Dominican officials debunk charges of “civil genocide” against Haitians

WASHINGTON DC.- The Dominican Government Monday rejected charges that Dominican born descendants of Haitians are stripped of their nationality as a State policy and of “civil genocide.”

During the hearing in the Organization of American States (OAS) on the accusation filed by non-government organizations (NGO), the Dominican representation discarded the denunciation citing lack of arguments to conclude that descendants of Haitians are denied citizenship as a State policy.

A NGO says the country applies “civil genocide” against people of Haitian origin by denying them the nationality, applying new migratory dispositions retroactively.

“Dominican Republic is immersed in a project to modernize and purge the irregularities in its civil registry system, in which there’s no discriminatory intent, and has also made it possible to uncover young athletes who alter their documents to sign with a Major League baseball team,” the Dominican commissioners argued.

They said as part of that process several Central Electoral Board (JCE) employees and an ex Azua province prosecutor were recently arrested and indicted in connection with a document forgery ring.

The Dominican delegation, formed by ambassador to the OAS Roberto Saladín, ambassador to Washington Aníbal de Castro, and Immigration Agency director Jose Taveras, also invited OAS commissioner Rodrigo Escobar Gil to the country “to observe in situ the advances in the area of the civil registry.”