Comments on: An African home for Haitians?

By: Truthbetold

Truthbetold — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:46:17 +0000

I might be wrong and ignorant but the only natural catastrophe that I know of that happened in Haiti is the recent one. The other ills that I know have befallen Haiti are corruption, bad governance, coupes, dictatorships and so on and those are not natural catastrophes. Blackman you are on your own.

By: mocha_chicita

mocha_chicita — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:20:23 +0000

AMAZING!!! I think this is a great act of generosity from a fellow developing nation.

By: Rodolfo Hernandez

Rodolfo Hernandez — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 09:34:16 +0000

I agree with you Mncedisi 100 %

When I first read Wades’ article it refreshed me indeed. Its up to the Haitians to consider taking the offer up or prefer to stand on the way of continuous natural catastrophes that have befallen them and seem to continue. But I wish they could take up the offer. I had a good Haitian friend in Mexico doing his PhD, am not sure whether he survived. Let them come home.

By: Truthbetold

Truthbetold — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:52:32 +0000

Why must they come back to Africa? It is time we as Africans start to rely on ourselves instead of running away at the first sign of trouble. Of course Haitians are going to need as much help as they can get but they must represent us well the people of African descent and show the world that they can rise from the ashes and go on to build a prosperous country. What if the earthquake happens next in Africa, where are we going to run away to? Nobody suggested that the people of Asia should run to somewhere after the 2004 tsunami regardless of their origins why should Haitians run away this time and abandon the land that they fought for and won?

By: isaac

isaac — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:20:13 +0000

The immediate need is to help the Hatians and adopt orphaned children and maybe host a family for a short term unless they choose to relocate. Mass relocation can create problems down the road. Remember that these people are our fellow brothers and sisters whether we are black or white. They have a well developed cultural identity. Its a good idea but Senegal shouldn’t be proposing this just to score some political points. I am sure Senegal has its own suffering and undeprivelaged class, please mr. president HELP them too. We Africans must not always look to developed nations to help while our leaders fatten their pockets with the foreign aid destined to benefit our communities. Many private citizens here in the US have adopted some Hatian kids/orphans. Mr. President (Wade) and your cabinet ministers and other African leaders, have you done so? Set a good example not just talk. Please

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:08:28 +0000

As a person born and raised in the Americas, I think non-Americans don’t understand the mindset of people on that continent. The ideas of “Pan Africanism” and “African Diaspora” really don’t register on our minds there. The whole continent (meaning North AND South America) has been mostly settled by relatively recent immigrants – but even the “first nations” migrated across the Bering Strait from Asia relatively recently compared to initial human settlement on the other continents. Some of our ancestors came against our will. Other ancestors came voluntarily. But like in Haiti, nearly every country in the Americas fought for their independence. Like in Haiti, their forefathers spilt their blood to give us freedom, allow our self-determination, and restore our dignity. The history of this continent may be filled with many sorrows, and sometimes the worst the human race has to offer. BUT, it is where we forged a new home regardless of the circumstances that brought us here. We no longer see ourselves as African, or Asian, or European, who have a home somewhere else we long to return to. We are of the AMERICAS; we are AMERICAN (in the broad continental sense). Our homes which our ancestors came from across the seas are now forgotten; this is our home now.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:50:15 +0000

There is a racialist aspect to the idea of “African” repatriation which bothers me greatly. I don’t typically like to bring up race issues, but this is an idea I’ve tossed around in my head for years so I don’t take it lightly. If African should resettle Hatians (like some other countries are offering), it should do so because it is the humanitarian thing to do; not because they share the same return merely because they are of the same “racial” origin. Some other issues: Hatians speak French, so settling them in French-speaking countries like Senegal would be more compatible than in say South Africa or Kenya. Also, they have developed their own Carribean-Creole culture over centuries, which would be more compatible with other Carribean islands than Africa. Just because many Hatians have similar physical features does not mean they would be more compatible to living in Africa than an “Asian” or “European”.

Remember, the majority of the people in the Americas that are considered to be “African” are what “Africans” would consider “coloured”. I am what some call an “octoroon”. Would I qualify for resettlement? What is the litmus test of who would qualify as “African” and who would not since this group is so mixed? Since ALL humankind originated in Africa, would all peoples in the world qualify for resettlement? Or would there be a cutoff date? Or would only forcibly removed peoples qualify? How would one determine that?

By: william smith

william smith — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:35:36 +0000

They’re probably better off where they are.

By: Billy

Billy — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:07:13 +0000

Boring, racially slanted article…

Besides which these people should be sent to America, Sweden, Denmark or any of those wealthy countries..maybe China?
They will be ‘Xenophobed’ here in Africa.

By: Al

Al — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:51:37 +0000

Nice idea; as long as it doesn’t breed xenophobia.