Comments on: Restavèk: Slavery No Matter How You Slice It

By: EffinFreak

EffinFreak — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:34:04 +0000

Its true that slavery entail one being forced into it.
However, you're wrong to say that resaveks in Haiti are not slaves, because those children are forced to stay with other families. Maybe not all, but most of them would rather be someplace else.
Whether or not some children are not truly slaves, there are still some kids who are.
You should maybe try guarding your statements.

By: Kathie

Kathie — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:17:27 +0000

I just tonight became aware of this matter. Because this is a cultural practice, what your plans to irradicate this problem. Where do you plan to start? With the parents? The elite? When one endeavors to change a part of a country's culture, one usually finds an intertwining of many areas of that culture that work to sustain each part.

I'm going over to http://www.restavekfreedom.org now to learn more.

By: lwarren

lwarren — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:25:05 +0000

I had never heard of this before. It is totally unacceptable. If one good thing can come of the earthquake, perhaps it is bringing the Restavek situation into the light, so that it is abolished.

By: Natalie Bklyn, NY

Natalie Bklyn, NY — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:56:18 +0000

Slavery or a slave system goes far beyond shackles and written decrees. Don't be naive in assuming that because there is no segregation that the restavek system is not slavery. These are children, minors. The hope in sending them off to live with people is that perhaps the kids will be placed with a loving family. Perhaps they'll be sent to school and fed, clothed and nurtured. Perhaps they'll grow up and become self sufficient, and perhaps the wealth will trickle down back to their biological family. But for the majority of restaveks, it is a slave sytem. Like it says in the article, imagine your own child forced to rise early from a bed made on the floor to clean, wash, cook, care for young children (though children themselves) and receive verbal physical and sexual abuse. If you have no children to place into this state, imagine your own childhood substituted for this forced servitude. If you don't rise early enough, the whip will be your alarm clock, if the food isn't ready for the return from school of the children of the house, the whip will be your reward. If the dishes aren't cleaned on time and the yard isn't swept, the whip will remind you of the chores you've neglected. There is a stark difference between an occupation and servitude (if the word slavery is too difficult). If I work, I receive wages that I can use to care for myself, and within my workplace, there are established rules that my employer must abide by. And so Hancy, you don't need a sign that says "No Negroes Allowed" to understand slavery to be slavery. The word may be harsh considering the history of Haiti, but like Jocelyn McCalla mentions, we must understand what the restavek system truly is so Haiti can truly stand for freedom and independence.

By: Jocelyn McCalla

Jocelyn McCalla — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:45:24 +0000

The small child, as young as 4 years old, who is turned over to another adult -- who generally holds life and death power over the household in Haiti -- really does not have a choice in whether to go or stay with that adult, does she? Many people equate slavery with the transatlantic slave trade which began with tribal chiefs turning men and women that they controlled to slave traders in exchange for trinkets and other signs of wealth. Others were forcibly taken by traders and profiteers seeking to make a quick buck. The transatlantic slave trade is the not the only form of slavery that came into existence. Slavery has adapted to the changing times, thus it is estimated that today there are some 25 million people in slavery, perhaps far more than the number of slaves during the heydays of the translatlantic slave trade.

Slavery was abolished in the US in the 1860s. Discrimination and segregation remained behind. They are not the same thing as slavery, even when they should all be condemned. The sooner Haitians come to term with the sad and horrendous reality of slavery in Haiti via the restavek system, the sooner Haiti can really be free of slavery.

By: Hancy

Hancy — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:14:01 +0000

NO, Restavek is NOT SLAVERY If you want to call it like that it's your opinion, but in my own opinion it's not slave because they do not force one to become restavek . If you believe restavek is slave, you must not oppose to me if I say the U.S is full of slavery. They do not force you to do things physically, however, the system will force you to do things you don't think you should do, in the workplace, in you own home or in the streets. They do not force people to be slaved in Haiti. There is no law in Haiti that says "no negro allaw" to this to do that. No slave in Haiti!

By: Jocelyn McCalla

Jocelyn McCalla — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:55:06 +0000

Perhaps the Restavek Foundation (www.restavekfreedom.org) can channel your contribution to the Foyer Maurice Sixto. Thanks for your concern and support.

By: Laura Cornetta

Laura Cornetta — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:30:14 +0000

I would like to know how to make a small contribution to the Foyer Maurice Sixto, and learn other ways I might help these Restavek children.

By: Marcel

Marcel — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:04:35 +0000

Bravo! this is the most methodical approach I've seen in explaining what a restavek is. And I think that the people who still argue in favor of the system or protest in defense of it, whether it is out of shame or misplaced pride, should think of their boy or girl living under these conditions. Wow! that sure brings it home!