It sounds like you have never spent much time in third world countries, where corruption is rampant. In most of those places you need to have a wad of cash in your pocket at all times to fix any "misunderstandings".
Put another way, you can assume that essentially everything that has been done to aid Haitians has violated one or more laws there. For instance, do you think all of those doctors and EMTs who rode across the border from the Dominican Republic and saved thousands of lives were licensed to practice medicine in Haiti? Did any of them have work visas? Of course not, and what they did was almost certainly a violation of the law. Even the folks handing out food in many cases lacked the necessary permits, etc.
During the first few days the locals were pretty much stunned, and among other things the normal corruption was on hold. After a few days it came back to life, and pretty soon they were back to their old ways.
Anyone considering trying to help out in Haiti should use great caution now, and even if you are considering donating money or supplies be very sure they aren't just going into somebody's Swiss bank account.
No other group working in Haiti is complaining about harrassment and many of them are Christian.
Those “third world countries” sound a lot like the U.S. these days. “Corruption is rampant” and you need to have a “wad of cash” to fix any misunderstandings.
One could presume that those doctors and EMTs who came in from the Dominican Republic had their papers in order, and were given some sort of authority to help. If not, then by your take on things, the Haitian authorities would have jailed them as well.
Great caution should be taken whenever entering or doing “business” in a foreign country. Sadly, some folks just don’t think before they act.
I just don’t know what to think about this particular situation. But like all situations such as this, the truth usually wins out.
That’s what I think too - corrupt government officials demanding bribes to make things run smoothly. Vs naive American Christians. I too have traveled in third-world countries.