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The history of domination in Latin America. MONROE: Let's reformulate!
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The civilization crisis and the end of the neoliberal model
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(Photo resisters.ca /Seinforma)
Seinforma Polls at University of Santo Domingo on sovereignty, discrimination, education, health and employment
SPECIAL REPORTS
Photos Duarte101.com/Seinforma
Photos Duarte101.com/Seinforma
By Maridalia Maldonado / Correspondent Seinforma
Santo Domingo. - Haitian immigrants to the Dominican Republic, both legal and illegal, increase on a daily basis. Most of them working and living in the slums together with Dominican poorest citizens.
In the Dominican-Haitian situation one must take into consideration that these are two nations with different languages, religions, food, music, beliefs ... and ultimately, different cultures.
However, are we aware of the consequences of the massive movement of Haitians to the Dominican Republic? Are we predicting the consequences of the intensifying social and cultural relations between Dominicans and Haitian immigrants? Is the Dominican youth concerned about how their nation will change as a result of Haitian immigration?
A survey generated by these concerns, made by Seinforma Canada to students from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), reveals that 70% of respondents consciously feel these consequences in their environment. The other 30% only perceive them as superficial.
The impact on national sovereignty
The study reveals that 50% of respondents believe that national sovereignty is in fact, affected by Haitian immigration. Half of the students agree that "we [the D.R.] haven’t been able to control their entry to our territory" and that "it’s a massive and uncontrolled immigration with no census that could determine how many of them are there". To this, they add that "Haitians get documentation, crediting them as Dominicans, on irregular manners."
The other 50% does not believe sovereignty is affected, because "they [the Haitians] are not coming in to enslave us as they did before”. “Sovereignty would only be affected if these immigrants took control of our economic and political systems".
They also believe that "it does not affect national sovereignty, at least not in the foreseeable future; however Haitians, in their country, are educated with the idea that this land belongs to them and that we deprive them of it, so a future invasion of Haiti can not be ruled out ".
When a nation is not capable of controlling who enters or leaves it, it should rigorously review its applicable migration laws. In the case of the Dominican Republic we can cite Article 3 of its constitution:
"Article 3. - The Sovereignty of the Dominican Nation as a free and independent State is inviolable. The Republic is and will always be free and independent of all foreign power. Consequently, no public power or authority organized by the present Constitution may carry out or allow the accomplishment of acts that constitute a direct or indirect intervention in the internal or external affairs of the Dominican Republic or any interference that attempts against the personality and integrity of the State and of the attributes that are recognized and dedicated to it in this Constitution. "
Discrimination and International image of the DR
60% of students believe that Dominicans discriminate Haitians and that this does affect the international image of the Dominican Republic. They said that "the international community thinks that the Haitian problem is ours and we must bear them, in addition to the fact that we are racists by nature, it undeniably affects our image; Dominicans’ treatment towards Haitians takes away from our portrayed image". They also believe that it "affects us [Dominicans] negatively because what shows the most is that which is wrong. Unfortunately there are many racist Dominicans, but there are also many Dominicans who treat them [Haitians] as children of God, even hiring Haitian women as housekeepers and nannies. I’ve heard that there are many Dominican women who have married Haitians and vice versa."
The remaining 40% say that Dominicans treat Haitians nicely: "We [Dominicans] treat [Haitians] very well compared to the treatment Dominicans get in other countries, outside the D.R." and that "that [discrimination] disappeared quite some time ago, Dominicans look at Haitians almost as equals and they are accepted in our communities."
I understand Dominicans, in their majority, are not racists and if they are, they do not act aggressively on their racism. This is demonstrated in the rising number of Haitians living in the country. If the treatment is as bad as some people say, why choose to cross the border?
Haitian Manpower
On the economic front, we asked students how Haitian manpower affects in the agricultural and construction sectors, to which they replied: Haitian manpower positively helps these sectors (60%), that their work lowers the cost of workforce (40%) and that Haitians are replacing Dominican manpower for these jobs (30%).
However, according to statements from Engineer Rafael (Tato) Bisonó, private contractor, in the weekly publication Clave on July 19, 2007, "before, Haitians were only seen doing haul roadwork with picks and sledges to break the rocks. Today, without them, the construction industry would be paralyzed" (…) Contrary to what many believe "they are paid equally as Dominicans."
Referring to the reasons of why Haitian workers are recruited, Diandino Peña, Secretary of State for Public Works (‘Hoy’ daily newspaper, November 6th, 1999) said: "They are docile workers whom at any given time are willing to sacrifice the price-per-hour, knowing their disadvantages for living in a territory that is not their own. They have acted with greater intelligence that the local worker, seeking greater areas and, to some extent, have developed a trend where they have become irreplaceable."
In an interview to Franklin Parra, investor and manager of the construction sector in the north area (Puerto Plata, Cabarete), confessed that "Dominicans do not like cutting sugar cane or construction work, I say it because I see it daily. It is not true that we hire them because they work for less money. NO, is because Dominicans don’t show up to work. We would like to have them but they are not present." He added that Haitians are "excellent, non-disturbing people, they work for any price (they have no alternatives), and when they understand Spanish correctly, even better."
One island, two different worlds
60% of students believe that Dominicans and Haitians can live as friends despite their cultural and religious differences because "Haitians at least care to learn our language and acquire some hygiene habits. There are many educated Haitians."
The remaining 40% believes is not possible. They say that "it is very difficult because we are two worlds apart, different by culture, different customs and religious beliefs are something else; voodoo is the dominant religion in Haiti, followed not only by illiterate peasants, but by the highest levels of Haitian society, so we really have nothing more in common than the island we share."
The first difference between Dominicans and Haitians is language. In the Dominican Republic Castilian is the mother language, while in Haiti the official languages spoken are French (spoken by only a fraction of the population) and kreyòl (Creole or Haitian Creole) which almost all Haitians speak.
In Haiti, Catholicism is the religion professed by the majority, although many have been converted to Protestantism. However, Haitians also practice voodoo traditions, without any conflict with their Christian faith. By contrast, Dominicans are mostly Catholics and they value the practice of voodoo in a negative way.
Education and health of Haitian children in Dominican Republic
Unanimously, 100% of those interviewed expressed concern, outrage and disappointment, since the Dominican government does not supply for the health, sanitary nor educational needs of Haitian immigrants, while minimally doing so for its own subjects.
"The attitude of the Dominican State towards Haitian immigrants is somewhat passive and excluding. But the simple treatment towards the same disadvantaged Dominican population could serve as an example of what happens with the Haitian population. Until recently I learned of the case of impediment to primary education to children of Haitian nationality. It is a way of saying we do not want Haitians to get involved or for them to grow up here."
60% of students understand that the future of Haitian children and adolescents living in the Dominican Republic, will be a bad one: that they will become criminals or in the best case scenario will remain informal workers. They argue that "the majority does not have documentation, therefore they probably won’t receive education; at best case scenario, these children and teenagers will become informal workers and in the worst case scenario, they’ll become criminals, prostitutes and beggars."
20% says the future of these children is going to be equal to their current situation.
10% do not know how it will be.
The other 10% believe, with a very optimistic vision, it will be better than now because "they, one way or another, will have acquired our nationality (Dominican), having fled their home country, currently plunged in the worst of calamities, considered a failed state in every way.”
Santo Domingo. - Haitian immigrants to the Dominican Republic, both legal and illegal, increase on a daily basis. Most of them working and living in the slums together with Dominican poorest citizens.
In the Dominican-Haitian situation one must take into consideration that these are two nations with different languages, religions, food, music, beliefs ... and ultimately, different cultures.
However, are we aware of the consequences of the massive movement of Haitians to the Dominican Republic? Are we predicting the consequences of the intensifying social and cultural relations between Dominicans and Haitian immigrants? Is the Dominican youth concerned about how their nation will change as a result of Haitian immigration?
A survey generated by these concerns, made by Seinforma Canada to students from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), reveals that 70% of respondents consciously feel these consequences in their environment. The other 30% only perceive them as superficial.
The impact on national sovereignty
The study reveals that 50% of respondents believe that national sovereignty is in fact, affected by Haitian immigration. Half of the students agree that "we [the D.R.] haven’t been able to control their entry to our territory" and that "it’s a massive and uncontrolled immigration with no census that could determine how many of them are there". To this, they add that "Haitians get documentation, crediting them as Dominicans, on irregular manners."
The other 50% does not believe sovereignty is affected, because "they [the Haitians] are not coming in to enslave us as they did before”. “Sovereignty would only be affected if these immigrants took control of our economic and political systems".
They also believe that "it does not affect national sovereignty, at least not in the foreseeable future; however Haitians, in their country, are educated with the idea that this land belongs to them and that we deprive them of it, so a future invasion of Haiti can not be ruled out ".
When a nation is not capable of controlling who enters or leaves it, it should rigorously review its applicable migration laws. In the case of the Dominican Republic we can cite Article 3 of its constitution:
"Article 3. - The Sovereignty of the Dominican Nation as a free and independent State is inviolable. The Republic is and will always be free and independent of all foreign power. Consequently, no public power or authority organized by the present Constitution may carry out or allow the accomplishment of acts that constitute a direct or indirect intervention in the internal or external affairs of the Dominican Republic or any interference that attempts against the personality and integrity of the State and of the attributes that are recognized and dedicated to it in this Constitution. "
Discrimination and International image of the DR
60% of students believe that Dominicans discriminate Haitians and that this does affect the international image of the Dominican Republic. They said that "the international community thinks that the Haitian problem is ours and we must bear them, in addition to the fact that we are racists by nature, it undeniably affects our image; Dominicans’ treatment towards Haitians takes away from our portrayed image". They also believe that it "affects us [Dominicans] negatively because what shows the most is that which is wrong. Unfortunately there are many racist Dominicans, but there are also many Dominicans who treat them [Haitians] as children of God, even hiring Haitian women as housekeepers and nannies. I’ve heard that there are many Dominican women who have married Haitians and vice versa."
The remaining 40% say that Dominicans treat Haitians nicely: "We [Dominicans] treat [Haitians] very well compared to the treatment Dominicans get in other countries, outside the D.R." and that "that [discrimination] disappeared quite some time ago, Dominicans look at Haitians almost as equals and they are accepted in our communities."
I understand Dominicans, in their majority, are not racists and if they are, they do not act aggressively on their racism. This is demonstrated in the rising number of Haitians living in the country. If the treatment is as bad as some people say, why choose to cross the border?
Haitian Manpower
On the economic front, we asked students how Haitian manpower affects in the agricultural and construction sectors, to which they replied: Haitian manpower positively helps these sectors (60%), that their work lowers the cost of workforce (40%) and that Haitians are replacing Dominican manpower for these jobs (30%).
However, according to statements from Engineer Rafael (Tato) Bisonó, private contractor, in the weekly publication Clave on July 19, 2007, "before, Haitians were only seen doing haul roadwork with picks and sledges to break the rocks. Today, without them, the construction industry would be paralyzed" (…) Contrary to what many believe "they are paid equally as Dominicans."
Referring to the reasons of why Haitian workers are recruited, Diandino Peña, Secretary of State for Public Works (‘Hoy’ daily newspaper, November 6th, 1999) said: "They are docile workers whom at any given time are willing to sacrifice the price-per-hour, knowing their disadvantages for living in a territory that is not their own. They have acted with greater intelligence that the local worker, seeking greater areas and, to some extent, have developed a trend where they have become irreplaceable."
In an interview to Franklin Parra, investor and manager of the construction sector in the north area (Puerto Plata, Cabarete), confessed that "Dominicans do not like cutting sugar cane or construction work, I say it because I see it daily. It is not true that we hire them because they work for less money. NO, is because Dominicans don’t show up to work. We would like to have them but they are not present." He added that Haitians are "excellent, non-disturbing people, they work for any price (they have no alternatives), and when they understand Spanish correctly, even better."
One island, two different worlds
60% of students believe that Dominicans and Haitians can live as friends despite their cultural and religious differences because "Haitians at least care to learn our language and acquire some hygiene habits. There are many educated Haitians."
The remaining 40% believes is not possible. They say that "it is very difficult because we are two worlds apart, different by culture, different customs and religious beliefs are something else; voodoo is the dominant religion in Haiti, followed not only by illiterate peasants, but by the highest levels of Haitian society, so we really have nothing more in common than the island we share."
The first difference between Dominicans and Haitians is language. In the Dominican Republic Castilian is the mother language, while in Haiti the official languages spoken are French (spoken by only a fraction of the population) and kreyòl (Creole or Haitian Creole) which almost all Haitians speak.
In Haiti, Catholicism is the religion professed by the majority, although many have been converted to Protestantism. However, Haitians also practice voodoo traditions, without any conflict with their Christian faith. By contrast, Dominicans are mostly Catholics and they value the practice of voodoo in a negative way.
Education and health of Haitian children in Dominican Republic
Unanimously, 100% of those interviewed expressed concern, outrage and disappointment, since the Dominican government does not supply for the health, sanitary nor educational needs of Haitian immigrants, while minimally doing so for its own subjects.
"The attitude of the Dominican State towards Haitian immigrants is somewhat passive and excluding. But the simple treatment towards the same disadvantaged Dominican population could serve as an example of what happens with the Haitian population. Until recently I learned of the case of impediment to primary education to children of Haitian nationality. It is a way of saying we do not want Haitians to get involved or for them to grow up here."
60% of students understand that the future of Haitian children and adolescents living in the Dominican Republic, will be a bad one: that they will become criminals or in the best case scenario will remain informal workers. They argue that "the majority does not have documentation, therefore they probably won’t receive education; at best case scenario, these children and teenagers will become informal workers and in the worst case scenario, they’ll become criminals, prostitutes and beggars."
20% says the future of these children is going to be equal to their current situation.
10% do not know how it will be.
The other 10% believe, with a very optimistic vision, it will be better than now because "they, one way or another, will have acquired our nationality (Dominican), having fled their home country, currently plunged in the worst of calamities, considered a failed state in every way.”
The Latin-Canadian Organization of Human Rights and Freedom of Expression/Organización Latino-Canadiense de Derechos Humanos y Libertad de Expresión
Lack of identification
Development Programme (PNUD), the poor, Dominican or Haitian immigrants, "will always be at disadvantage, because they have a greater tendency not to develop cognitive skills in the first months of life, they attend schools with lower quality educational standards, have less access to health services and enjoy little protection against natural adversities or economic crises and even family crises; therefore they end up as adults with little ability to escape poverty. In turn, it is secondary education what allows us out of poverty because it has higher returns, but this is the one least accessible to the poor."
Development Programme (PNUD), the poor, Dominican or Haitian immigrants, "will always be at disadvantage, because they have a greater tendency not to develop cognitive skills in the first months of life, they attend schools with lower quality educational standards, have less access to health services and enjoy little protection against natural adversities or economic crises and even family crises; therefore they end up as adults with little ability to escape poverty. In turn, it is secondary education what allows us out of poverty because it has higher returns, but this is the one least accessible to the poor."
40% of those interviewed confessed to being affected by the issue of Haitian immigration because "it affects us as humans; it affects the future of the nation because if we do not provide a better life for Haitian children, they will not become men and women of benefit ". Also "Human Rights organizations that live off of them have gone out of their way to mud our country and as a citizen, it affects me morally in the face of other third-world countries that ignore reality."
60% of students say that the Dominican-Haitian issue does not affect them; this should draw all of our attention, as this shows the overall lack of commitment by Dominicans towards their nation, the lack of identification with a problem that belongs to all of us and the individualism that has taken over the minds of the Dominican Republic.
60% of students say that the Dominican-Haitian issue does not affect them; this should draw all of our attention, as this shows the overall lack of commitment by Dominicans towards their nation, the lack of identification with a problem that belongs to all of us and the individualism that has taken over the minds of the Dominican Republic.
According to the 2008 National Human Development Report in the Dominican Republic, written by the Office of Human Development (ODH) at the request of the United Nations
60% of students understand that the future of Haitian children and adolescents living in the Dominican Republic, will not be good: that they will become criminals or in the best case scenario will remain informal workers. They argue that "the majority does not have documentation, therefore they probably won’t receive education; at best case scenario, these children and teenagers will become informal workers and in the worst case scenario, they’ll become criminals, prostitutes and beggars."
_________________________________________________________________________________
Misery equally strikes Haitian immigrants and Dominican poor class population
Unanimously, 100% of those interviewed expressed concern, outrage and disappointment, since the Dominican government does not supply for the health, sanitary nor educational needs of Haitian immigrants, considering it minimally covers these needs for its own subjects.
***