14804: Sanba: Re:14791: Dorvilus: Re:14783: Sanba: Re:14775: Chevalier: Re: 14 739: Dorvilus: Slaveryexists in Haiti today. (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: sanba@juno.com

Arsène,

I do not think that we disagree on the ill-fated Restavek in Haiti. As you should guess, I even drew all analogies to slavery. For the matter I even think that there is some resemblance between the two systems and other modern production activities.
I would say of all that they are faulty practices. You can see my position as understated, I don’t. And it’s not a crime either way. In my view the difference is that your assessment is descriptive and specific. Mine is not. You know why, because not only am I ashamed of the list, no Haitians need to be informed about the tragedy we are addressing here, while, in addition, and not being superficial, I don’t know of any tragic fault that does not beg for correction or adjustment from concern citizens.
How are we going about correcting or at least adjusting everything we need to? I think that -and I repeat- a celebration of our achievement can be the starting point since we do not have to see this celebration as a declaration of sainthood. Far from that! It will certainly be a focus on our shortcomings you call squarely mess we are in. More positively the celebration I envision will be a projection on our future, as we want it, an opening to embrace development as being social, inclusive and progressive.
In all confidence that I’ll give you back your breath I did not mean to take away anyhow -sincere apology to you- I want to restate that the celebration I am talking about will certainly include the wrongs we managed to inflict upon ourselves after independence in addition to laud the heroes of independence as you put it.