I can see there is one poster who is not aware of what happens frequently. Oh well, for some people, there is no convincing them.
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Trip to the Dominican Republic turns into a vacation from hell: ‘We’ve lost everything’
Don't get too much into a knot about it. It's becoming apparent to me at least that that issue is a much bigger issue in the minds of some expats than it is in real life. Hopefully I'm wrong, but it sure doesn't seem like it.
Simply not worth a reply. At least in my opinion.
I realize I now have to state that things are my opinion regardless of what I personally know since I must respect the opinions of others even when I know their opinion is incorrect. Lindsay Kaufman and Mountain Annie are two of the most honest, truthful and respected people on this forum with far more experience than my on this point. My opinion coincides with theirs and not one of the others on this forum on this topic.
It is no big secret that Dominicans do not like Haitians.
Dominicans are protective of their country.
The ingress of illegal Haitians is seen in many communities.
Living in segregated communities and speaking creole does not help.
Yes there are many hard working Haitians and some with language skills.
Regardless they will always be regarded as foreigners, just as gringos even those naturalized.
No country likes illegal immigrants, or the feeling of being overrun.
Hopefully the DR will be able to protect itself from Haitian chaos.
The three in the story were at least brown eyed and uninformed, thinking American ID's would make them immune.
Having lived in Haiti and possibly been in the DR, they should have known better.
Even being a gringo in the DR, can make one a target.
I have no idea if they were involved in drugs or not.
en.wikipedia.org
Dominicans are protective of their country.
The ingress of illegal Haitians is seen in many communities.
Living in segregated communities and speaking creole does not help.
Yes there are many hard working Haitians and some with language skills.
Regardless they will always be regarded as foreigners, just as gringos even those naturalized.
No country likes illegal immigrants, or the feeling of being overrun.
Hopefully the DR will be able to protect itself from Haitian chaos.
The three in the story were at least brown eyed and uninformed, thinking American ID's would make them immune.
Having lived in Haiti and possibly been in the DR, they should have known better.
Even being a gringo in the DR, can make one a target.
I have no idea if they were involved in drugs or not.
Haitians in the Dominican Republic - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
I don’t discount what Lindsey said. It depends what part of DR you are in. There are areas that are actually predominantly Haitian, and I doubt there are issues in those places. Profiling has been alive and well for centuries around the world.
Years ago I was pulled over by some " special" police in Santiago.
Long story short I drove on a few kms to stop in front of a national supermarket--- well told insistently by my wife -----. and the guys were clearly suspicious characters and were going to find drugs in my SUV--- pulled out from their pockets, of course.
They got an earful from my better half who was filming and on the phone with a lawyer friend. They clearly were not ready for it, thinking we were easy gringo prey.
Do I think security forces would set you up to Hussle a couple of hundred $ from you ???? Nooooo, never.
Long story short I drove on a few kms to stop in front of a national supermarket--- well told insistently by my wife -----. and the guys were clearly suspicious characters and were going to find drugs in my SUV--- pulled out from their pockets, of course.
They got an earful from my better half who was filming and on the phone with a lawyer friend. They clearly were not ready for it, thinking we were easy gringo prey.
Do I think security forces would set you up to Hussle a couple of hundred $ from you ???? Nooooo, never.
Since the topic is about some drug dealers/mules from the states being arrested I will stay with that topic. Guess whoever profiled them should get a bonus. Yes we ALL absolutely get profiled. That's why people that dress appropriately get better service at restaurants, better jobs etc. A police officer here knows what he is looking for. A criminal , a payoff at a traffic stop etc. Yes profiling is alive and well. Thankfully !!
Most of the police everywhere in the DR are from el Sur (San Cristóbal, Azua, Barahona, etc). Whether they are in Samana, Punta Cana, Sosúa or Santiago it makes no difference. Very few are from the towns (or even region) they patrol.
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Well, I still don't get it. I don't live in a predominately Haitian area. I live in Juan Dolio and Santo Domingo. My references stated earlier are related to Juan Dolio. I too don't discount what Lindsey has said. But why have I not seen this practice in my area?
This is a perfect example of what I said before, although he's British and is his first visit in SD. The owner of the first building where was his airbnb was American (according to himself) and they both had a conversation with the American letting him know how things "are" in SD. Needless to say that I spotted things that are simply myths and could easily be disproven, but he's new and doesn't know that.
Here he is a few weeks ago walking the street of one of the neighborhood sandwich between north of Prolongación Independencia and south of the Mirador del Sur. He notices there are many flags on the balconies in many buildindgs and notices that on one there is a Dominican flag and a Haitian flag. Then he says the biggest nonesense of all, that the only way Dominicans would accept a Haitian flag would be if it's next to a Dominican one. This is complete nonesense, but given what he was most likely told by the American regarding Dominicans and Haitians it's understandable he reach that conclusion. He says the nonesense in the beginning of the video.
I guarantee you that if he was to walk near this house he wouldn't even say anything about it. Alas, he hasn't walked by it (and probably never will). Isn't that the Puerto Rico flag next to the Dominican one? I guess it must mean there must be a law or the residents will get in trouble if only the PR flag is shown.
The only difference is that he didn't come to DR1 to mention this. Otherwise, it would had happened as in this thread with a bunch of other expats saying that it's because of that, others linking articles about the DR and Haiti and using that as evidence, etc. In the mean time it's bs invented by the guy based on what he was told by, essentially, an expat.
Whenener there are two flags in a balcony it has to do that the boyfriend/husband is from one nationality and the girlfriend/wife from another and they are both proud of their origins. That's basically it. There are apartments/homes that have simply the Haitian flag and no one is bothered by that. They are few, but the homes with just the Puerto Rico flag or the USA flag or from some other place are few too.
Perfect example of an issue that is bigger in the mind of this guy compare to reality. Unfortunstely, he did uploaded on Youtube and now thousands of people will see this and come to his conclusion, one that is entirely baloney.
Here he is a few weeks ago walking the street of one of the neighborhood sandwich between north of Prolongación Independencia and south of the Mirador del Sur. He notices there are many flags on the balconies in many buildindgs and notices that on one there is a Dominican flag and a Haitian flag. Then he says the biggest nonesense of all, that the only way Dominicans would accept a Haitian flag would be if it's next to a Dominican one. This is complete nonesense, but given what he was most likely told by the American regarding Dominicans and Haitians it's understandable he reach that conclusion. He says the nonesense in the beginning of the video.
I guarantee you that if he was to walk near this house he wouldn't even say anything about it. Alas, he hasn't walked by it (and probably never will). Isn't that the Puerto Rico flag next to the Dominican one? I guess it must mean there must be a law or the residents will get in trouble if only the PR flag is shown.
The only difference is that he didn't come to DR1 to mention this. Otherwise, it would had happened as in this thread with a bunch of other expats saying that it's because of that, others linking articles about the DR and Haiti and using that as evidence, etc. In the mean time it's bs invented by the guy based on what he was told by, essentially, an expat.
Whenener there are two flags in a balcony it has to do that the boyfriend/husband is from one nationality and the girlfriend/wife from another and they are both proud of their origins. That's basically it. There are apartments/homes that have simply the Haitian flag and no one is bothered by that. They are few, but the homes with just the Puerto Rico flag or the USA flag or from some other place are few too.
Perfect example of an issue that is bigger in the mind of this guy compare to reality. Unfortunstely, he did uploaded on Youtube and now thousands of people will see this and come to his conclusion, one that is entirely baloney.
I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that these particular Haitian workers are not being harassed precisely because they are working on these "substantial projects".
It would not be in the interest of the police to antagonize the Dominican owners of the projects in question by interfering with "their workers".
Bullies never bully those who have the means to fight back.
Bullies are cowards by nature.
They go for the low hanging fruit.
They only attack when the odds of winning are in their favor.
Who needs a rich Dominican businessman on their case for interrupting their work schedule?
Bingo! I didn't want to say that but I don't have a doubt in my mind that is the truth. These are mega projects. The police are standing across the street from a 100 workers every day of the week.Nary a word or action takes place at those sites.
Lemme guess , each time it happens you go to Western Union to help her out of her jam ?
Haitians walk different , talk differently , carry themselves differently, DRESS differently , wear their shoes differently , have different Facial Expressions , the list is practically ENDLESS.
ANY Dominican can spot who was raised in the DR and who lived in Haiti . Skin Color and Facial Features have absolutely NOTHING to do with it , and Especially a COP or even a Security guard at a Hotel can tell the difference immediately .
imo your story is totally Fabricated ... or your Novia is fabricating them for you ..
Drug mules are DRUG Mules .. they LIE , 99 % of the time ... ANY COP can explain this to you .. from Decades of Experience .
The Cops dont have the inclination to set somebody up with like a KILO/ brick of drugs , they would do it with a Small amount if they were Bad Cops
A Brick of drugs is overkill.. and its not realistic .. ask Any Cop .. but what do cops know .. we got so many experts here .
Haitians who were Raised or at least Lived in Haiti sometimes get HASSLED ,, YES ... because they are from HAITI
Its Terrible .. and its true .. no one denies this
bit People who LOOK Haitian, or even ARE of " Haitian descent" but have LIVED in the DR all their Lives , and are essentially DOMINICAN ,and have " never been to Haiti"
DO NOT GET HASSLED because " they LOOK Haitian, or are Haitian" ..
this is complete and total BS ...
Instead of defending the Virtues of posters ( their reputation is not in question, but your reading comprehension may be)
I would like to know what you disagree with ?
How exactly do they pull a Kilo BRICK out of their Pockets ??
I think you just proved a point you did not intend to prove .
Do you know anyone who is Haitian? How integrated are you into Dominican society, by which I mean do you have Dominican friends, real friends, not just people you occasionally say hi to? It's very easy to live somewhere as an expat, particularly a touristy area like Juan Dolio, spend most of your day chatting on an English-speaking forum like DR1 and hang around with mainly expats and an occasional chica, and not have a clue how things really work for Dominicans or Haitians.
Yes, I completely agree. The same reason that the Haitians who work in agriculture are never deported. It's essentially modern-day slavery - we will treat you like a dog but we need you to work.