As Haiti works to regroup after weeks of chaos and violence by rebel forces that led to the exile of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, many of this nation's nearly 8 million people are just beginning to feel the effects of a nation effectively cut off from the rest of the world.

In the port city of Port-au-Prince, mass looting of storehouses of food and medicine have caused shortages in a country that was already one of the most malnourished in the world --- exceeded only by Afghanistan and Somalia. About 80,000 Haitian children die each year of hunger related problems.

With rebel groups patrolling the streets and terrorizing citizens, most have been prevented from venturing out of their homes to work to earn enough to put a daily meal on the table.

With the majority of the population living on less than $2 a day, Haiti depends heavily on international humanitarian aid to feed, clothe, educate and provide medical care for its citizens.

But with the dire security situation in the country, much of this aid has been suspended, leaving people without access to any food.

"Life is not yet back to normal," said Dula James, Haiti director for Catholic Relief Services (CRS). "Businesses and schools are still closed and people are running out of cash making it difficult to buy basic foodstuffs."

Still unsafe
Despite the arrival in Port-Au-Prince of military troops from the United States, Canada and France the general feeling is that it is still unsafe for private citizens to return to their daily lives.

After a short period of calm following Aristide's departure for the Central African Republic on Feb. 29, a new wave of violence hit during a March 7 celebration in front of the National Palace in Port-Au-Prince. Protesters celebrating Aristide's exile were fired upon by gunmen suspected of being Aristide supporters despite the presence of the international peacekeeping troops. Reports said at least six people were killed, including a journalist working for Spanish television, and dozens were wounded.

Aristide, a former Salesian priest, decried the violence and called for a "peaceful resistance" by his supporters against the "occupation" of Haiti. In the days since his exile, Aristide has charged that he was kidnapped by American forces and forced out of Haiti --- charges which the United States initially dismissed as "nonsense." But in the intervening days since his departure, it has become clear that he came under pressure from both the U.S and French governments and Haitian opposition rebels to resign his post.

Aid arrives
In the days after the March 7 violence, as U.S. Marines and French troops patrolled the streets, aid organizations are beginning to reopen their warehouses and resume some service programs.

The Florida-based Food for the Poor organization has re-opened its Port-Au-Prince feeding program that serves 15,000 people daily. The organization expects these numbers to rise greatly in the coming weeks.

The organization recently shipped 53 containers full of food, medical and emergency supplies to Port-Au-Prince and has 84 additional containers in transit said spokesperson Ann Briere.

"Fortunately, our warehouses were untouched during the violence so as soon as it was safe we were able to reopen our programs," said Briere. "We really believe that the local people, by their presence and prayer, protected us."

The organization also has 20 containers of supplies bound for the northern port city of Cap Haitien, which was a rebel stronghold.

While Port-Au-Price has been somewhat stabilized, ongoing violence in other parts of the country has hindered aid distribution, noted Jed Hoffman, CRS regional director for Latin America.

"Living conditions have continued to deteriorate in the last few days despite the arrival of international peacekeepers," Hoffman said. "The government, the political opposition, the armed Haitian groups and the international forces in the capital and other towns around the country must work together to restore civil order so people can get back to work and CRS can get help to those who are being hit the hardest--like orphans, street kids, the disabled and HIV/AIDS patients."

Continued insecurity on the nation's roads has limited CRS' operations to the southern peninsula city of Les Cayes.

"Travel to the interior of the country such as St. Marc and Gonaives, areas where there are many families affected by the political violence, is risky due to attacks by armed groups," said James.

CRS and other organizations are calling on the United Nations to help negotiate safe corridors to allow for the transport of food and medicines out of Port-Au-Prince.

"CRS has received urgent calls for assistance for the population affected by the political violence in the northern part of the country," said James.

These people are the most vulnerable now because many families in these poor suburban areas depend on "petty informal commercial activities for their daily subsistence and have no money left to restart their activities," noted James.

"It's frustrating for us because we have the food and supplies but have no way to get it out there," said CRS spokesperson Brian Shields. "We're not picking sides. We're calling on all armed actors to work together to get this aid through."