Hatian Immigration

[Rafael F. Diaz]

Am I the only one that notices that the international community has very little respect for our soveregnty? The international community seems very interested in Hatians in our country, but not as interested in helping to take on the burden of helping the Hatians. Does anybody have an update on this problem?

 

[Tom F.]

Many would argue that illegal Haitian immigration is tolerated by the business community to take advantage of cheaper labor. There are many legal Haitains living in the DR also. The treatment of Haitains in the DR has long been an issue of concern to the international community and many Dominicans. If illegal Haitain immigration was a major concern for the Dominican government they would investigate all the major construction firms first. Mejia has demanded international assistance from the international community without putting into place a reliable system of documentation and a way to monitor employers. We do the same thing here in the US. If this was organized and legitimate, the issue of paying a living wage might come up. A Haitian will work for RD$100 a day and will do jobs, Dominicans feel are below them. I have ventured into the sugar cane fields and spoke with cane cutters as they worked and seen many a Haitian working construction sites and on road crews doing work which should be done by machinary.

 

[Dee DeMusis]

Senor Diaz,

I have to concur with Tom. I,too, have worked in the sugar cane plantations and have seen the conditions that exist. In regard to the sovereignty of the DR, if the DR would look at itself and OBJECTIVELY take action on the situation, perhaps there would be less probing from outside eyes. The Organization of American States delivered a report to the DR government on the situation and the DR government repudiated the content. HMMM.OOPS!!

The antagonism between the DR and Haiti is similar in vehemence to the relationship[or lack of same] between Israel and Palestine.

We ALL need to remember that we are ALL God's children. Perhaps if the government and citizenry of the DR looked inside their souls and also at he palm of their hands, they'd see the same color.

If you wonder why I can speak this way: although I am American, my partner is Dominican. He is not mulatto. We live in New York. How is it that the Dominicans and Haitians can coexist and prosper in this place and they cannot on their home island territory? One of God's mysteries, I guess!

Children learn what they live: if Dominican children are taught that Haitians are bad or beneath then they will grow up believing that. Things haven't always been swell here in the US and even not there are areas where there is a lot of racial strain. BUT we work together. 'Bout time the DR tried. Maybe then there would be less eyes prying.

 

[Natasha]

I agree with both Tom and Dee on this. There's a lot of lip service and hypocricy regarding this issue. The truth is that there hasn't been genuine dialogue about the DR-Haiti situation. And both Dominican firms AND the multinational corporations that operate in the DR have not addressed the problems. However, Dee I don't think that I would really compare this situation to the Israeli-Palestinian one. It is perhaps more like the US-Mexico immigration situation of the 1930's.

Regards,
Natasha

 

[Dee DeMusis]

Tasha--

My comparison with the Israeli- Palestinian situation is not about immigration. It is about the human rights and racial stuff. Although the 1930s bracero influx was only a little before my time [ I was born just before Pearl Harbor], I remember the 1948 war and the kindness of the British gave the Israelis their homeland. The situation in the middle east is apolitical, religious, and cultural mess. Before the Israelis were given this country of theirs, it was called PALESTINE.

While I sincerely love the DR, the treatment of the Haitians is beyond anything I have words for in the way of awful. I have witnessed it many times UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. I don't exactly love what's going on in Haiti either. I know probably more than I should and would rather not say much other than the fact that the OAS seriously disliked what they found when they sent observers into the bateys and barrios.

I've encountered alot of nasty grafitti in SDQ that reminds me of the pre-civil rights days here in the States. Scary.

That's the basis of my comparison: the treatment of the "other". Think also about the situation in Northern Ireland. Lots of common ground.

 

[Phyllis]

Can we do something about this?

I agree with you all too, but is there anything we can do to help this situation???? OR, do we just leave it in the hands of the government and hope that one day things will be better???

 

[Rafael F. Diaz]

Dear Mr. Dee DeMusis:

By no means was I trying to say or incinuate that Hatians are below Dominicans (it seems this is what you got out of my letter). The points I was trying to make are like this:

-I believe that Dominican Republic should have the right to protect its borders and enforce its laws. Let us note that it is not only Hatians that are being constantly deported from Dominican Republic, but also Americans, Germans, French, Canadians...Let us also note that Dominicans are constantly being deported from Puerto Rico and the US without much protest from the Dominican Republic or any other Dominican.

-I agree with Tom F. that the Mejia administration has requested help from the international community without putting into place a reliable system of documentation and that the President should investigate all major construction firms first; however, the OAS or any other international organisation should at least contribute something other than criticism. They should also stop dictating laws. The Dominican Republic IS a soverign country with its own laws and borders.

There are now several other points I would like to add regarding your letter.

-First of all, I doubt that the situation between Haiti and Dominican Republic is in any way comparable to the Israli-Palestine situation. Although in the former case I also believe that the Israelis have a right to defend themselves and their borders.

-Second, I agree with you that Haitians and Dominicans (as well as anybody else) are all God's children; however, I disagree with you that if we look on the palm of our hands we'll notice that we are all the same color: Dominicans are just a little bit more diverse than that. My partner is also Dominican. She is white with blonde hair and blue eyes. I myself am mulatto, born in the Dominican Republic. She has a cousin born in Bonao whom you would never guess was born and raised in Dominican Republic: she is actually half Chinese and half Dominican.

-Finally, I have heard the horror stories regarding Hatians in Dominican Republic. What I am saying is that if the OAS is going to go in there and say something they should really look into the situation and try to solve the problem where it begins: in Haiti. Answer me these questions though: 1. why hasn't the Haitian government protested? 2. why does the Haitian embassy [in Dominican Republic] recognize the Dominican right to deport Haitians?

I hope I have clarified myself. I know you will probably write back with a good response.

Rafael.

 

[rafael]

Re: Can we do something about this?

I believe we should do something about this. Quite frankly, I don't think the government is doing enough. Leaving it in the hands of an inefficient, beurocratic organization would cannot help too much. As for what we can do...well, we should start by uniting the Dominican community here in the states and elsewhere. In addition, someone who is relatively well off and willing to help could help launch an education campaign in Dominican Republic to make the population more aware of the situation. Other than that, I'm open to suggestions.

Rafael

 

[Robert]

Dear Dee DeMisius:

In addition to Rafael's message I would like to add the follwoing; It seems to me that you must have this idea that the Dominican Republic belongs to the Haitians. If this is the case and I'm interpreting you correctly, I will suggest that you rethink this. I do not consider myself Haitian. I don't know of any Dominican that does. As Rafael Diaz said, Dominican Republic is a SOVEREIGN NATION with its own laws which, both Haiti and the international community should restpect. If there is a situation that merits intervention, by all means get the international community involved; however, the answer is NOT to force our country to rewrite its laws so as to favor the Haitians and not the Dominicans: from the demands that the OAS seems to be making, they pretty much want us to hand our country to Haiti. I'm sorry sir. But this is NOT acceptable. What should happen is to get all the nations involved and not just the Dominican Republic.

You also suggest that we are all the same color. At the risk of sounding like a fascist, ultranationalist Dominican, this is definitely not the case. I do know that we have a significant population of blacks (who happen to be Dominicans and not Haitians). But we also have a significant population of whites, mulattos, orientals (mainly from Korea, Japan and China) and even descendants of Lebanese Muslims. To say that "we are all the same color" would be to deny the significant amount of those that are NOT of your color, including my father and his side of the family (I have not met anyone in my father's side of the family who is anything other than white).

Finally, I believe that what Rafael was asking was for an update to the situation and not your opinion. I simpathize with whatever experience you went through in Dominican Republic. Forcing the Dominican Republic to hand our nation to Haiti or to simply accepting Haitians as Dominican nationals will not help the situtation. I can even find you Haitians who are quick to point out some bizarre diffenrences between Dominicans and Haitians. One man in particular, a businessman close to my residence, claims that the combined mental and physical abilities of three Dominicans aren't enough to match that of one single Haitian. So, don't tell me that we are all brothers "of the same color" because, quite frankly sir, WE ARE NOT!

Robert.

 

[Dee DeMusis]

Rafael: Thanks for a very intelligent discussion[by the way, I am MS, not a Mr.] Other than that, It is goosd to see that there are people like yourself who can discuss the matter in a way that is wise and responsible.

To answer you two questions: it's fairly easy to understand-- the Haitians have so much problems at home that they can't be bothered with a few straggling citizens. There is so much going on there, that they have to focus on the events and people within its borders. The Haitian government and some of its functionaries are....well...I'll let you decide. I don't want to put any "editorial adjectives" on the public boards...not scared, just prudent...given the nature of the beast.

When I used the reference to the palnm of the hand, look some time...The palm of the hand tells alot.