Haiti relief operations highlight humanitarianism

by Xia Wenhui, Wu Liming

BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Within seconds, the magnitude-7.3 tremor that hit Haiti on Jan. 12 pushed the Caribbean country into a deep abyss.

Within hours, the international community acted swiftly to launch rescue and relief operations, including countries thousands of miles away such as China.

In the past 30 days, the operations in Haiti have highlighted the spirit of humanity, the courage of human beings and the unity of the international community in the face of massive natural disasters.

It is beyond all doubt that the Haiti earthquake has almost paralyzed the poverty-stricken country and brought enormous pain and suffering to its residents.

The latest data estimates the tremor has killed more than 212,000 people, injured more than 200,000, and left millions homeless.

Among the dead are more than 80 peacekeepers from the United Nations, including eight from China, their names enshrined in the monument of international humanitarianism.

Natural disasters have long inflicted pain on humankind. About 2,000 years ago, Pliny the Younger, a Roman writer and naturalist who investigated the eruption of Vesuvius volcano, dreamed of "magic power" to save its victims.

But 2,000 years later, humankind has not only striven to help each other, but also displayed a capacity for rescue operations of which Pliny the Younger had never dreamed.

Immediately after the Haiti earthquake, the international community began a coordinated worldwide response using advanced rescue and relief equipment and facilities.

The result is that, in the past 30 days, many survivors have been pulled from the rubble, thousands upon thousands of wounded residents have received medical treatment, and millions have received relief supplies.

And concern and support from across the globe has brought opportunities to reshape the devastated country.

The rescuers, relief workers, medical workers and volunteers from all corners of the world have exerted every effort to help the local people.

So far, the reconstruction of the nation is on track and the victims have begun to find hope for a new life.