Pennsylvania Governor Rendell takes matters into his own hands and rescues 53 orphans

Earthquake has swelled orphans to more than 400,000

Orphaned children have long been a problem in Haiti. The 7.0 Richter earthquake last week outside Port-au-Prince has made the problem the largest one in UNICEF history.

“This the single largest individual loss of life,” Martin Bell UNICEF Ambassador told CNN in a London interview, “in the history of the UN. Never encountered a child protection issue on that scale.”

Estimates of the number of orphans in Haiti are 380,000 by CBC and CNN. These children have lost their parents, brothers and sisters and whole families in cases.

“In all disasters there are two groups that get lost, the very old and the very young,” said Bell. “In this particular case so many new orphans have lost their parents, just identifying finding homes for them. The policy of UNICEF has been in-the-country adoption.” In this case Bell didn’t think that policy was appropriate considering the destruction of Haiti’s infrastructure.

People have been buried in mass graves with little identification. Government records have been destroyed or lost forever. The normal process of paperwork is not applicable says Bell. Normal adoption processes can take years to ensure the paperwork is done properly. Bell didn’t think setting up more orphanages in Haiti was the answer.

“You’ve got to do it almost immediately. They are also traumatized. This is the beginning of a very long haul that going to take months and years.”

With so many problems facing Haiti Bell said that making children a priority had to be a humanitarian goal.

“I think you have to make children a priority,” said Bell. “The outpouring of generosity nationally is so great,” he added speaking about the reaction to the problem by people in the UK.

“It would be better to keep them in the country and find extended families. But the pressure is going to be on to save this children.”

The Governor of the State of Pennsylvania Edward Rendell took matters into his own hands and flew to Haiti and brought 53 orphans back the PA. He had been alerted by 2 Pennsylvanians working in a Haitian orphanage. The Governor along with several doctors and a few members of Congress arranged for staff and a charter flight to help him rescue the children.

“The Haitian ambassador to the U.S. recommended that the governor personally make the trip,” Rendell spokesman Gary Tuma said. “He thought it was important for someone of that stature to be on the trip in case they ran into problems. So the governor agreed to go.” Philly.com

Some have complained that his flight was allowed to land and take off ahead of other more important deliveries of aid. Rendell offered no apologies for taking action. The children will be looked after in foster homes until the proper adoptions can take place.

Video: CNN