For the past three weeks the world has remained horrified at the news coming out of Haiti. Much has been stated about the untold suffering which has been visited on Haiti throughout the years. The images beamed across the world by a Western press has exposed the destruction of Port au Prince now rubble, over one hundred thousand dead, over one hundred thousand people relegated to amputee status, and over one million people homeless.
As if the horrific scenes unfolding on a nightly basis was not enough to make grown men cry – delivered courtesy of CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Doctor cum journalist Sanjay Gupta – we have had to witness another horrific event although not being reported as such. How many Black children have been adopted, in the process of being adopted, or simply stolen from Haiti during this period of uncertainty and distress in Haiti? The images of Black children being taken legally or otherwise by White people from Haiti has been troubling to BU.
The turbulent history of Haiti which has led to an unstable political and economic environment has seen an exodus of Haitian bodies and minds now dispersed around the globe. The point which needs to be made may offend some. If we go by the many reports, Haitian children including babies labelled as orphans are being snapped up by White families in the USA. BU acknowledge the humanitarian response by those driven to adopt the many children which have been orphaned in Haiti. What must be acknowledged also is the reluctance of the Black Haitian middle class living in Haiti and many others living in the USA who appear to be sitting on the fence as the future of Haiti is being whisked away on planes on a daily basis.
What will happen to those Black Haitian children raised by White families in the USA? What kind of identity will these children develop? Will they be able to identify with the country where they were uprooted in the years to come? So many questions. BU suspects many of the babies removed from Haiti in the last three weeks will grow up knowing Haiti as a distant place. What effect will the removal of so many children have on the aspirations of a country which was struggling in the people resources before the earthquake?
The success of any nation is dependent on its people more importantly its children. The surrender of Haitians at home and abroad to the removal of its children without a whimper is of concern.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.