Teary Eyed Wyclef Jean Calls For Mass Exodus Of Haiti Capital "Port-au-Prince Is A Morgue" [Video Inside]
Video After The Jump
NEW YORK – Haitian-born musician Wyclef Jean defended his charity on Monday in the wake of questions about its practices while calling on the international community to enable the evacuation of his homeland's earthquake-ravaged capital.
"Port-au-Prince is a morgue," Jean said at a Manhattan press conference, recounting how he collected the corpses of small children and adults from the festering streets on his recent trip. Tears streamed down his face as he looked into the camera, speaking to his countrymen.
Residents should be evacuated to tent cities outside Port-au-Prince to allow for aid to reach them and so cleanup can begin in earnest, Jean said, asking for help from around the world in building encampments.
"We need to migrate at least 2 million people," Jean said, promising to draw on his status as one of Haiti's favorite sons to aid in such an effort. "I give you my word, if I tell them to go, they will go. But they need somewhere to go to," Jean said.
The musician made the plea for an evacuation at the behest of Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive and President Rene Preval, said Hugh Locke, the president of The Wyclef Jean Foundation Inc.
The organization, also known as the Yele Haiti Foundation, has drawn fire in recent days as groups that vet charities raised doubts about its accounting practices and ability to function in a nation devastated by last week's earthquake.
Jean gave an impassioned defense of the organization, which has received more than $2 million in donations in just a few days.
"My dad always told me, if you're a man with a clear conscience, speak with a clear conscience and the world will know," he said. "Have we made mistakes before? Yes. Did I ever use Yele money for personal benefit? Absolutely not."
An Associated Press review of tax returns and independent audits provided by Jean's foundation showed that it was closely intertwined with Jean's businesses.
Among the mistakes by the young organization, Locke said, was the decision to buy $250,000 of airtime from Telemax S.A., a for-profit TV station in Haiti that is majority-owned by Jean and another foundation board member.
Locke said that Yele believed it was getting a good price for airtime in a nation where many are illiterate and rely on the TV for information. The decision would be handled differently now, he said.
The foundation plans to send donated supplies to Haiti on a plane provided by FedEx on Saturday. It is still deciding how donated funds will be spent, considering such options as mobile schools for refugee camps and security forces to escort supplies, Locke said.
Source: Yahoo
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Comment
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Comment by D Clark Hoe on January 20, 2010 at 2:59pm -
wyclef is the devil he sold out years ago he doesn;t cARE ABOUT HIS PEOPLE ONLY MAKING MONEY OFF THEIR TRADGEDYS
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Comment by osixx on January 20, 2010 at 2:54pm -
help haiti
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Comment by DatKatCam on January 20, 2010 at 2:51pm -
Do your thang Clef - F*** the haters, don't see any of these busters talk smack online giving their millions to help their people..... Oh thats right, haters ain't got a dollar to wash their stank hating a**.... hahaha
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Comment by don showtime on January 20, 2010 at 8:25am
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look out for wycleff new album.. its called rob your people blind then cry when they die..... those tears should help sell his new album..
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Comment by don showtime on January 20, 2010 at 8:22am
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ahhhh man i stopped reading this s*** when he used yelle money for himself.. these rappers are worst than politicians.. using the money for youself cleff your crying becuase your concience is killing you knowing that all these people are dying and you used the money for a new lambo.. save your tears wycleff.. ill donate to another currupt orginization.. the red cross.. ..pray for the people in hati especially the women and children.. i could imagine what it must be like living over there right now.. straight lawlessness. exodus is necessary somebody help get them out of there.. cleff you shouldend be swindeling money from your own people then want to come back like some superhero.. clear your conscience cleff cry all you want ...
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Comment by Hottestchickinthegame on January 20, 2010 at 1:17am -
I believe him and I feel for him and pray for him and the people of Haiti! People can disagree with me if they choose to, but I truely believe this Earthquake and the 4 Hurricanes that have hit Haiti in the recent years are a blessings in disguise. Unfortunately, so many innocent had to die, but everything happens for a reason. EVERYTHING under the sun! I believe these disasters had to happen so that Haiti could finally get the help they have been so desperately needing for so long in rebuilding from the ground up, fresh and new with better structures and hopefully more resources so that they can take care of themselves and be self sufficient, instead of having nothing to resort to than crime and more poverty in order to survive.
Haiti needs the help of the world to turn it back into the beautiful country God intended for it to be. A place people want to vacation to and spend their money like it's neighboring Dominican Republic and so many other Caribbean countries. It's time for Haiti to rebuild and rise!
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Comment by Maj Toure on January 19, 2010 at 11:48pm -
actually mobilizing and organizing... muc love wyclef, yayo, whoo kid, and the numerous other artists, activist, and soldiers in, from, and related to Haiti... respect and positivity..
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Comment by Marc Mayhem on January 19, 2010 at 11:36pm -
wyclef pa lague. nou avec ou
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Comment by Hasnain on January 19, 2010 at 10:09pm -
hes a good acter!
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Comment by 1THUG aka PROJECK KEEM!! on January 19, 2010 at 10:03pm -
okay i seent annerson kooter scoopin neggaz up, but i aint seent why clef?? scoopin up nuthin but air time.........where ya scoops at negga? annerson already got one scoop and he aint even their to scoop....yo clef you betta lemme see you get at lease 2 scoops like raisin brands or imma put ya foundation on blast....yele aint askin for no volunteers, no food, no wotta, JUSS MONEY!!
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