Hispanolia's Dark Inheritance

[Martina]

More than 71 years later, it is no surprise to still feel reminisce of what was arguably the first real genocide of the western hemisphere. The 1937 massacre of an estimated 10,000 to 30,000 Haitians at the Dominican and Haitian border by then Dominican dictator, Rafael Trujillo, has sadly become Hispaniola's dark inheritance. The social and political ramifications of the occurred event that year continues to strain relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic and has even more so established a legacy of political violence against Haitians in the Dominican Republic. But nowhere is this eeriness more evident than in the town of Pepillo Salcedo, in the Province of Monte Cristi in the northern border region of the Dominican Republic. It is in this town where at the mouth of the river that divides these two countries, the blood shed by thousands of innocent people continues to trouble the waters. Today what remain are hunger, poverty, disease, HIV, and endless trails and traces of government corruption. Both Dominicans and Haitians in this region are being left without the resources needed to heal the wounds of the past and build a solid foundation for the future. Furthermore, It is no surprise that often poverty and misery serve as fertile ground for divide and conquer. Though many may view the conflict between Dominicans and Haitians as a result of self hate and more so the sense of racial superiority ingrained in the minds of many Dominicans, a community like Pepillo Salcedo will easily challenge that notion. Though animosity against Haitians is profound and widespread in the Dominican Republic, there is also a common sense of struggle and hardship amongst both groups. Amidst the constant elevation of such consciousness and the growing crisis throughout the entire island, there is room for hope that attitudes and perceptions can change. Hence, it is important, now more than ever that Dominican and Haitians begin to work together and make a statement of solidarity against those institutions that are truly to blame for the current chaos. Whether we believe it or not, the opportunity for that consciousness is more present in the island of Hispaniola than what we think. The challenge is whether or not we choose to shine light on those who are in fact working towards this goal, or continue to beat the dead horse with a bad and confine ourselves to believe that nothing will or can change.
--
Kaity DeLeon-Trinidad, MPH, is a member of NY's Afrolatin@ Forum

[ololofi]

Jambo

Thanks for sharing this interesting article. I belief that what has taken 155 years to cultivate in the form of anti-Haitian / Negritude sentiments since the new nation was formed in 1844, and reinforced with the 'steel pillars' of racism and genocide by the Trujillo / Balaguer doctrines through the reshaping of a Dominican fervor nationalism -- Is going to take a complete overhaul an revolutionary cataclysm of the 'Dominican mindset'. It has to start at the educational and cultural level where the norm for Dominicans needs to be established for the total acceptance of their Negritude, how we're all connected in the island by the same blood, and strongly separated by two European languages [Spanish / French] which are 'heavily' seasoned with the spices of other world cultures.

Thanks

[Martina]

Haiti Illegal Aliens Occupy Dominican Republic Church
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=324840&CategoryId=14092

DAJABON, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC -- Some 600 Haitians, the majority of them illegal immigrants, occupied a church in the northwestern border province of Dajabon to demand that they be allowed to return to the Dominican Republic after traveling to Haiti for Christmas.

Father Regino Martinez, coordinator of the non-governmental organization Border Solidarity and a supporter of the church occupation, told the press Monday that the Haitians traveled home to visit their families over the holidays.

The Haitians who occupied Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church worked in the Dominican farming and construction industries.

Immigration and border security officials in the northern Dominican Republic told the press that they allowed the return of 700 Haitians who traveled home last month and had permission to go back to the Dominican Republic.

The 600 Haitians who are occupying the church, however, do not have documents and must be repatriated, officials said.

Father Martinez, for his part, said many of the protesters belonged to the Association of Haitian Migrant Farmworkers, a group based in the northwestern Dominican Republic.

On Dec. 18, Martinez, other Border Solidarity members and Jesuit Refugee Service representatives met with immigration service director Jose Anibal Sanz Jiminian and advised him that 1,696 Haitian workers planned to travel home for the holidays and return in January.

Dominican officials estimate that around 1 million Haitians live in the country, most of them illegal immigrants who work in agriculture and construction.

The Dominican Republic and Haiti share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, with Haiti in the western portion. Though both countries are poor, Haiti is destitute, and Haitians cross the border to do work that many Dominicans will not do, such as harvesting sugar cane.

Haitians have been the target of mob violence numerous times in recent years, and the Dominican government has carried out mass expulsions of illegal immigrants.