«If I’m not Dominican, neither is Abinader»: Haitians protest for their rights
Santo Domingo — Under the slogans: «We are Dominicans,» «If I am not Dominican, neither is Abinader » and «Being Dominican is our right, not in favor,» dozens of Haitians of various nationalities demonstrated this Friday in front of the National Palace.
According to their spokespeople, the objective of this protest is nothing more than compliance with Law 169-14, denouncing that, 12 years after its promulgation, thousands of people still face difficulties in obtaining identity documents and fully exercising their right to nationality.
«We are here to demand the right to Dominican nationality. We are not foreigners or immigrants; we were born here and we are not going to leave,» said one of the group’s representatives, arguing that the law has not benefited even 50% of the people included in the so-called Group A, while those belonging to Group B are still waiting for definitive solutions.
This protest was organized by the Recognized Movement. During the demonstration, they stated that the regulations have not been effectively implemented.
They also stated that many Dominicans of Haitian descent continue to face arrests, deportations, and bureaucratic obstacles in accessing official documents.
“We are not invisible,” were the words of one of their spokespeople, in commemoration of the 12th anniversary of the legislation passed in 2014, which sought to address the situation created by the Constitutional Court’s ruling 168-13.
Some of the slogans chanted at the Leonel Matos protest
The protesters insisted that their claim is based on the Dominican Constitution in force at the time of their birth, arguing that people born on national territory acquired Dominican nationality, except for specific exceptions such as children of diplomats or people in transit.
Their coordinator, Franklyn Minor, stated that people who had held identity cards, birth certificates, and passports for years had their documents suspended. In this regard, he asked the President of the Republic to intervene to ensure compliance with the law and resolve the pending cases.
The protesters denounced alleged discriminatory acts and demanded measures to ensure access to documentation and respect for their civil rights, after stating that they are being deprived of rights such as education and health care.
