Youngsters demand Obama apology for US’ killing of 8,000 Dominicans

Santo Domingo.- A group of youngsters from various organizations and social groups on Tuesday demanded a public apology by president Barack Obama and the US Congress for damages caused to the Dominican people and their right to self-determination since 1965, tomark the 50th anniversary of Washington’s second military invasion of the Dominican Republic.

In a letter which also refers to the current US-Dominican Republic bilateral ties, the groups also demand that the US political leadership, headed by Obama, put a halt to what they call US ambassador James Brewster’s frequent interference in the country’s internal affairs.

Signed by young workers, journalists, sociologists, civil society activists, artists, historians and political leaders, the letter seeks redress for the more than 8,000 Dominicans killed by 42,000 US troops sent to the country on April 28, 1965 “to prevent the Dominican armed people from reestablishing the constitutional order interrupted by Trujillistas military, the Catholic Church and part of the business elite in 1963.”

Signed by Claudio Caamaño, Juan Miguel Pérez, Jhonatan Liriano, Heidy Adón, Khrista Ochoa, Julitín Calzado, Stalin Martínez, Claudia Custodio, Rayza De León, Emerson Méndez, Amilkar Almánzar, Jairo Mateo, Mery Dorrejo, Jesús Morán, Ruddy Almonte, Laura Reyes, Merlyn Andújar, Roberto Valentín Guerrero, Robinson Guerrero, Bartolomé Pujals, Virginia Rodríguez, Amaury Pérez, Jaime Rodríguez, Amín Pérez, Taina Reyes, Dania Batista, Daisy Garcia Ventura, Geny Lozada, José Luis Morrillo, Manuel Dorville, Bryan Espinal Reyes, Erika Arias and Benito Morantín.

Also, Edgar García, Alexander Rosario, Alfred Cruz, Jhonatan Pichardo, Miguel Olivo, Juan Carlos Pérez Moronta, Cristino Gómez, Chancousky Acosta Veras, Moisés Sánchez, Ysidro García Rodríguez, Eddy Núñez, Francisco Arias, Franiel Genao, Anel Luna Ovalles, Daulin Santana and Antonio Rodríguez