January 17, 2010
Wyclef Jean and director Gil Green take time to record a message for his Haiti Relief Fund at the Fountainbleau in Miami Beach.
Wyclef has been working tirelessly to raise money for his homeland and has been met with criticisms and allegations over his efforts with his organizationYele Haiti that he addressed on Twitter:
"My commitment to Haiti is a unique and everlasting bond."
"I formalized that commitment when I formed my first foundation, in 1994. From that day forward, I have spent tireless hours working on behalf of my homeland on development issues as well as human and immigrant rights.
"I have been committed to helping the people of Haiti throughout my life, and that commitment will continue until the day I die.
"It is impossible for me to even comprehend the recent attacks on my character and the integrity of my foundation, Yele Haiti. The fact that these attacks come as we are mobilized to meet the greatest human tragedy in the history of Haiti only serves to perplex me even further.
"I first learned of these baseless attacks when I left Haiti late Friday, where I had been since 12 hours after the earthquake.
"Let me be clear: I denounce any allegation that I have ever profited personally through my work with Yele Haiti. These baseless attacks are simply not true.
"In fact, I have, time and again, committed significant amounts of my own money to support the work of Yele Haiti and other organizations in support of our efforts over the years.
"More than that, I have spent countless hours, days, months and years of my life committed to the country of Haiti, the people of Haiti and the success of Haiti.
"These baseless allegations were first put forward by a fringe website with a history of pursuing sensationalist story lines. The mainstream media's pursuit of them has required Yele to divert precious resources during this critical time in order to answer various inquiries. That must end.
"I will continue to commit my focus to what is most important right now: Haiti. Right now, Yele is working with its valuable NGO partners, the U.S. Government, the United Nations and so many others to save lives, honor those who have perished and get aid to the millions of Haitians suffering through the worst human catastrophe of our times.
"I will never give up on my commitment."
1 Comments
Photo: Jean/Getty Three years ago, as a
Rolling Stone editor, I accompanied Wyclef Jean on one of his many trips to Haiti, where he visited slums, observed the relief efforts of his charity, Yle Haiti, and put on a massive free concert on the beach. His passion and love for Haiti and its people was undeniable. In light of Wyclef's and Yle Haiti's efforts on behalf of the Haitian people after the devastating earthquake -
January 20, 2010 Like
10