dominican haiti - Haiti Observer Blog

Haiti was under military occupation for around 19 years. In the Dominican Republic from 2nd October 1937 to 4th October 1937 fifteen thousand to twenty thousand immigrant workers from Haiti were massacred. Machetes and bayonets were used to slaughter them by big landowners and the army in Dominican Republic.

Pitchforks were used to spear women and heads of infants were smashed against the walls. No firearms were used in the Parsley Massacre. The ones who tried to escape were captured at the border and then killed.

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The Hispaniola Island is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti for around 150 years. But both countries do not share an amicable relationship. Antihaitianismo is a set of anti prejudices that have been created by antagonism in the Dominican Republic.

Evolution Of Racial Prejudice

Antihaitianismo is the evolution of racial prejudices manifested for a long time, misinterpretation of selective historical facts and creation of false consciousness in the Dominican Republic. The elite groups, who were powerful and having strong interests to defend, orchestrated the long term revolution.

Inhabitants from Spain colonized Santo Domingo and it was then that racial prejudices started leading to antihaitianismo. Racial prejudice, slavery besides sugar was brought to the island due to Spanish colonization. Administration was controlled by elite white Spanish who ruled over the slaves and creoles.

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While Haiti suffers, Dominican Republic is well off and occupies Caribbean Island of Hispaniola up to around 30,000 sq m. It is filled with resorts, is prosperous and healthy while Haiti continues to be poverty stricken. The Dominican Republic is ranked 90th on the human development index out of the 182 countries while Haiti comes 149th.

In Haiti the life expectancy is 61 years while in the Dominican Republic it is 74 years. In case a person lives on 2/3rds of eastern Hispaniola then he is more likely to write and read and live on less than 1.25 dollars a day.

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Danilo Medina, President of the Dominican Republic focused on having an agreement for free trade with Haiti. He stated this in the meetings. In May, he won the election in the country.

Agreement On Free Trade

On taking office on August 16, 2012, Danilo Medina stated that efforts would be made towards an agreement in free trade with neighbors of the Dominican Republic in Hispaniola. Such an agreement would help producers at the domestic level to take advantage of services and goods available in Haiti.

He made this announcement after a courtesy call with Albert Ramdin, the Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States. The meeting was attended by Michelle Cohen, Ambassador and Shelly Dass-Clark, the policy advisor of Ramdin. Ramdin also happens to be the Chairman of Group of Friends, in Haiti.

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Tourists going to the Dominican Republic are finding the visit a bit dangerous. In this regard the latest victim has been Patrick Alexis. On December 12, 2012, several bandits assaulted him with stones, injuring parts of his body and face.

Who Were The Victims Of Banditry

Patrick Alexis who had been assaulted by bandits received some medical care at the Dominican Republic's local hospital and he is fine at present.

He is not the only Haitian victim of crime. There have been others like the Minister of Haitians Living Abroad, Jean Tolbert Alexis, Paul Evans, Daniel Supplice and Daniel Torment who all have been subjected to assault by bandits in Haiti.

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Haiti has overtaken Central America as second in volume of imports from its neighbor, the Dominican Republic (DR). During 2012, $97,530,000 of goods was imported from the DR, a 50% increase over 2011's figure of $64,730,000. This $32,800,000 rise in import dollars was due in part to more egg imports, a 50% gain from 6,390,000 eggs in 2011 to 12,400,000 in 2012. The Center for Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic (CEI-RD) compiled the 2011-2012 figures.

This rise in egg imports indicates although the government of Haiti has enforced a ban on egg imports beginning in 2008, it is being ignored by the trading partnership of Haiti and the DR.

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The Haitians are protesting in the Dominican Republic. Not for what you might think. They are not protesting against the Dominican Government for mistreatment. This time, they are protesting against one of their owns.

On January 22, 2013, a group of Haitians, including students, migrant workers and religious leaders, gathered in front of the Haitian Consulate in Santiago and forced the Consulate to close its doors for at least for part of the day. They were demanding the removal of Consul Ralph Hipolitte whom they have accused for being involvement in criminal activities such as selling fake identities to Haitian criminals.

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The Dominican Republic is becoming more dangerous for Haitian tourists. Patrick Alexis is the latest victim in this regard. Traveling to the Dominican Republic, the journalist Patrick Alexis was assaulted by several bandits on Wednesday, December 12, 2012.

It was reported that bandits attacked Patrick Alexis with stones and he received injuries in the face and other parts of his body. He received medical care in a local hospital in the Dominican republic and currently is reported to be fine.

Patrick Alexis has not been the only Haitian to become victim of cime in the Dominican republic recently. Beside those not reported to the press, Recently Paul Evans (K-Plim), Jean Tolbert Alexis, Minister Daniel Torment, as well as Minister of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE), Daniel Supplice, have been Victims of Bandit attacks in the Dominican Republic.

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To alleviate corruption countrywide, mainly in the border with the Dominican Republic, the Haitian government declared the creation of a National Security Agency. The announcement came in public on June 12 of this year. About 2,500 persons will join the agency to monitor the traffic of goods in the border, said Interior Minister Thierry Mayard Paul. Smuggling causes the country an annual loss of $ 500 million. There will be several unit of the National Security Agency including civil protection, fire-fighter, environmental police, the permanent secretariat for risk and disaster management and coast guard, the Interior Minister added.

Haiti is one of the most corrupted countries in the world according to different international organization's survey reports. Development of the country has seriously been being hampered for quite long because of corruption. Therefore, to fight corruption the Haiti initiated a movement against corruption in the first week of June. 40 members of the electoral board and government officials who were engaged in corruption were identified in that campaign and detained. A total asset worth $92,000 was found by their name, allegedly from public funds.

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The efforts of Haitian activist Colette Lespinasse have not been in vain. She has labored tirelessly for the last 20 years to fight for the rights of Haitian refugees who have relocated to the Dominican Republic as well as Dominicans who have been treated unfairly while in Haiti.

Lespinasse has finally been recognized by Refugee International, which has awarded her the coveted 2nd annual Richard C. Holbrooke Award together with a $5,000 token in appreciation of her work. The award was created to honor those who demonstrate beyond any reasonable doubt that they are committed to ensuring fair treatment of refugees, with protection of all their human rights.

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