Haiti : DOMINICAN REPUBLIC REVOKES CITIZENSHIP FROM THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS & THEIR CHILDREN

[Silko]

A sweeping court decision on Friday ruled that citizenship would be revoked from the children of migrants, which will affect tens of thousands of people living in the country, particularly Haitian immigrants and their descendents. Experts warned that the court ruling would result in a human rights crisis, leaving tens of thousands of people stateless, facing mass deportation and discrimination. The decisions gives the electoral commission one year to produce a list of people who will be excluded from citizenship. The ruling will revoke citizenship for those born after 1929, which will overwhelmingly affect descendants of Haitian immigrants who worked on farms. A U.N. backed study estimated that nearly 210,000 Dominicans of Haitian descent will be affected, as well as 34,000 others born to parents of a different nationality. Wade McMullen, a New York-based attorney at the Robert F. Kennedy Center of Justice & Human Rights told AP that many of these people are “now effectively stateless.” He said, “We really don’t know what’s going to happen to those people...Based on what the Dominican government is saying, these people are not Dominican citizens and will have to leave and effectively go to Haiti, where they are also not citizens.” He stated that many of these soon-to-be transplants have little or no ties to Haiti. The majority do not have Haitian citizenship and likely don’t speak Creole.

 

[Silko]

Wow everywhere Haitian goes, they are face with racism. The govt of Haiti needs to send those domincans back to DR. ..Iits not only Haitians who are going to DR to get a better life, Dominicans are going to Haiti to get the same life the Haitian are looking for.

 

[dunwiddat]

A sweeping court decision on Friday ruled that citizenship would be revoked from the children of migrants, which will affect tens of thousands of people living in the country, particularly Haitian immigrants and their descendents. Experts warned that the court ruling would result in a human rights crisis, leaving tens of thousands of people stateless, facing mass deportation and discrimination. The decisions gives the electoral commission one year to produce a list of people who will be excluded from citizenship. The ruling will revoke citizenship for those born after 1929, which will overwhelmingly affect descendants of Haitian immigrants who worked on farms. A U.N. backed study estimated that nearly 210,000 Dominicans of Haitian descent will be affected, as well as 34,000 others born to parents of a different nationality. Wade McMullen, a New York-based attorney at the Robert F. Kennedy Center of Justice & Human Rights told AP that many of these people are “now effectively stateless.” He said, “We really don’t know what’s going to happen to those people...Based on what the Dominican government is saying, these people are not Dominican citizens and will have to leave and effectively go to Haiti, where they are also not citizens.” He stated that many of these soon-to-be transplants have little or no ties to Haiti. The majority do not have Haitian citizenship and likely don’t speak Creole.

This is terrible. Imagine this happening in the USA. The mind boggles. From 1929 ...84 years ago...for those who were born after this many would not have known anywhere else BUT DR. My heart goes out to them. It seems that the Haitians are the wretched of the earth. Why do people treat these people like this.

 

[Fieldpea]

What sparked this kind of decision???


Wait....there's mention of an *electoral commission*:


'....The decisions gives the electoral commission one year to produce a list of people who will be excluded from citizenship....'


Maybe this sweeping move is intended to crush a political block.


One Love, and PEACE

 

[WhatNeedsToBeDone]

Yes, that is awful and ridiculous. The DR needs to let the past go, it's just getting to the point where things are getting counterproductive.

Haiti and the Dominican Republic have an awful history with each other. On another note, part of the reasons why Haitians are mistreated in America (besides the racial component) is b/c they are stereotyped as being trashy and ill-mannered.

But regardless, it is still wrong for the DR to deny citizens whom were born in the country citizenship. This is also bad business for the Dominican Republic. This will scare away investors since it makes it clear that the governance of this country lacks competency. Likely what we will see unfold in the coming months is lots of civil unrest and this will lead to even more problems. Poor judgement.