The streets of Sosua

Gabriela said:

In 1940, when Jews were "allowed" to come to the Dominican Republic, Sosua was created as a refugee settlement. As I read the postings about Haitians ruining this quaint tourist town, I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. As far as I know, DORSA, the NY corporation set up to build Sosua, still owns the streets of the town where Haitian children now sleep.
I'm imagining how Dominican history would be different if large numbers of German, British, American, Palestinian and Lebanese residents of the DR had complained about allowing those Jews into the country. I'm imagining my family getting off the boat and having to sleep on the street. Instead, the Americans and Dominicans established a well run settlement where people could build new homes, schools and fincas.
As for the ship them back to Haiti argument--again, imagine shipping the Jewish refugees back to Germany or Shanghai. Then there is the problem of how to distinguish between new arrivals and children who were dumped on the street by their Dominican/Haitian parents or "sugar daddies and mommies". Finally, we can see the long term problems created by generations raised in refugee camps in Palestine. You don't want a Gaza strip between Haiti and the DR.
The DR was once a haven for displaced people. When did we stop and welcome anyone with money regardless of need?

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Hard to compare the two groups. The Jews were forced to leave their home countries due to circumstances that were not directly their fault. Haitians laid their own bed.

Just a handful of Jews reached the shore of Sosua, at a time when DR was underpopulated. Haitians -on the other side- are overrunning Dominicans with millions of economic refugees when we are already an overpopulated nation.

The Jews were also well positioned to contribute in positive ways to our society. I don't see one single benefit Dominicans obtain from the Haitian migration.

Vacara said:

I don't see one single benefit Dominicans obtain from the Haitian migration.

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It's so obvious, now the Dominicans have someone to blame for their failures.
Before the influx of Haitians, they couldn't very well blame themselves, now could they.

waytogo said:

It's so obvious, now the Dominicans have someone to blame for their failures.
Before the influx of Haitians, they couldn't very well blame themselves, now could they.

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What failure?.

Vacara said:

What failure?.

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Failures, not failure......

waytogo said:

Failures, not failure......

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Joe, get a grip. Show me the posts where any Dominican poster in this forum blame our miseries on the Haitians.

I've heard that tune before, it's nothing but another bogus accusation against DR.

There's a song by Juan Luis Guerra named; El Costo de la Vida, where he makes a litany of all the failures we have become today. The climax of that song is in the 1.08 min/mark, where he claim that after 500 years we are still a hole between the sea & the sky. The feeling expressed in this song is symptomatic of how Dominicans feel, go ahead and listen to it and tell me where does he blame Haitians for our problems.

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Vacara said:

Joe, get a grip. Show me the posts where any Dominican poster in this forum blame our miseries on the Haitians.

I've heard that tune before, it's nothing but another bogus accusation against DR.

There's a song by Juan Luis Guerra named; El Costo de la Vida, where he makes a litany of all the failures we have become today. The climax of that song is in the 1.08 min/mark, where he claim that after 500 years we are still a hole between the sea & the sky. The feeling expressed in this song is symptomatic of how Dominicans feel, go ahead and listen to it and tell me where does he blame Haitians for our problems.

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Sorry, I only listen to Anthony Santos, number 1.....

you can forget any form of tourism and all the jobs that go with it if you want to turn sosua into a refugee camp .Its a choice because the two ideas are not compatable

Haitians are the new Jews?

Gabriela said:

In 1940, when Jews were "allowed" to come to the Dominican Republic, Sosua was created as a refugee settlement. As I read the postings about Haitians ruining this quaint tourist town, I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. As far as I know, DORSA, the NY corporation set up to build Sosua, still owns the streets of the town where Haitian children now sleep.
I'm imagining how Dominican history would be different if large numbers of German, British, American, Palestinian and Lebanese residents of the DR had complained about allowing those Jews into the country. I'm imagining my family getting off the boat and having to sleep on the street. Instead, the Americans and Dominicans established a well run settlement where people could build new homes, schools and fincas.
As for the ship them back to Haiti argument--again, imagine shipping the Jewish refugees back to Germany or Shanghai. Then there is the problem of how to distinguish between new arrivals and children who were dumped on the street by their Dominican/Haitian parents or "sugar daddies and mommies". Finally, we can see the long term problems created by generations raised in refugee camps in Palestine. You don't want a Gaza strip between Haiti and the DR.
The DR was once a haven for displaced people. When did we stop and welcome anyone with money regardless of need?

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Gabriella, a good point and well made - nice!

Vacara - I also agree with you. But I would say that Haitians contribute in cutting all that cane. None of the Dominicans I know would do that any more - at least not in the conditions and for the wages available. (I only have second hand knowledge of the wages but I have been to some of the Bateys round Higuey after I got hideously lost - I would not want to live there and do that.)


And Vacara - the D.R. is a lot less messed up than a lot of countries I have been. I know that does not mean that things could and should be better - but it could be a lot worse.

This is a classic example of the heart telling me one thing and my head telling me another.
Life seemed much simpler when I was younger and more ideological.

gabriela, jews were in a position where they could make a contribution to DR by the means of money, education or profession. in simple words they had cash, brains and knowledge so they could start businesses of their own or work in already established companies.
the smae cannot, sadly, be said about haitians who have no money, know no craft and in many cases cannot read or write.
in addition i think that jews back in those days were willing to help one another on the basis of the favour being returned later in some other form. a haitian who comes here is often on his own...

Gabriela, it clear to see after many have shared in other post that the present situation within the Haitian population in Sosua is not exclusive to adults. As you may know there are children as young as 8 yrs old that are living on the streets of Sosua and are alone. I cannot imagine how I would survive if some adult had dropped me off or I was forced to seek a better life into the streets at that age without a dime to my name, not to mention only having a single piece of clothing to wear. And one would believe that given the nature of the beast that exists in Sosua, these children’s heads must be spinning out of control. In comparing the present situation in Sosua with previous adults along with their families that emigrated from other countries is somewhat a mute point. IMHO if many of us that live here had an ounce of hope that the Dominican authorities would or could manage a situation that Sosua finds itself in with these homeless children, then we would all be behind them in every single way. The answers is not easy when you compare with other situations because it is children we are talking about, and not adults who have made many choices in the past as to how and where they wish to live. I do not believe you simply ship them away or sweep them under cover somewhere. And I certainly would not bitch or moan because several of them are trying to earn food money by washing my car window or shining my shoes. But at the end of the day, it is a Dominican issue as this is their country, and they are the ones that have permitted these children as well as adults to either cross or enter the DR to reside. I understand that the answer is one that may come sooner than later, and that is once again we will see an organization created and funded by foreigners that will establish a haven for these kids. Well if that is what happens first in order to help these children, then it is what it is. Next?

Gabriela said:

In 1940, when Jews were "allowed" to come to the Dominican Republic, Sosua was created as a refugee settlement. As I read the postings about Haitians ruining this quaint tourist town, I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. As far as I know, DORSA, the NY corporation set up to build Sosua, still owns the streets of the town where Haitian children now sleep.
I'm imagining how Dominican history would be different if large numbers of German, British, American, Palestinian and Lebanese residents of the DR had complained about allowing those Jews into the country. I'm imagining my family getting off the boat and having to sleep on the street. Instead, the Americans and Dominicans established a well run settlement where people could build new homes, schools and fincas.
As for the ship them back to Haiti argument--again, imagine shipping the Jewish refugees back to Germany or Shanghai. Then there is the problem of how to distinguish between new arrivals and children who were dumped on the street by their Dominican/Haitian parents or "sugar daddies and mommies". Finally, we can see the long term problems created by generations raised in refugee camps in Palestine. You don't want a Gaza strip between Haiti and the DR.
The DR was once a haven for displaced people. When did we stop and welcome anyone with money regardless of need?

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Nice feel good story Gabriela except those poor innocent Haitian refugees are not being systematiclly eradicated by the Nazis. They are not refugees,they are illegal immigrants into the Dominican Republic and are a crime wave unto themselves. I will try to research it but I don't believe there was a crime wave when the Jews arrived in 1940 but hey maybe i'm wrong.

Gabriela said:

Make the AIs and casinos contribute to the community, not just take from it. Perhaps even DORSA can be revived to rebuild a Sosua we can all be proud of.

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How in the world do you reach this conclusion,that the AIs and casinos just take from the community??? How many people who live in or around Sosua work in,or in businesses that supply goods and services to these hotels.These people are in the country illegally and should be repatriated to their own country and let Hati help their own. The socialist eutopia you believe exists in your head is just that a dream.

Nice one, everone who are worried about their dominican familys safety because of all these haitians, they are now turned into big bad nazis.

Buuuut instead of opening my mouth, and get crucifixed in here.- I am going to let this part to the people of the Dominican Republic. If they want to fill the streets of Sosua with 500.000 refugees, then please do. It is not my country.

Maybe you good-doers can look at Cuba aswell to get some good and decent socialist inspiration on how to turn sosua in to a happy camp.

:lick:

Haitians vs. Jews?

badpiece33 said:

__those poor innocent Haitian refugees are not being systematiclly eradicated by the Nazis. They are not refugees,they are illegal immigrants into the Dominican Republic and are a crime wave unto themselves

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Hopefully there will be another wave of Jews coming....

Noticias SIN/24 horas desde Republica Dominicana

Rattus_Rattus said:

. It is not my country.

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Well done, your in the same club as 99.8% of those that post on DR1.:cheeky:

Gabriela said:

The first tourists came to enjoy the village that the Jews built. Why should we assume that Haitians can't do the same.?

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We don't have to assume what Haitians can or can't do, just go west of the border and see for yourself.

Who is going to provide the necessary funds for this operation; DR?, nope, we got more problems than we can handle. The international community?, great, but don't use Dominican Rep. as ground for social experiments. Take them back to Haiti and do whatever is necessary there.