2010/02/10 Haiti Assessment Mission meets with Sister Sudo
On February 10, the members of the DPJ Haiti Earthquake Aid Needs Assessment Mission, member of the House of Councillors Yukihisa Fujita (Mission leader and Director-General of the DPJ International Department) and member of the House of Representatives Nobuhiko Suto met with Sister Akiko Sudo, a medical doctor and nun belonging to the Missionary Sisters of Christ the King who has been making social contributions in Haiti for over 20 years since 1976. Sister Sudo had returned temporarily to Japan at the time of the earthquake.
At the start of the meeting, both Diet members expressed their deep appreciation to Sister Sudo for her contributions to Haitian society over many years. Suto was already acquainted with Sister Sudo and expressed his pleasure at being able to meet with her again.
Sister Sudo said that many buildings, including religious houses and orphanages, had been destroyed by the earthquake, and that Japan’s construction know-how would be necessary in order to reconstruct such buildings and achieve urban recovery. She also explained that she had heard from doctors working in the disaster zone that victims of the disaster included AIDS and TB sufferers and that this had increased the risk of infection spreading.
Sister Sudo went on to say that at the present time many countries had dispatched assistance teams to Haiti and were engaging in reconstruction aid efforts, but pointed out that long-term assistance which would enable the people of Haiti to return to a self-sustainable lifestyle was needed.
As one example, she cited the need to put emphasis on afforestation and to develop agricultural areas. She said, “My dream is to create an 'agricultural school'. Education is important, and the fact that the educated classes are leaving the country is also a problem [for Haiti’s development].”
In response, Suto vowed, “We will convey your message to the Japanese government. We would like to engage in long-term aid.” He said that they would like to work together with Sister Sudo to strengthen Japan’s aid effort to Haiti.
