The beautiful island of Reunion, a small french colony in the Indian Ocean, not far from Madagascar, hides a grim history.
The Children of Creuse is an example of the French colonial mentality, taking their own needs above those of the children involved.
Between 1963 and 1981, 2150 children were forcibly removed from their families on the island of Reunion, to be repatriated in areas of France needing a young population, in the opinion of the French Government. A clear case of commodifying children to suit government purposes.
As is so often the case, the moment you remove a child from its parent, its chances of being abused multiply exponentially and the stories now coming from these children as adults, are sobering, to say the least.
Patterns very similar to those found in adoptive circumstances; children were even separated from their siblings, so often grew up in the same neighbourhood as a brother or sister without knowing. The majority it seems, were used essentially as unpaid labour, abused physically and sexually, no contact with their families and no care or thought for their welfare exhibited by those put in charge of their care.
High instances of substance abuse and suicide the result, it’s only now they’re adults that the stories are beginning to filter through from this stolen generation.
