is Wheels down in Haiti (MSNBC)

January 16, 2010 by still4hill

Video: Hillary Clinton Arriving in Haiti

January 16, 2010 by still4hill

Hillary to the rescue!

January 16, 2010 by still4hill

Video: Hillary Clinton Speaks to The Haitian People

January 16, 2010 by still4hill

Over the course of some of those posts I heard from some aircraft experts that I had misidentified the plane as a C-130, but Hillary, in her book, validates me.  Sometimes it takes years to be validated!  My dad was an aircraft expert, not I.  He built them and knew anything that was in the air that was not flapping its own wings.  But once you have been floating on the Hudson River and seen a C-130 over your head on its way to Newburgh, you know one when you see one.  It's sort of like the Queen Mary over your head.

Hillary Clinton in Haiti: Some Images From Today

January 16, 2010 by still4hill

Hillary was accompanied by Cheryl Mills and USAID Director Rajiv Shah (2nd and 1st on the right respectively above).  Cheryl, from what Hillary says, must have been the one who got the "people-finder" set up as well as the text system for sending donations easily from your cell phone.

Rajiv was on the ground at the Champs-de-Mars in front of the collapsed National Palace where it seemed much of the Port-au-Prince population was camping out.  I remember him finding some enterprising young folks who had managed to have two car batteries and one car.  They had set up an enterprise allowing people, for a fee, to charge cell phones off one car battery while another of the crew ran a taxi service to charge the other battery.   It was so Haitian!

Secretary Clinton Announces Launch of State.Gov Person Finder Tool for Those Missing in Haiti

January 15, 2010 by still4hill

So this is where she starts - on the tarmac which is serving as the seat of government largely because it is flat and open and if you sit in a tent and there is a big aftershock you won't be crushed.  Most roads were impassable and for the first 48 hours, planes could not land at the airport.

Secretary Clinton’s Daily Appointments Schedule for January 15, 2010

January 15, 2010 by still4hill

Hillary reminisces at this point about her honeymoon trip to Haiti when she and Bill went to one of Max Beauvoir's voudou shows at Le Péristyle in Mariani and saw TonTons Macoutes  (VSN) and Jean-Claude Duvalier en route somewhere.  1975 was the first Christmas that I came back home - well to Florida where my sister was living. -  or maybe I would have met them.
After the earthquake, President Préval told Cheryl Mills that he really needed Hillary and needed her now!  He was Hillary's friend.  He needed help.  I perceived him as a nice guy, but not as a strong leader.

Hillary Clinton is NOT the President of Haiti!

January 18, 2010 by still4hill

In retrospect and fairness, and after having had my own house blown apart by Sandy, I have to say that at the time I probably did not appreciate Préval's state of mind with his house having collapsed before his eyes (and thankfully not over his head) just as he and his wife were about to enter.  With most of his government officials missing or already known dead, the poor guy must have been in deep shock. When you go through something like that having a buddy like Hillary - well - yes, I would call her, too.  If I needed to pull my country together after something like that - yes, I too would call her.  But Hillary also sees that there was a need for him to go out among the people camping on the Champs-de-Mars and everywhere.   Their question/complaint at the time was "Where is our president?"
When you run for the office, before you even win, you need to consider this kind of situation and how you will react - even if you did just miss having your house fall on top of you.  That is the role you assume as leader of a country.

Try to imagine the White House or the Capitol this way.  This is what happened to Haiti.

When Hillary arrived,  injured Americans were being cared for by a devoted embassy nurse who worked non-stop.  Our Cultural Affairs officer, Victoria DeLong,  had been killed when her house collapsed on her.  I had been in that house several times on very happy occasions.  Dr. Ainslie Minor and his lovely wife, and later Millie McCoo had generously invited the teachers to barbeques and parties.  I had danced the merengue under that roof and met Millie's sister and brother-in-law, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.,  there.  Now that roof had killed a Foreign Service officer.

There was a massive and effective U.S. response. Hillary remarks that U.S. military felt so refreshed at being welcomed somewhere.

One year we had no electricity from the last night of Carnaval in early February until about mid-June.  The lights went out when Carnaval ended at midnight. From then on sectors got one hour of electricity a day on a rotating weekly basis.  If you needed to do anything that required power, you needed to be home at your hour for that week.  If you were working at that time ... too bad.  From Boutillier, the mountaintop above the city, you could see a sector darken and another light up on a clockwork schedule.

Then the United States Marines arrived with generators and I don't know what all else.  I would be leaving my early morning classes at the institute (we taught from 6 -9 a.m. and from 3 - 6 p.m. or 4 - 7 p.m.) and they would be on the steps of the Hotel Plaza waiting to be picked up.  We cheered them every time we passed them.  "Thank you!"  Our electricity was returning.  Nice that after the earthquake the troops got the same reception.  We have a sort of edgy relationship with Haiti as far as troops go. Americans built the best roads there - during the occupation.

In this case, the distrust engendered by the history of the occupation could have been Préval's political enemy.  Yet to unblock the shipments of aid at the airport and seaports,  someone needed to be in charge - not to take over the country - just to lubricate the flow of aid.  Hillary got Préval to sign an agreement that U.S. military would, temporarily in the emergency,  administer the airport and seaports.

Hillary Clinton is Wheels Up!

January 16, 2010 by still4hill

The plan was to establish camps.  Préval worried that putting displaced people in camps would make camps permanent.  The U.N. contended that camps provided the best efficiency for necessary distribution of aid.

To my mind, and this is just me, the camps were newer, safer, cleaner than the neightborhoods some people had come from,  like Cité Soliel, but many were not from those slums, so there was something to be said on each side of the argument.

For Haiti, the approach would involve both short-term aid and long-term plans for development that had already been in the incubator.

Bill Clinton Arrives on Mission to Haiti (CBS/AP)

January 18, 2010 by still4hill

On-the-Record Briefing on Consular Services Being Provided to American Citizens in Haiti and in the United States in the Aftermath of the Earthquake

January 18, 2010 by still4hill

U.S. Government Response to the Haiti Earthquake

January 19, 2010 by still4hill

Secretary Clinton’s Update on Haiti

January 20, 2010 by still4hill

The outpouring of support and assistance from around the world has been extraordinary, and I’ve been very proud to see generous Americans from every corner of our country open their hearts in solidarity with the Haitian people. These are the times when we remember our common humanity, when we pull together across cultures and borders to help those suffering and in need.

Secretary Clinton at the Ministerial Preparatory Conference on Haiti 01.25.2010

January 25, 2010 by still4hill

Today, Secretary Clinton announced that she will run an International Haiti Donors Conference in March at the U.N. You may remember her words at the Haiti Donors Conference last April in D.C. That speech was simply spot-on.

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks to Haiti Earthquake Volunteers

March 15, 2010 by still4hill

From U.S. Department of State: Some Details on the Upcoming International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti

March 16, 2010 by still4hill

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks at the International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti

March 31, 2010 by still4hill

We have had over 140 nations working to support the Government of Haiti in delivering food, temporary shelter, and medical care to thousands of survivors. But the emergency relief is only the beginning of what will be a long road to recovery, as the Secretary General just pointed out; one that will require global support.
Some people wonder, “Why Haiti? Why this great outpouring of international humanitarian concern and commitment to Haiti’s future? Why is Haiti’s fate of such consequence to the region and the world that it deserves sustained help? Why should we hope that this time, with our collective assistance, Haiti can achieve a better future?” These are questions that deserve answers and I believe that this conference will begin to do so...
Before the earthquake, Haiti was on a path to progress. The government, led by President Preval, had started enacting critical reforms. Haiti’s economy grew by nearly 3 percent last year. Two international chains launched new hotels, a sign of a rising tourism industry. New factories were opening and others had been contracted to begin production. But with the earthquake, the results of much of this hard work were wiped away. But the people of Haiti never gave up. As they mourn their losses, they gathered the resources they had left and began working around the clock to put their lives and their country back together. They relied on the strength and the spirit that have carried them through tough times before. But they need our help. They cannot succeed without the support of the global community, and we need Haiti to succeed. What happens there has repercussions far beyond its borders.

Hillary sees development as a key component in national security and USAID as an essential agency which played a huge role in addressing long-term plans to assist Haiti.  She recounts the war against USAID waged by Jesse Helms and celebrates this initiative which she and Rajiv Shah initiated in 2011 and she proudly saw launched earlier this year.

Hillary Clinton at U.S. Global Development Lab Inauguration

April 3, 2014 by still4hill

A year after the earthquake, Hillary returned to see the progress of the response (including to the subsequent cholera epidemic) and met with the presidential candidates.   There remained many challenges but things looked greatly improved.

Hillary Clinton in Haiti

January 30, 2011 by still4hill

"Shifting our focus from aid to development ... The United States was not abandoning traditional aid ... especially as part of an emergency response ... we sought to break the cycle of dependence that aid can create .... Aid chases need; investment chases opportunity." (Hard Choices)

Hillary Clinton’s Remarks at the Caracol Industrial Park Opening Ceremony in Haiti (with Bill Clinton!)

October 22, 2012 by still4hill

She recounts a personal moment with Préval after the disputed elections and credits him for being the exemplar - the first in Haitian history - to turn over the reins of leadership peacefully to  a successor not of his backing but chosen by the people.  When she speaks of the toughness of democracy, the danger of the running and the peril of the vote,  my memory rewinds to the Aristede election when Haitians literally risked their lives at the polling places and some were, in fact attacked and killed just for trying to vote.  This time, indeed, there was progress, and despite everything Préval might not have been, he, maybe, is their John Adams in some ways.

These images of the former and current presidents, Préval and Martelly, celebrating at the Caracol opening together were historic.

In the book,  Hillary provides a thorough and fair accounting of what has worked and what has not in the aftermath of this disaster.  Shortly after she returned to the department following her health crisis in late 2012, this report was issued.

Haiti Three Years After: What Hillary Clinton’s State Department Has Done

January 11, 2013 by still4hill

Helping other nations build, profit, and rise among the economic powers on the globe is to everyone's advantage, Hillary posits.  Especially our own.  In the case of Haiti's disaster, the U.S. was, it cannot be disputed, the indispensable nation, but we were certainly not alone in the aid or in the investment, and that, Hillary points out, makes all the difference.
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Hillary Clinton’s ‘Hard Choices’ Retrospective: Introduction

Access other chapters of this retrospective here >>>>

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Video: Hillary Clinton Commemorates the Japan Earthquake

Commemoration of the Great East Japan Earthquake

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

March 9, 2012

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A year ago, the world witnessed unspeakable tragedy as the Great East Japan Earthquake took thousands of lives, and battered a nation. But through the resilience and courage of the Japanese people, Japan lifted itself out of the wreckage and began to rebuild what was lost. In the wake of that disaster, the United States was eager to assist by providing support for Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and civilian responders. Today, as the recovery moves forward, we are committed to Japan’s future and to this important partnership and alliance.
The ties between our two countries are strong and enduring, and we look to Japan as an important regional and global leader. Even while rebuilding at home, Japan has continued to be an unwavering voice in the international community. Whether promoting democracy in Burma and the Middle East, providing assistance in Afghanistan and Iraq, or working to curb violence and piracy in the Horn of Africa, Japan is taking on some of the most pressing issues of our time.
In the years to come, I hope that the bond between our countries will grow stronger as we work together to meet new challenges and explore new opportunities. Today, as we remember all who were lost a year ago, we reaffirm that deep and lasting friendship.

Video: Secretary Clinton on New Zealand Earthquake Anniversary

Remarks at New Zealand Earthquake Anniversary

Press Statement

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Christchurch, New Zealand

February 22, 2012

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It’s been a year since a terrible earthquake struck New Zealand, but memories are still fresh. I had visited Christchurch just a few months earlier, and I was shocked to learn of the scope of the damage. So many lives were lost. So many homes and businesses were destroyed. Together, and with the leadership of our embassy staff on the ground, we began to work out how the United States could help. That’s what friends do. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the United States, along with many other countries, sent an Urban Search and Rescue team to provide assistance. When their mission ended, they gave their advanced rescue equipment to their Kiwi partners so the work could continue. When a terrible earthquake struck Japan just weeks later, New Zealand quickly deployed its own teams… along with that same equipment. In America, we call that “paying it forward.” It was international relations at its very best.
Even those of us who were far away on that terrible day share in your grief. We know it has been a struggle, but through that struggle we have seen the strength and perseverance of the people of Christchurch. So, Christchurch, yes, we grieve with you. And we remember with you. But most of all, as we celebrate 70 years of a strategic partnership with New Zealand, know that we will continue to support you and we look forward to a long future of cooperation as we work to solve our common problems.

Hillary Clinton: Wheels Up for Stricken Japan!

So here she goes, once again, into a quake zone. She is courageous, generous, cheerful, and altogether uplifting. She is off on her mission to provide relief, what we can provide, to the devastated people of Japan. She never seems to fear for her own safety which is why we always pray and light candles for her. There have been a lot of quakes lately.

Maybe we should light some!

Hillary Clinton to Visit Japan (unconfirmed)

This comes from a Japanese source, and, although it cites U.S. diplomatic sources (probably our embassy in Japan), is unconfirmed by the State Department.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Clinton Eyes Visiting Japan Late Next Week

WASHINGTON (Kyodo)--The U.S. government is making final arrangements for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to visit Tokyo late next week, with the aim of enhancing bilateral cooperation in addressing the disaster in Japan, U.S. diplomatic sources said Wednesday.

Read more >>>>

Hillary Clinton's Statement on the Earthquake in Burma

Earthquake in Burma

Press Statement

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

March 25, 2011

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On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I offer our sincere condolences for the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake in Burma, near the borders with Thailand and Laos. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy.

Hillary Clinton: Interviews with Japanese Media

Interview With Kaho Izumitani of NHK

Interview

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

March 22, 2011

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QUESTION: Thank you, Madam Secretary, for your time and your full support to our country when we are experiencing such a difficult situation. So, 10 days have passed since the disaster hit. What is your understanding of the situation as of now, and how would you characterize the Japanese response overall?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, first let me say how deeply sympathetic the United States is to everything that is happening in your country, and to express my condolence and sympathy for those who have lost loved ones, family members, friends, and colleagues. It’s an almost unimaginable disaster that you have dealt with, with great resilience, great spirit. And it’s been inspiring to see how the Japanese people have responded under the most difficult of historic experiences.

And as you know, we have tried to offer whatever assistance we could. We have sent many people, experts, recovery workers, humanitarian assistance to Japan, and we will continue to do so. I want the Japanese people to know that the American people support you and we will be there, not just for now but in the months and years ahead.

And I think it’s hard for anyone who has been outside of the vortex of the disaster zones in Japan to have any impression other than admiration to see how people have coped, to see how everyone has pulled together. And we can only hope that this third part of this unprecedented disaster that is at the nuclear power plant gets under control, gets brought into a manageable situation soon.

QUESTION: On the Fukushima Daiichi plant, the ongoing situation, although it is still very concerning and it seems there is mounting frustration somewhat on the U.S. side, given the announcement advising U.S. citizens to stay 50 miles away from the nuclear plant, it seems there’s a skepticism as well as frustration. Does the U.S. Government see any problems with how TEPCO and the Japanese Government are handling the situation? What more would you like to see done or would you like to see be done differently?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, first let me make the point that because nothing like this has ever happened before, any of the advice or suggestions that the United States or others have made should be seen in light of our effort to try to be helpful. There is no book you can pull down from the shelf which says you have a 9.0 earthquake, a horrible tsunami, what do you do next at your nuclear reactors. And we have provided the best expert advice we know of and we’ve sent nuclear experts to Japan working side-by-side with your government and private sector officials.

And I think everyone is pursuing the same goal. We may have slightly different views about how to measure the danger or measure the impact, but those are not really in any way undermining the ongoing work that we’re doing together. And it is such an overwhelming task to try to figure out how to handle what’s going on in the reactors. So the United States has applied some of what we would do under a comparable situation, but we’ve never been in a comparable situation. So we’re doing the best we can to offer you our expert advice, but of course, we support you in what you are doing.

QUESTION: It is reported that the FDA is going to announce an import ban soon on the Japanese agricultural products. How would this impact trade and diplomatic relations? Can you actually confirm this is happening? And if so, how would you plan to resolve this?

SECRETARY CLINTON: I cannot confirm it. I do not know that it is happening. I know that Japanese officials have been very concerned about the food supply because, as we have seen in other nuclear incidents, that is an area that we have to pay particular attention to. So I can’t speak as to what the United States or any other country might do, but what is most important is making sure that we help Japan deal with the aftereffects of whatever occurred inside the reactors and that we also make sure the Japanese people have all the food that they need during this transition period.

QUESTION: So even if it happens, it’s not going to be a prolonging situation?

SECRETARY CLINTON: I don’t know that it is going to happen. I don’t have any information about that. But if it were to happen, it would be as much focused on determining what is or isn’t safe for the Japanese people, not just what is safe for export.

QUESTION: When you look at the U.S.-Japanese alliance, the relationship, on the Japanese side Foreign Minister Maehara resigned, and on the State Department, Mr. Maher has been replaced after the speech on Okinawa. Now, given the double disaster, the Japanese Government will probably have to concentrate on the recovery and rebuilding. Do you think this will have any effect on the alliance? Specifically, how does this reshuffling affect the prospect of the 2+2, the Okinawa base relocation issue, and Prime Minister Kan’s visit to the United States?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, first I think that this unprecedented disaster has produced unprecedented cooperation between our two countries. In fact, our alliance, which was already strong and enduring, has become even more so. And there is going to be a lot of work ahead of us as we support you in your recovery and rebuilding efforts.

I do not think it will in any substantive way impact on all the other areas of cooperation and work that we are doing together. It may, of course, understandably, interject some delay because the first and most important responsibility that any official in your government has is to tend to the security and the needs of the Japanese people.

But in meeting with the new foreign minister, in all of the conversations that President Obama has had with Prime Minister Kan, that others of our officials have had with their counterparts, we are committed to pursuing our relationship on every level. But we too will highlight the cooperation between us in response to your needs, because I think that’s what we would do as your friend and partner and ally.

QUESTION: Thank you. My last question. Thank you so much for taking time and signing the condolence book. It means a lot to us. What would you like to tell the Japanese people at this point of time? My last question.

SECRETARY CLINTON: That I cannot even imagine how difficult a period this is, but I have great confidence in the Japanese people. I have a great admiration for the resilience and the spirit that I have seen time and time again. I am very grateful for the historic generosity of Japan when others have had disasters. Japanese workers, Japanese contributions have been part of helping others, whether it was an earthquake in Haiti or any other problem. And now the world wants to help you. And I really have an absolute conviction that Japan will come back even stronger for the future.

QUESTION: Thank you so much, Madam Secretary, for your time.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you.

QUESTION: Thank you so much.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. My pleasure.

Interview With Sumiko Mori of Fuji TV

Interview

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

March 22, 2011

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QUESTION: Thank you very much. I have some questions. As Secretary of State, I know that dealing with crises throughout the world is not unusual, but what have you felt as you have seen the tragedy unfold in Japan?

SECRETARY CLINTON: I have just been heartbroken to see the unbelievable force of first the earthquake, then the tsunami and its impact on so many thousands of people. And then to see the additional disaster – the nuclear reactors, which are posing such a problem. It has been unimaginable because no one could have predicted what you have been experiencing. And I want to extend my condolences to everyone who was affected and my very strong feeling of support to the Japanese people.

QUESTION: Yeah, concerning the broad alliance with Japan going forward, what will be the United States’ ongoing role in this tragedy?

SECRETARY CLINTON: We will be with you every step of the way. We want to continue our provision of aid. We have sent many people to Japan to work with your government, to work with your utility company. We’ve sent many to do humanitarian work, recovery work. We will follow that up with providing additional technical assistance and other financial assistance. We believe in the resilience of the Japanese people and the spirit that has been evidenced during the last 10 days. And our friendship, our partnership, our alliance I think is even stronger today because of our working together throughout this terrible time of crisis.

QUESTION: How concerned are you about the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant situation?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, of course, I’m concerned. I think every person is, and most particularly Japanese people are. This is unprecedented. We don’t know exactly what can or should be done. If there were an easy answer, someone would take the manual off the shelf and open it up to -- what do you do when you have a 9.0 earthquake and a huge tsunami? That is just not anything that has been planned for.

So our experts are working with yours. We’re offering suggestions. Others around the world who have such experience are offering their recommendations. But we’re all just trying to help to try to contain and control this very difficult situation.

QUESTION: Do you think Japan can contain the radioactive material?

SECRETARY CLINTON: I think Japan will. I think that it is taking time because it is so difficult. There will be consequences that we won’t yet know now what that might be. The first, most important job, is to get it contained and make sure it’s not causing further release of radioactivity, and then see what needs to be done to try to deal with the aftereffects.

QUESTION: U.S. Government offered guidance regarding the evacuation perimeters from that Fukushima area, which is different from the Japanese guidance. And this is viewed by some people as a lack of confidence. Would you please explain the decision-making process for this?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, this should not be viewed as a lack of confidence. It should be viewed as a difference of opinion. This is what our experts say they would do as a matter of course in the United States. But I don’t think there is any strong disagreement with what the Japanese authorities have done, and they are constantly measuring what is the level of radioactivity in the air. So I think that this is just another one of the examples of how everybody’s trying to do the right thing. And of course, it is ultimately up to the Japanese authorities to make those decisions.

QUESTION: The Japanese Government is expending so much effort to deal with the catastrophe. Don’t you expect that – all of that to delay the resolution of the Okinawa-U.S. base issues and planned 2+2 meetings?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, when I have spoken with the new foreign minister, when President Obama has spoken with Prime Minister Kan and others of our officials have spoken, the Japanese Government has consistently said, of course our highest priority is to deal with this immediate crisis. But we don’t want everything else to take a back seat. We want to have the 2+2. We want to keep talking about all of the issues that we have to deal with from what’s happening with some of the islands that are claimed by others to what’s happening with North Korea. So we know we have to focus and support you in dealing with the crisis, but we also have to keep an eye on everything else going on.

QUESTION: Yes. Although Japan has enormous domestic crisis, North Korea always poses a threat. And last week, North Korea said they are willing to return to the Six-Party Talks and discuss enrichment program. Does this change things?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, we hope so. We are working with our Six-Party partners, including Japan, to try to make sure that North Korea returns to the negotiating table. It’s in everyone’s interest, including theirs, that they do so. So we hope that this will lead to a more constructive response by them.

QUESTION: Mm-hmm. We understand that the U.S. and North Korea talks are to be held this coming weekend in Germany. And what can you tell us about these talks?

SECRETARY CLINTON: That is not anything that we are planning. There is an effort to try to get North and South Korea to start talking and to communicate with each other. And we have ongoing contact, as does any – every country with North Korea on certain issues, but nothing formal is planned.

QUESTION: Okay. Finally, would you please give your personal message to the people of Japan who are suffering right now?

SECRETARY CLINTON: I first want to begin by expressing the deepest sympathy of the United States for the people of Japan, and particularly for those who have been directly affected who have lost everything – members of their family, friends, colleagues, their homes. It is such an overwhelming disaster. But I also want to express my confidence in the Japanese people. The resilience, the spirit that we have seen in the last 10 days, is a firm foundation for Japan to recover and rebuild from. And just as the United States has been working with the Japanese people through our humanitarian efforts, our search and rescue efforts, and with the Japanese officials through our consultation and our technical expertise, we will continue to work with Japan. And we will be your partner and your friend for years to come as you rebuild from this terrible disaster. I know that Japan will come out even stronger.

QUESTION: Thank you very much.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. Thank you so much.

QUESTION: Thank you very much for your time.

SECRETARY CLINTON: My pleasure. Thank you.

Secretary Clinton at the Japanese Embassy

Remarks After Signing the Book of Condolences

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Japanese Ambassador to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki

Embassy of Japan

Washington, DC

March 22, 2011

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SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, it is with a very heavy heart that I come to pay my respects to the people of Japan who have endured so much in the last weeks. This has been an unprecedented disaster, but it has provoked an unprecedented show of resilience by the Japanese people and a pledge of cooperation and friendship from the American people. We will be with Japan and the people of Japan as you recover and rebuild, and we will stand with you in the months and years ahead.

And I can only express my very deep sympathy to all who have lost family members, loved ones, friends and colleagues, and can only hope that the extraordinary spirit of the Japanese people will be evidenced in every way possible to bring comfort and support to those in need. And we will be there to support you at this time. Thank you.

AMBASSADOR FUJISAKI: And Madam Secretary, just one word. Your rescue team, your forces, and your government officials have been working day and night with us, and your people, your NGOs – Red Cross and companies – extending their support to us. And this means a lot to the Japanese people, encouragement to us in such a difficult time, and as you have said, to be standing with us in this very difficult moment, we really do appreciate your friendship and solidarity, and we will never forget it. Thank you very much.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Ambassador, it’s our honor to stand with Japan. Japan’s generosity to people around the world is so well known. In the midst of disasters large and small, we see the assistance that comes from the government and people of Japan. And there has been an outpouring of support now in your time of need, and it is a great symbol of our friendship, partnership, and alliance that the United States is with you and will be there. Once we get through the immediate repercussions of this double disaster, we will continue to work with you. And we have no doubt that Japan will demonstrate a great commitment to an even better future.

AMBASSADOR FUJISAKI: Yes. We will overcome this and we will come back stronger, but thank you very much for standing with us.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you so much.

AMBASSADOR FUJISAKI: Thank you very much.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you, Ambassador.

Video: Secretary Clinton's Remarks on the Earthquake and Tsunamis in Japan

Secretary Clinton's Statement: Japan's Earthquake and Tsunamis

Japan's Earthquake and Tsunamis

Press Statement

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

March 11, 2011

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I join President Obama in offering our sincere condolences for the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake and tsunamis in Japan. We are closely monitoring the tsunamis that may impact other parts the world, including Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States.

The U.S. Government has offered immediate disaster relief assistance, and we are working closely with the Government of Japan to provide additional help. Our consular officers in Japan and in the United States are working to gather information and assist U.S. citizens in Japan who may have been affected by the earthquake.

The United States is an unwavering friend and ally of Japan, and we are committed to helping Japan respond and recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Japan during this difficult time.

Secretary Clinton's Remarks on the Republic of Haiti Flag Day

I love Haiti, and I love Hillary Clinton.

Republic of Haiti Flag Day

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

May 18, 2010

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On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I salute the people of Haiti and Haitians living in Diaspora communities around the world as you celebrate Flag Day.
The Haitian flag was created on May 18^th, 1803, in the town of Arcahaie during a congress held in the midst of the country’s war for independence. By removing the middle white stripe of the French tricolor, symbolizing European domination, and stitching together the remaining red and blue stripes, representing Haiti’s black and interracial citizens, the flag came to embody your nation’s spirit of freedom, unity, and individual liberty.
In the aftermath of January’s devastating earthquake, it took on new resonance. The world rallied around the Haitian flag in an unprecedented outpouring of generosity and support. And like the stitched-together stripes of the flag, the Haitian people joined in solidarity to confront the challenges facing your country.
Today’s celebrations across Haiti and the Diaspora community are a testament to your resilience and determination even during the most challenging time. As we commemorate Flag Day, we must pay special tribute to those Haitians who despite having lost so much continue to work to build a stronger, more prosperous nation and a better tomorrow.
As the flag inspired an earlier generation of Haitians in their struggle for freedom, may it now inspire all of us to work for Haiti’s future. The United States will continue to stand with you as a friend and partner. And we send you our warmest wishes on this special day.

This picture was taken in April 2009 inside the Haitian National Palace that is now a pancake on the ground. Its remains are being removed.

Secretary Clinton's Remarks at the U.S. Haiti Earthquake Victims Memorial Service

There is no video of this yet. If/when one becomes available, I will add it here. As you can guess, I feel emotional just reading her words.
**Update** Still no video, but the photo is from the memorial.

Remarks at the U.S. Haiti Earthquake Victims Memorial Service

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Dean Acheson Auditorium

Washington, DC

May 17, 2010

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We are here today to honor eleven people whose lives were lost in the earthquake in Haiti. Each was working in his or her own way to help Haiti on the path to a better future.
Victoria DeLong spent nearly 30 years in the Foreign Service, serving in 10 countries on five continents. She made friends everywhere she went, many of whom flooded the State Department website with memories of the book club she organized in Kuala Lumpur, the local artist she encouraged in Kinshasa, the shells she collected around the world as a deep sea diver, how she charmed an airline worker into checking three overweight cases on the flight to her posting in Bonn. In Port-au-Prince, she was doing work that she loved – preserving Haiti’s cultural treasures. She helped digitize Haiti’s historical archives and expanded educational exchanges, giving Haitian students the chance to learn English and study at universities in both Haiti and the United States. One school, St. Michael’s College in Vermont, has created a scholarship for Haitian high school students in Victoria’s honor.
Diane Barry Caves was 31 years old. A lifelong athlete, she hiked the Andes and the Alps, devoured books, spoke French, and doted on her husband Jeff and their dog Preston. Last year, she won the Atlanta Federal Executive Board Employee of the Year Award. She was in Haiti with the CDC working on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
Laurence Wyllie was an artist and writer who got involved in the local arts scene wherever she lived, whether DC or the DRC. Through her husband Andy’s job, they explored the world with their sons Evan and Baptiste. Last fall, they moved to Port-au-Prince, where Andy was a UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Assistance, on secondment from the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration here at State.
As I expressed to Andy in January, the families of our staff are members of the State Department family. And each serves in his or her own way. But it is their love and support that make it possible for Foreign Service officers to do their jobs every day, far from home. Laurence, Evan, and Baptiste made Andy’s work possible. His mission was their mission. And this family’s happiness and love for each other was evident to everyone they met, and the entire State Department shares in Andy’s loss.
U.S. Air Force Major Kenneth Bourland was a helicopter pilot and Caribbean desk officer at Southern Command headquarters. He was in Haiti advancing the visit of General Ken Keane. Major Bourland spent much of his career working with military counterparts in Latin America to strengthen democracy and human rights. His wife Peggy, sons Charley and Andrew, and stepson Chance remember a man who loved to fly, even taking hang-gliding lessons in high school, and he was detail-oriented about everything, spending hours on Google to find just the right television to buy his family. He’s been posthumously honored by the Air Force for his work and sacrifice.
And then there are our local staff. Joseph Fontal worked for the U.S. Embassy for more than 13 years. He won the Extra Mile Award in 2008. Jean-Daniel Lafontant and Olriche Jean had worked as guards for the Embassy since last summer. They joined Jacques Josue Desamours, a guard and former archivist for the Hospital Francais. Laica Casseus was also a guard. She studied accounting at the University of Port-au-Prince, where she was when the earthquake struck. And Racan Domond was a trained social worker who was hired as a guard in 2006 and was recently promoted to senior guard. He was also a student at the university studying business.
Each of these stories is part of a bigger story. A story of public service, of our partnership with Haiti a story of the good that our country does around the world, and the people, both Americans and citizens of other countries, who make that work possible.
In the days and weeks after the earthquake, there was so much work to do, and not enough time to stop and let the full impact of these losses sink in. But now, the mission in Haiti has moved from relief to recovery and rebuilding. And we must also take the time to recover and rebuild.
We can never replace the men, women, and children who lost their lives in the earthquake – Haitians, Americans, and others from around the world. But we can remember them. We can celebrate them. And we can honor them as we continue our mission in Haiti.
As Ambassador Merten said, “Our nation’s investment in Haiti has only deepened since the earthquake.” We will not allow this tragedy to steal Haiti’s future. We will not let Victoria and Diane’s hard work fade away. We will not let the mission that brought the Wyllie family to Haiti be abandoned. We will not walk away from the country that our local employees loved and supported.
So we will stand with the people and Government of Haiti and with our friends and partners around the world to work together to build a better future so that all Haitians have the chance to reach their own God-given potentials.
To the members of the Embassy staff in Port-au-Prince who are joining us today by videoconference: Thank you. Thank you for your heroic work to save lives and reunite families. More than any speech or policy statement, your actions showed the world what the United States stands for and you showed the best of America.
Last week, my chief of staff Cheryl Mills was in Haiti, and she took a helicopter ride to the Citadel, the largest fortress in the hemisphere, built by the newly independent Haiti in 1805. Today it is an UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is nearly inaccessible atop a remote mountain near Cap-Haitien. Preserving and restoring Haiti’s cultural heritage was Victoria’s passion, and it is our goal to pick up where she left off, by exploring ways to help the Haitian people revive this treasure and make it easier for others to experience its majesty.
And we will look for other ways as well to continue the work of the diplomats, development experts, and volunteers who came from many nations to help Haiti achieve a safe, healthy, prosperous, and vibrant future.
There is a Creole proverb heard often in Haiti: “Little by little, the bird builds its nest.”
Little by little, we will help rebuild streets and buildings stronger, safer, and better than before. Little by little, businesses will reopen and students will return to school. Little by little, Haiti will progress. Little by little, our hearts will heal, and our work will go on.
God bless those whom we lost. God bless those whom they worked with and God bless those who they served. Thank you. (Applause.)