Wyclef Jean on Haiti: We Need to Have an Exodus

Hip-Hop artist Wyclef Jean urged the American public to help with the departure of Haiti residents, as he spoke at a press conference held Monday in New York City.

“We need to have an exodus,” Jean said. “And I give you my word, if I tell them to go, they will go. But they need somewhere to go to.”

After having returned to the United States from visiting Haiti, Jean concluded, “We need to migrate at least 2 million people in different parts outside of Port-au-Prince.”

Jean, who were among those collecting the deceased that laid in the streets of the Republic, held back tears as he continued.

“My people in Haiti are watching this. So I gotta talk to them in their own language,” said Jean, before speaking in patois.

The capital of the Caribbean country, Port-au-Prince, was struck last Tuesday with a 7.0 earthquake, which killed an estimated 200,000 people, 70,000 of which have been buried, according to BBC News.

Currently, Jean’s organization, The Yele Haiti Foundation, has raised over $2 million in donations.

Responding to The Smoking Gun, which accused him of misusing funds from his own charity in the past, Jean, admitting to mistakes, said that none of the detractions were for “personal benefit.”

Jean, actor George Clooney, and a host of other performers and celebrities will come together for “Hope for Haiti,” a telethon to air on MTV this Friday. MTV Networks is the sponsor of the charity broadcast.