International

Since the Dominican Republic (DR) Constitutional Court issued a ruling Dominicans of Haitian descent and the progeny of illegal immigrants are no longer citizens of the DR, the international community has been in an uproar. Haiti made no public comment on the matter until last week.

After a CARICOM meeting, President Martelly and CARICOM Chairman, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, held a press conference to discuss the situation. Martelly was emphatic Haiti would never cut ties in trade with the Dominican Republic. He said Haiti and the DR share the island of Hispaniola, and enacting a trade embargo would not benefit either nation. Trade revenue with the DR amounts to nearly two billion yearly.

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This is a sad news to announce. A great Brazilian singer known by many Haitians Nelson Ned d'Ávila Pinto, mostly known as Nelson Ned, passed away today, Sunday, January 05, in Sao Paulo. He died of clinical complications of pneumonia and bladder problems.

Nelson Ned is known by Haitians and others as The Little Giant". The man was just was just 3 feet, 6 inches tall; however he was a giant in music. Among some great international superstars such as alberto Bertran and Roberto Ledesma that Orchestre Septentrional accompanied, the Haitian group also accompanied Nelson Ned during his visit in Haiti some time ago.

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Tensions have escalated between the Dominican Republic and Haiti since the DR Constitutional Court issued a ruling, rescinding Haitian immigrants and their descendents from remaining in the country. The results of this ruling are affecting Haitian entrepreneurs.

Haiti has a large, informal small business sector. Merchants sell items purchased on the black market, sent from the U.S. by relatives, or donated by charities. Biweekly, Haitian merchants cross from Ouanaminthe over to Dajabón province in the DR to vend merchandise at the cross-border market.

Reports picked up by local media say tensions between Ouanaminthe and Dajabón merchants have led to a few skirmishes at the cross-border market. DR Border Security and the military have also detained Haitians, whose profiles have revealed questionable activities. But at the last Monday and Friday market days, it was reported no problems occurred with the border crossing over the Massacre River. These incident-free events have been ascribed to a strong military presence.

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There is a proverb that states: You know your true friends in time of need". If this statement is to hold in the case of Haiti, so far, we can mention two very good friends: Venezuela as Cuba. These two leaders have come out publicly to support the Haitian people when we need them the most.

Warning from Nicolas Maduro: "Whoever messes with Haiti messes with Venezuela". This is the strongest possible way to come out in favor of the cause of the Haitian people. For that, the Haitian people will for ever remember Nicolas Maduro.

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Bill de Blasio, New York City Mayor-elect, has appointed to his transition team community leader, Haitian-American Elsie Saint-Louis in the role of one of his advisors. Saint-Louis, the executive director of Haitian-Americans United for Progress, joins the team among 60 other experts, and leaders in their own right, who will shape de Blasio's new administration.

The names were announced in recent weeks and the news has been met with favorable responses for the diverse selection that also includes Jamaican native Una Clarke, who served as a city councilwoman, the first woman born in the Caribbean elected to the New York City Council, for a decade. Clarke, during her tenure as city councilwoman, served the 40th Council District in Brooklyn after being elected in 1991.

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The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, has come out strong on the side of Haiti. He said that he has mediated a dialogue between Haiti and the Dominican Republic for the past Month so that they could restart bilateral talks.

These talks are to focus on: trade, border security, migration and the recent Constitutional Court ruling that removed citizenship to Dominicans with origin.

According to Maduro, Haitians and Venezuelans are unconditional brothers. He further referred to Haitians as their older and dear brothers and "whoever messes with Haiti messes with Venezuela".

Nicolas Maduro said that his government would appoint a special envoy to monitor and mediate the current conflict between Haiti and Dominican Republic to make sure that Haitian people are guaranteed their fundamental rights.

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Haitian-Americans are gaining strength in local politics in the Long Island community. They have delayed running for local public offices due to the many obstacles they must overcome to become assimilated within the dominant Caucasian culture. But as the Haitian Diaspora has grown on Long Island, it has been reflected in the decision made by more Haitian-Americans to run for office.

During the recent November elections, five Haitian-Americans ran for seats on several different local boards and councils. Democrat Valerie Cartwright, daughter of Haitian immigrants, ran for the Brookhaven Town Board and won with 52% of the vote. It is a significant victory for her and the Haitian-American community because the community contains a very small population of Haitian-Americans. A civil rights attorney, she ran on a platform concerning quality-of-life challenges, encompassing low-income housing and more effective outreach services.

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Frantz Benjamin, member of the Montréal City Council (MCC), was designated as President of MCC by Mayor Denis Coderre. It is an auspicious appointment, being Benjamin is the first Haitian-American to hold the post. His appointment has sent a message to Montréal that minority politicians are a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Benjamin once belonged to the Union Montréal party but quit in 2012. He was a staunch supporter of then-mayor Gérald Tremblay, who was facing corruption charges at the Charbonneau Commission Hearings. Benjamin continued as a rogue councilor until 2013 when Denis Coderre won the Montréal mayor's office and Benjamin affiliated with Coderre's party.

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Has the conflict between Haiti and the Dominican Republic reached a point where things can never get back to normal? Here are two of the most expressive acts so far, some Haitians were burning Dominican Flags in response to Haitian Flag burning in the Dominican Republic

Although the two governments have decided on talking for the sake of talking, the problem between the Haitians and the Dominicans is not getting any better. Now it has come down to the ultimate flag burning to show frustration.

Sadly enough, so far there has not been any real leaders arising from this crisis either on the Dominican or the Haitian side.

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Haiti is separated with Dominican Republic by long uneven crooked teeth like barricade on the Massacre River. The armed Dominican border guards sit and stare blankly at the opposite bank from their assigned posts. On the other side of the river, the Haitian women wash clothes on rocks and innocent children splash in the water. CESFRONT is the name of Specialized Dominican Republic's Border Security Force. It was established in 2006 with a purpose to restrict the entry of illegal migrants crossing Haitian-Dominican border.

CESFRONT is an extension of U.S Homeland Department's Security of Customs and Border Protection with technical advice and expertise support to promote "strong borders" abroad as part of U.S war against global terror. Militarized borders are becoming more common all over the world, especially in regions with US influence. U.S quick response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti is a good example on how border associated fears on mass immigration can deploy proactive protective measures. The fact that remains behind these quick, strong defensive measures is that U.S border is no more static. Their homeland security is no more restricted within their homeland--it is international and continuously moving. Washington is making every efforts to "push out" its boundary enforcement regime--an initiative that has roots much deeper than 9/11.

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