dominican - 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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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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The verdict was pronounced on the killer of Haitian College student, Rooldine Lindor. Eddy Sterlin Mendoza was convicted to spend 30 years in Dominican prison for the assassination of Rooldine Lindor. The Police officer involved did not receive a sentense.

In addition, it was determined by the court that Student Rooldine Lindor was not raped by her bandit.

As you may remember, Rooldine Lindor was 20 year old, College Student who was murdered in an apartment in the Dominican Republic on July 12, 2011. The report indicated that she was looking for an apartment when her assailants murdered her.

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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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A priest in the Dominican Republic has come up with some views that Haitians did something abhorrent for having dominated the Dominicans for 22 years. According to him, he said that Haitians have this high time to go down on their knees and beg forgiveness from the Dominicans. This is according to the fact that over the last 170 years, Haiti had exerted its dominion over the Dominicans a thing that made them to lag behind for 22 years. The priest, Francis Havel comes from the parish in the area La Caleta.

The priest was speaking during an inauguration of two housing projects in Guerra Municipality, Santo Domingo. One of the notable people in the government was the president of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez. He praised the president for the developments he has brought since he assumed power in Santo Domingo. He said that the country could have been far much ahead despite the fact that Haiti had suppressed the country for some period of time. Adding to his speech, he said that he was hopeful that the president could take back the position of a head of state for another term. He commented and said that the president is capable for leading the country for another 12 years.

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One's health depends on what one eats. That is why the Haitian government have been taking measures in ensuring that the food Haitians eat are not contaminated with any kind of harmful components and that food processing companies follow the rules and regulations on proper hygiene and cleanliness standards.

Health authorities in the Dominican Republic have discovered fecal coliform contamination in samples of salami produce. It caused quite a scandal which caused the Haitian government to ban its import of salami from its neighbor. The Dominican Republic's Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas has recently announced that the results and studies that will be conducted as soon as possible on the infected salami produce will be disclosed to the public. He assured that the analyses to be taken will be of global health standards. Rojas also mentioned that the government has assigned a committee to be in charge of ensuring each of the product's quality, as well as guaranteeing the ongoing support and assistance of the Pan American Health and Nutrition Institute.

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President Michel Martelly totally denied the allegation of corruption on his part in the report called "The Path of the Millions", made public by the Dominican Investigative Journalist Nuria Piera. However, he did not provide all the necessary information to put the matter to rest. The response coming from the Haitian presidency is that Haiti President Michel Martelly denied all corruption charges brought against him by the Dominican press. "This is a campaign of character assassination and an attack on my integrity and to also hinder modernization and development of Haiti", replied the government.

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