Child Domestic Labor - Pou nou koute istwa Ti Sentaniz la

[guysanto*]

Nan yon diskisyon sou Dwa Timoun sou fowòm lan, Jude te ekri:

mwen sigjere nou koute Pawoli Maurice Sixto Ti Sentaniz

Mwen ta renmen ban nou opòtinite pou fè sa dirèk pandan nou sou sit la. Klike sou ralonj sa:

http://winterludes.net/haitiforever/mp3/sentaniz.mp3

Si nou kapab tande istwa a kòmsadwa, fè mwen konnen pou mwen kontinye ofri nou sèvis sonorizasyon sa lò mwen kapab. Si gen lan nou ki pa kapab tande l, men ki sèten konpitè yo kapab bay son pale ak mizik, fè m konnen sa tou. Lò sa, mwen kab ban nou kèk ti konsèy teknik pou rezoud pwoblèm malfonksyònman ki ta va lakòz nou pa kapab koute istwa a.

Antouka, se yon bèl sijesyon Jude fè la, paske istwa Ti Sentaniz, se yon istwa klasik Maurice Sixto kite pou nou, ki senbolize youn nan pi gwo pwoblèm nan sosyete ayisyèn lan.

Pran tan w, koute istwa a, epi ann pale.

Mèsi Jude pou jefò w ap fè pou mennen konvèsasyon sa.

Guy

[polanve]

I would like to comment about the "restavek" phenomenon in Haiti. I have been thinking for some time about this. My feeling is that this is not unique to Haiti. I believe not only was this common practice in the US prior to the current explosion of wealth in this country, it was actually institutionalized.

There were government organized "Orphan Trains" going from the overpopulated eastern U.S. city slums of the 1800's to the farms of the West, where the children would have a supposedly healthier life and more opportunity (and would perform farm work). It is likely that many of these children were not orphans at all, but were given up by parents who were living in dire poverty. Were these children slaves? How were they different from their counterparts who stayed behind, who also worked from the earliest time possible, for people they "belonged to" (their parents)? How do we address the rest
aveks without also addressing children's rights who stay with their parents? And how does this relate to another discussion, regarding Haitian parents in the US who claim laws against child abuse are hampering their right to bring up their children in their own way?

I often wonder about the story of my own great grandfather, who supposedly ran away from home at an early age to be a cowboy. Did he really run away? Did he have a choice? How would he remember/tell his story if he had not left voluntarily?

I believe that many Haitians and persons interested in things Haitian think the restavek phenomenon is unique to Haiti, and it is connected to the history of slavery. I am not sure that this is an accurate view. Certainly similar practices occur in poor areas worldwide. I think the effect of slavery and racism permeates Haitian culture in many ways, and this is true of US culture also.

Living in a cosmopolitan county in upstate New York, I have heard similar stories from around
the world. While I myself would never spend more than a few days away from my children, I have noticed my neighbors from South America, Africa, Asia, seem to think nothing of sending even very young children to live with relatives for extended periods of time.

Another point that I have not seen addressed is how do the parents who give up their children feel. One Haitian mother I spoke to was very proud of the accomplishments of her child sent to PAP at an early age, who eventually ended up in NYC and proceeded to bring her family to the US. She had no regrets about her decision. However, her daughter will never tell her all of what happened to her while living with other families in PAP. I wonder how many of the mothers who send away daughters were once restaveks themselves?

I am writing to you because I feel that while I have made some interesting observations/connections, I am not a scholar, and my armchair philosophy has no scientific validity. I am curious to see what other people th
ink about my ideas. I think this subject would make an excellent research project for a college student. What do you think?

[jafrikayiti*]

Child Abuse and Neglect Statistics from the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse

In 1994, over 3 million (3,140,000) children were reported for child abuse and neglect to child protective service (CPS) agencies in the United States.

According to the 1994 survey, physical abuse represented 21% of confirmed cases, sexual abuse 11%, neglect 49%, emotional maltreatment 3% and other forms of maltreatment 16%.

For a discussion of true situations of indentured servants in Pakistan (major US ally in the so-called war against terrorism) and complexities of the situation seen through Eurocentric NGOs perspective, please see:

http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/96feb ... kistan.htm

Studies in Indonesia estimate there are around 400,000 child domestic workers in Jakarta alone and 5 million in Indonesia as a whole. In Venezuela 60 per cent of the girls working between 10 and 14 years of age are employed as domestic workers. Country surveys showed that the proportion of child domestic workers under ten years of age was 26 per cent in Venezuela, 24 per cent in Bangladesh, and 16 per cent in Togo. A survey in Morocco showed that 72 per cent of domestic workers started their working day before 7.00am and 65 per cent went to bed after 11.00pm. (Child Labour: Targeting the intolerable, ILO 1996)

-------------

Numbers are essential although they don' t tell the whole story.

Restavek is an important ill within Haitian society. It has been, it is and will be fought until eradicated. Not by the newly formed, self-appointed, OAS «friends of Haiti», not by the United Nations, not by the New-York Times or the Wall Street Journal. But by these men and women who teach, sometimes as volunteers, in makeshift afternoon schools, those at the Route de Dalles clinic in Port-au-Prince who, during the day, take care of kids of working poor women, those who are struggling for a truly independent Republic of Haiti where misery is conquered once and for all…The Haitian People and its true friends who could be counted on one hand ... those, when we are hungry, who help us irrigate the fields of Latibonit, when we are sick, they help us train medical doctors, when we launch a literacy campaign they stand by our side and provide true support.

Indeed, even in her dumb-looking silence, the Restavek knows her true family and her true friends. Even when others are always speaking on her behalf, describing what she thinks, what she wants and even who she is.”


Jafrikayiti

"demagogy no, true brotherhood yes!"

[Ezili Danto*]

One et respe to all;

I wrote the three posts below (#720, #721, #722) on Child domestic labor in Haiti (the Restavek issue) to give a perspective I hadn’t seen outlined and to address this "slave" tag being put on this phenomenon by US officialdom for its own political purposes against Aristide, and by extension, against the Haitian people. And, to clarify that, in extreme poverty circumstances, such as exists in Haiti, a minor going to live and do domestic work for a "better off" family in the Cities is not unique to Haiti and not to the developing world, or, even unheard of in the Western developed world before the industrial revolution and beyond. IN fact, up until very recently, orphan and homeless children in the US where "indentured."

The posts below looks at the legal situation and social, educational problems. But Haitians are pushing to come together to stop the abuse of poor, unprotected children, as well as to raise awareness of the plight of the Restavek. These three post give a historical perspective, some critical observations, and hopefully, will add to the many concerned Haitian voices clamoring to legally amend Chapter 9 of the Haitian Labor Code which sanctions child domestic labor, and, for a nationwide educational campaign on parenting and the rights of Haitian children.

http://winterludes.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=720#720
http://winterludes.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=721#721
http://winterludes.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=722#722

Child labor still goes on in the richest country in the world and children rights were once so neglected in the US that the Society For the Prevention of Animal Cruelty took up the cause and organized what today has become the Child welfare protection agencies. If the US would stop pushing it’s underdevelopment on Haiti, keeping it simply a "service area" for US corporate investors; if the US would stop blocking Haitians helping Haiti then perhaps, with a bit more prosperity, Haitian families would be more able to take care of their children and not be forced to abandoned them, or face other untenable forces/choices.

Obviously wherever there is a vulnerability, (i.e. unprotected innocent children) some depraved mind will take advantage. That is what’s happening in Haiti right now with the abuse of defenseless children working in households (like the "professor’s" house where bare-foot, 8-year-old, Ti Sentaniz goes to live) away from parents, who cannot take care of them. Unlike the "Professor" in the Ti Sentaniz story, "ki pa we Ti Sentaniz lan gwo liv jistis-li a." Concerned Haitians must see all the Ti Sentaniz in Haiti and help them. Do better at protecting Haitian children, especially our little girls, in these destitute situations. Emotional abuse and name calling, like the "Madanm," in Ti Sentaniz’s story where the little girl was constantly called "Led," "sot," "soud," "vomisman chyen," are even worst then sleeping on a little mat, hungry, body red and breathless from constant physical beating, from Madanm, her son Robert and "mareyn." As Maurice Sixto might say, li le, li tan pou Ayisyen "bale fatra lakay pa nou a" nou menm - retire injistis.

When Ti Sentaniz sings, at the end. It’s absolutely the most tragic welling up of pain one can possibly imagine an 8-year old, grown old with suffering and heartache, transmitting to the world. It’s a call to us all. Check it out above at:

http://winterludes.net/haitiforever/mp3/sentaniz.mp3

I didn’t know that this issue had already been discussed on the Forum under the "Pou nou koute istwa Ti Sentaniz" subject line under General Issues. Maurice Sixto has a recurrent theme about restavek in his works (Madanm Jul and others). But, his Ti Sentaniz story is the QUINTESSENTIAL Haitian restavek story. It’s timeless and encapsulates all the pain and pathos, trial and tribulations, physical, psychological and emotional pain of the countless young, frail, emaciated Haitian girl’s, living this "reste avec" life everyday, in Port-au-Prince and throughout Haiti. Guy has made this tale available on the Forum for everyone to listen to. Other than Maurice Sixto’s Lea Kokoye story – the quintessential destitute Haitian "ti-malerez" woman story, I can’t think of a more fabulously told Haitian slice of life than the Ti Sentaniz story. Have a listen when you can by clicking above. If you have problems with hearing the tape, tell Guy and he will help.

I probably wouldn’t have gone to such trouble to write my views on the Restavek issue if I had first read Polanve’s post which touches some important observations and JAF post above. Guy, Polanve and Jaf had already done the work. JGPalmis had already pointed to the importance of the Ti Sentaniz story in his March 25, 2003 post, entitled "Timoun ann Ayiti, reskonsablite nou ak wòl Leta)

Still, it wouldn’t hurt for me to take this opportunity to encourage Forum readers, once more, to have a listen to the Ti Sentaniz story, made available to us by Guy, and the genius of Haiti’s greatest storyteller, Maurice Sixto.

Peace and blessings,

Ezili Danto

[polanve]

I am glad to see that people are talking about restavek on the WOH forum. This is a very sensitive issue, and more so because of the underlying historical racist dogma that somehow Haitians are inherently inferior, unable to govern themselves, without morals, etc., that still persists in the minds of many. That is why I feel that it is important to discuss the worldwide and historical nature of this problem, because when a Haitian child is abused, it is not because there is something lacking in the Haitian character, it is not because the Haitian people are being punished by God. It happens for the same reasons that it happens everywhere else. We need to clear the air on this, and move on to advocating for rights of children in Haiti.

“Le gran moun ap kriye, s’on bagay ki pa fe’n plezi, le timoun ap kriye, se pou konsole yo” (Unissons Nous, by Ti Manno)

[Guysanto]

Link to Maurice Sixto's Sentaniz

http://winterludes.net/haitiforever/mp3/sentaniz.mp3