Haiti, D.R.: Stateless in the Dominican Republic

jmc strategies blogs about the issue of Haitian statelessness in the Dominican Republic, specifically addressing anti-Haitian sentiment, questionable labour and living conditions, and forced repatriations, while offering solutions to the impasse.

4 comments

  • nyclatinhunk

    I find it interesting that people that either don’t understand laws or simply refuse to accept them are in the media advocating their case. Every country has its immigration laws which clearly defines how one can obtain citizenship. In the case of the Dominican Republic court’s ruling, it is simply false that according to the ruling “all those born in the country after 1929, and whose parents were not Dominicans, should no longer be considered Dominican citizens.” The ruling has no effect on anyone ever born in the DR to a legal permanent resident. The key word here is “legal” (but many simply never heard of the term). Furthermore, the ruling did not “strip four generations of Dominicans of Haitian descent, of their citizenship”. One cannot be stripped of something one has never had. The ruling does dictate that according to all Dominican constitutions since 1929, those born to illegal residents, or to individuals in certain “transient” categories, have never qualified for Dominican birthright citizenship (jus soli), unless they were ineligible for the citizenship of their parents (by jus sanguinis). The ruling affects “all” foreigners, not just Haitians, but Haitians are the ones making all the noise, no one else is objecting. Truly professional victims once again. And all this talk about “statelessness”, not so, for the descendants of Haitian nationals are they themselves Haitians according to article 11 of the Haitian constitution. They would simply need to stop by any of the 4 Haitian consulates in the Dominican Republic and claim their documents there. If anyone has any doubt about this very simple and overlooked process, I encourage you to contact the Haitian consulate at your earliest convenience and put all this hype to bed once and for all.

    • Theodore

      Totally agree with you. I’m a foreigner as well in Dominican Republic and I didn’t complain about it at all, just because I read the law clearly and understand it. Guest what, even the Haitians who acquire lots of education in their own country think that they are right (to obtain citizenship) in this matter and tell you some opposite laws they have read from Dominican Law. Haitians are really best manipulators ever.

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  • ser apatrida es algo que solo pasa cuando ese alguien firma un TLC. de resto quien protege la economia y la cultura nacional autentóctona, es un patriota que lucha contra los apatridas del gobierno. asi que en el caso de RD, no existen apatridas solo ex-patriados resientes en RD.

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