EDITOR, The Tribune.
For years, we seem to notice that the Bahamian-Haitian issue has a pattern.
Every month. The anger against Bahamians or Haitians pop up, triggered by videos, social media posts and news articles. It dies down afterwards, but it gets worse.
In fact, if we continue like this, it will be an ethnic war and there would be no winners and all opposing sides lose big time.
Now, why are we having an issue like this? It’s all because of geopolitical issues.
When one wealthy country shares a border with a poor country stuck in extreme poverty and rampant wars, the migrants of the poor country would try to get to the more wealthy country by any means possible.
Even if they face certain death on the high seas or the treacherous lands to get there.
The examples would be the Bahamas bordering with impoverished Haiti in the Southeast, the Illustrious USA bordering with Narco-State Mexico in the Southwest, Trinidad and Tobago sitting above the failed state of Venezuela, the technological powerhouse of Japan sharing with the significantly impoverished people of the Philippines and the well-to-do European countries dealing with the escaping survivors from the wars in Iraq, Syria and Mali.
All of those countries have the same pattern, the poor citizens escape from the hellish conditions from their lands to make it to the next country that holds their only hope of a normal life.
But the wealthy citizens become fearful that the migrants would bring their problems on their shores and despite pleas and true stories being shared to international news outlets, the 1st world citizens treat them like nobodies, even some countries deport legal migrants for no good reason.
As much as these right-wing people of Eastern Europe, Japan, America and Australia can tell me about the laws of their country, and while I don’t disagree with the law. But what I definitely cannot stand is ignoring the problems of what the migrants face back home and treating them like they’re garbage and their opinions don’t matter.
With Bahamians on this matter, many right-wing individuals on social media see the Haitians as “parasitic persons” along with other disgusting comments and boast how wealthy we are compared to them.
Telling the migrants to go build their home is another insulting comment I hear about them. Many Haitians tried to build up their country and failed because of their massively corrupted government that fails the people on every level possible, and many of them gave up and left.
Because of extreme levels of poverty and unliveable inflation, it’s also impossible to buy a flight ticket, wait for any visa to travel or even get any food or water as their families are in danger. But telling them that they need to go back is very insulting and also ignorant to the person who said it.
The absolute worst comment about Haitians is the falsehood of immigrants invading The Bahamas. For starters, Haiti disbanded their army more than 20 years ago, then it’s the fact that it is another terrible insult and even if those rumours were true, it would be a bloodbath that will turn our waters red with blood and gore.
Historically, Argentina tried to seize the Falkland Islands and were crushed by British Forces, then Saddam attempted to conquer Kuwait and his loyal Iraqi forces were decimated by the US in Operation Desert Storm, and was captured 12 years later. If Haiti plotted to take the Bahamas by overpopulating the islands with migrants, the US military would have set up their new base decades ago.
This is where I have a very serious problem with nationalists and conservatives everywhere in the world. The practice of nationalism brings up one people, yet demonises another group of people outside of their community. It’s just another legal outlet to preach hatred instead of unity.
We’ve been talking about stamping out illegal immigration once and for all. But there’s still the major problem of slave labour and human trafficking that feeds the problem, and as long as Haiti is poor, immigration will go on forever. It’s the same thing everywhere else in the world.
The true solution is for Haiti and the poor countries to grow to 1st world status and living standards. Everyone from wealthy to 3rd world nations must take part in burning out the corrupt government and rebuild those countries from the ashes. When the wealth and security is ensured in those places, the issue will stop altogether, and everyone wins.
AMMAKA RUSSELL
Nassau,
October 3, 2019.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 6 months ago
The writer of this article obviously does not appreciate that the eastern half of the island of Hispaniola would look like the western half if it were not for the Dominican Republic rigorously and aggressively protecting the border it shares with Haiti and also vigorously enforcing its immigration laws through a sustained program of rounding up and deporting back to Haiti all illegal Haitian aliens as and when they are found in the Dominican Republic.
Also, anyone who refers to the many thousands of illegal Haitian aliens in The Bahamas as immigrants or migrants is a supporter of is a supporter of the ongoing invasion of our country by Haitian nationals. When it comes to The Bahamas, Ammaka Russell does not have a patriotic in her (his?) body.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 6 months ago
The writer of this article obviously does not appreciate that the eastern half of the island of Hispaniola would look like the western half if it were not for the Dominican Republic rigorously and aggressively protecting the border it shares with Haiti and also vigorously enforcing its immigration laws through a sustained program of rounding up and deporting back to Haiti all illegal Haitian aliens as and when they are found in the Dominican Republic.
Anyone who refers to the many thousands of illegal Haitian aliens in The Bahamas as immigrants or migrants is a supporter of is a supporter of the ongoing invasion of our country by Haitian nationals. This invasion has overwhelmed our public education system, our healthcare system and has created a huge financial burden for The Bahamas. The invasion has also also brought to our shores violent Haitian gangs involved in the drug trade, the smuggling of arms and human trafficking. These gangs are wreaking havoc in our society.
It's all too clear the writer of this article is either of Haitian origin or does not have a patriotic bone in her (his?) body when it comes to The Bahamas.
Porcupine 4 years, 6 months ago
I agree that refugees have a legitimate reason to be fleeing their homelands, and that government corruption has a big part to play in their exodus. I have a difficult time finding a government that is not corrupt, in the world. A major reason for this corruption is the influence of money on politics. In a country such as the US, some of the biggest money influencing the government are the weapons and arms manufacturers. To the tune of tens of billions of dollars per contract, there is ample slush fund money available to grease the palms of those from top to bottom in the government. Besides the revolving doors between defense contractors and the halls of congress, there are all sorts of perks and money and lucrative jobs available for those who go along with these abuses of taxpayer money. I believe the letter writer above, Ammaka Russell has also advocated an increase in the military adventurism of The Bahamas. If I had my way, the military would be abolished in every country. In its place would be a social brigade which used 1/10th of the funds previously allocated to "defence spending" to travel around the world actually helping people improve their lives, instead of bombing their country to smithereens, as is the choice presently. Are there bad people in the world? Of course. But if we study history, and are actually honest about it, war and defence spending, and this stupid security at airports is all about money and control. If you think otherwise, you have been effectively brainwashed, as most people who support these government to corporate giveaways. That's what TV is designed to do. Buy things and think like everyone else on matters that are important. Immigration has undeniable impacts on small countries such as The Bahamas. Instead of contributing so greatly to the creation of refugees the major powers need to shift their emphasis from nation destruction to nation building. We must realize that this world is wholly interconnected. It behooves us, for our own sake, to sit up and take notice of how countries such as the US are spending their own taxpayers money around the world. If we remain silent while these rogue superpowers invade countries on false pretenses, be assured that at some point we will suffer from our own complicity.
TheMadHatter 4 years, 6 months ago
Yes - the interantiaonl organizations never speak about the origin countries of migrants and their situation - only the migrants.
joeblow 4 years, 6 months ago
For all the fancy talk, I bet if Ms Russell found a stranger had broken into her home and made a sandwich or took a bath, she would immediately call the police.
We are a country of laws and those laws apply to every class of persons ,illegals included!
Sickened 4 years, 6 months ago
It's a difficult discussion. But rest assured that Mother Nature will find a way to cull the human population. It's happened before and it will certainly be happening again - most likely in my lifetime too. It will be painful and it will be extremely sad and disturbing, but it is necessary.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 6 months ago
Bahamians are being culled by the crushing weight of an invasion by many thousands of illegal Haitian aliens who have crippled every facet of Bahamian society from public education to public healthcare, and plenty more! Bahamian culture as we knew it is being severely undermined at an increasing rate right before our very eyes, and will soon be totally eradicated.
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