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Updated Friday, January 15, 2010 1:49 pm TWN, By Huang Kung-chun and Sofia Wu, CNA

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Injured Taiwanese envoy hopes to return to Haiti soon

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic -- Taiwan's ambassador to Haiti who is receiving hospital treatment here said Thursday that he hopes to return to the earthquake-ravaged Caribbean country as soon as possible to execute his mission as a diplomat.

Hsu Mien-sheng told the CNA that he had not suffered any bone fractures in the magnitude-7 earthquake that struck Haiti Tuesday.

"Perhaps I sustained nerve injuries that led to paralysis and inability to stand, " said Hsu, who was buried in the rubble for six hours before being rescued after the Republic of China Embassy in Haiti collapsed in the devastating earthquake.

Doctors at a hospital in the Dominican Republic capital of Santo Domingo also found that Hsu's kidneys were not functioning well, probably because of injuries sustained in the earthquake.

"The kidney problems can be resolved soon and I look forward to returning to Haiti soon to perform my official duties, " Hsu said.

Hsu and the embassy's Minister Extraordinary Chi Wang-teh were airlifted to Santo Domingo Wednesday for treatment. Chi's injuries were more serious and he underwent surgery Thursday to have facial bones repaired.

According to Hsu, the ROC Embassy in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince is now chaired by Chang Tai-fu, a counselor, who has been in contact with the Haitian authorities and Taiwanese expatriates to get information about what kind of aid Taiwan can offer.

Hsu said the embassy and families of embassy staff usually have a week's-worth of drinking water and food stored.

At present, he said, the embassy most needs satellite phones or other communication facilities because the original equipment was destroyed in the earthquake.

Hsu said the biggest potential threat in the wake of a powerful earthquake tends to be unrest or chaos caused by a shortage of food and drinking water. "As the international community has scrambled to offer various forms of aid, I'm not pessimistic about the prospects so long as food and water supplies are not hard to come by, " he added.

According to ROC Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Tsai Meng-hung, 31 Taiwanese nationals are still in Haiti, including embassy and technical mission staff, businessmen and their family members.

"We have yet to decide whether to evacuate all of our citizens in Haiti, " Tsai said, adding that the decision should be based on a prudent assessment by the Haiti embassy staff.

"If they come to a conclusion that evacuation is necessary, the embassy in the Dominican Republic will offer all necessary logistic support... but for the moment, it seems the situation has yet to reach the point to warrant an evacuation," he added.

Meanwhile, a Taiwanese rescue team arrived in Santo Domingo early Thursday en route to Haiti for relief operations.

As the Haiti airport was partially damaged in the earthquake and there are too many planes from around the world waiting to land there, the Taiwanese team had to stay overnight in Santo Domingo and was scheduled to depart for Haiti next morning.

Taiwan has announced a cash donation of US$500,000 for post-earthquake relief programs in Haiti. Various Taiwanese charities are also planning to raise funds and send volunteers for aid programs there.

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