Nassau, Bahamas - A
recently released research study on perceptions of Haitians and people
of Haitian descent living in The Bahamas
blames the media, government policies and everyday constructions of
Bahamian identity for perpetuating anti-Haitian sentiment, xenophobia,
marginalization and discrimination towards Haitians in The Bahamas.
It concludes that legislation and social constructions have sought to control the Haitian community and prevent them
from being fully recognized or integrated into mainstream Bahamian society.
Charmane
Perry’s article “Invasion from the South: Social Construction of the
Haitian ‘Other’ in The Bahamas” was
published in October in the International Journal of Bahamian Studies
Volume 20, the research journal of The College of The Bahamas.
Perry is a doctoral student in the Department of Africology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, whose research interest
is in Haiti and the Haitian diaspora.
She concluded that the media have played a significant role in the expansion and institutionalization of xenophobia,
negative attitudes, hatred, and ignorance due to their representation of Haitians in The Bahamas.
“Bahamians
fear the presence of the Haitian community in The Bahamas and believe
they are a threat to the cultural
and national sovereignty of The Bahamas. Yet, these fears are rooted in
ideas emanating from the state and are exacerbated by ignorance and the
way that Haitians have been portrayed in the media,” Perry wrote.
“In
addition, the perception of Haitians as a cultural and national threat
is a product of racial constructions of
identity rooted in colonialism. Thus, their representation and
difference must also take into consideration the ways in which
coloniality complicates the perception of Haitians in The Bahamas,” she
added.
Perry
traces the root of anti-Haitian sentiment to colonialism, positing that
after the Progressive Liberal Party
took over the reins of governance in the 1960s the party shifted its
anti-racist rhetoric against the United Bahamian Party to anti-Haitian
sentiments.
In
evaluating the factors that have contributed to what has been described
as “a denial of human rights” for Haitians
and people of Haitian ancestry residing in The Bahamas, the researcher
also concluded that in the post-Independence era, the pursuit of the
policy of “The Bahamas for Bahamians” came at the expense of other
groups. She referred specifically to the citizenship
and naturalization policies which were legislated under which being
born in The Bahamas after 1973 to non-Bahamian parents was not an
automatic guarantee of Bahamian citizenship.
“…As
such, the state has been able to use its power to control and
marginalize this community through legislative
sanctions. Citizenship, along with work permits and permanent
residency, are tactics by which the Bahamian state can control the
Haitian community in The Bahamas,” Perry wrote in her research article.
“It is within this framework that children of Haitian descent
have been legally excluded from the full rights of citizenship in the
land of their birth.”
She
also asserted that because race and division of labour are structurally
related, Haitians who have already been
historically racialized and demonized as inferior are considered
non-human, performing the most menial jobs, which in the lens of
coloniality, is a natural justification for their domination and
exploitation.
The research also made another compelling argument – that Bahamians have constructed elements of their identity in
opposition to the historical, political, social, economic, and cultural perceptions of Haiti and the Haitian community.
“Bahamians
were never British because they were colonial subjects which meant they
were not human. Their racial identity
was constructed during colonialism and persisted through coloniality.
The lack of a clear, cohesive identity adds to the perceived cultural
threat that the Haitian community is believed to be imposing on The
Bahamas,” Perry wrote.
In
2010, Perry conducted research in New Providence, sifting through
newspaper clippings and conducting comparative
analysis of articles from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000. She also completed
archival research on documents from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
The publication of her research came ahead of the enforcement of new procedures that took effect on November 1st
which require all persons who live in The Bahamas to have a passport of
the country of their nationality. Under the procedures, persons born in
The Bahamas will get a particular residence permit which will allow
them to work and live here until their status
is decided.
The complete research can be read here:
http://journals.sfu.ca/cob/
index.php/files
.