NALs, you might as well stop arguing this moot question. Ms Solange Pie is right, and the Dominican nationality of children born in the DR from Haitian migrant workers is a done deal. Also, we?re stuck with about a million Haitian migrants and their families now living permanently in the DR. It is unrealistic to expect Haiti, a failed state, to take back the Haitians that have moved to the DR. Do you realize that children born in Haiti are not routinely issued birth certificates? Are you aware that the great majority of Haitian migrant workers in the DR do not possess any identification whatsoever. So how can you expect a foreign consular office, in this case Haitian, to issue a birth certificate or passport to someone who just walks in from the street and requests it by saying he/she is Haitian? Also, too bad the DR signed both the UN Convention on the Rights of Children, and the charter that set up the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Only the U.S. can get away with not abiding to international conventions. The Haitians are here to stay. We are obliged to take care of the children. Live with it!
Mirador,
Personally I am not even asking for Haitians to leave the DR and I don't wish that either.
What I would like is for them to seek the proper identification (in this case citizenship) as it pertains to them according to the constitution of either nations on the island. Once they move into the legal framework of things, then we can move into other issues.
Yes, the children must be taken cared of and as far as I know, that is being done. Oh, that all the children are not being helped? Well, the same holds true for Dominican children, so what could be expected of the others! But, the Dominican state, at least officially, no longer demands cedulas for children to be matriculated into public schools. That's a step in living up to the agreement of taking care of the children. But, that is not what is being debated here, but rather the problem of illegality, the rights illegality denies many of those people, and the problem of them going from illegal status to legal.
BTW, the Haitian consulate in Santo Domingo is already granting Haitian citizenship to the sons/daughters of Haitian migrants in the DR. That is being done on the orders of Rene Preval who earlier this year agreed with the fact that the sons/daughters of Haitian migrants in the DR should and would receive Haitian citizenship and he ordered the Haitian consulate in Santo Domingo to do such! That is quite a change from the stand Aristide took towards this issue.
In other words, the Haitian government recognizes its duty to recognize its people as it states on its own constitution. Right now, the only Haitians who object to such action by their own government are civilians and those who are expatriates like Quisqueya. Why? Only they know the answer as to why, but their government agrees that they need to give Haitian citizenship to sons/daughters of Haitian migrants and they are doing that. To the detriment of those like Quisqueya who wishes the Haitian government to act more like Aristide did, who refused to recognize such children as Haitian even though the constitution of Haiti makes it clear they would qualify.
Once they are granted their documents, they would be able to apply for visas and such and be in the country legally. They will be able to opt for Dominican citizenship once they spend the amount of time necessary in the DR to be able to apply for such, etc.
The Dominican state can do any of the following three things and I would be in favor of any of the three:
1. Grant Dominican citizenship to everyone within Dominican territory at the time such thing is mentioned. From that point forward, foreigners entering the country will need to have proper documentation or face deportation regardless who they are, where they are from, etc.
2. DR suggest Haiti to become some sort of Dominican protectorate or commonwealth or something in which the DR will be officially responsible for Haiti's economic, political, and military well being.
3. DR create a delegation which will propose and present official complaints to international organizations of the rich countries neglect of Haiti, it's people, and government.
Any of the three I would support!
-NALs