Thousands appeal to U.S. embassy in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Embassy in Haiti must focus its attention solely on the needs of U.S. citizens and their relatives, the U.S. ambassador to Haiti says.

Kenneth Merton delivered that message on Haiti Radio following several near-riot incidents outside the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince this week, the Christian Science Monitor reported Thursday.

Officials say the number of people soliciting embassy assistance went up by a factor of 10 after the Jan. 12 quake and then doubled again early this week, the Monitor said.

Among those lined up outside the embassy was Aly Kerby who is waiting to see if a family member is granted a visa to accompany his 3-year-old son, an American citizen, back to the United States.

"Most people know they can't just go to the U.S., but when you're desperate you will try," Kerby said.

He added people wouldn't be focused on leaving Haiti if they knew they had a future there.