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30302: (Roebling) reply) Re: 30290: Pierre (Comment) Re: 30287: Roebling (fwd)
From: Elizabeth Roebling <lizieames@yahoo.com>
I imagine that it is a comfort to have such fixed ideas about the solutions for
this island. How is going with the worker's revolution in the US? Ah, yes, I
thought not.
Many people in the US assume that all nations have - or should have-the same
policy as the US- that anyone born on the soil of a nation are entitled to
citizenship. This is not so, See
http://canada.metropolis.net/events/metropolis_presents/EspeakersU_/weil2_e.htm
for some background on the laws of different nations. It is not, in fact,
international "law" that a nation must guarantee citizenship to every child
born on its soil.Haiti does not grant citizenship to any child born on its soil
but rather to the children of any Haitian born to a Haitian born parent
anywhere in the world.http://www.haiti.org/constitu/constabl.htm
The issue that we are facing here is that many of the children of Haitians
who were born here are not, in fact, eligible for Haitian citizenship as their
parents were also born here. They are,in fact, stateless persons.
The Dominican constitution provides that children of workers "in transit" are
not eligible for citizenship.
http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/DomRep/domrep02.html And the Haitians
are considered "in transit". If their parents have gone through the proper
procedures to obtain Domincan citizenship, they are children of Domincans.
Imagine if the economy of Haiti were miraculously to boom, with plenty of
work and personal security. There would be a flood across the border going in
the other direction. Yet many Haitians who are here do have legal residency, a
process that may lead to citizenship in time. It is a matter of filing the
proper papers, following the proper steps, just as it is for immigrants to the
United States. This is, of course, an almost impossible project for those who
are illiterate.
The Dominican Republic is trying to maintain its national identity and its
borders. It is true that the availability of Haitian workers probably brings
down the wages of all Dominicans, who themselves are very poorly paid. So
perhaps it would be better for the Domincans if all the Haitians were to be
deported. Would that further the cause? Perhaps those millions of illegal
immigrants are holding down the wages of all the legal US citizens?
It is a measure of how successful Ms. Pierre has been that she is attracting
such a visceral response. Many people of good will are working to make life
here in the DR a bit better for the 600,000+ Haitians who are here. I am not
certain that you are helping the situation, well meaning though you may be.
Dialogue is not assisted by demonizing.
The DR is perhaps reacting quite understandably to the force of the
international pressure which seems intent on pressuring this nation without
offering much in the way of assistance The United States would not, for
instance, open its doors to all the Haitians living here.. Notice please, how
quickly the Haitians who arrive in Florida are sent to deportation
proceedings.Unlike the Haitians who are well educated and have sufficient means
to obtain visas to emigrate to the US, France, Canada, the Bahamas, etc., most
of the Haitians who are here are neither highly skilled or litterate. They are,
however, extremely willing to work for whatever small amounts they can make.
Most live here in peace,and prefer to stay rather than return to Haiti,
It would be useful if we could work together to come up with some positive
steps to help reconcile these two nations, obtain some rights for the education
of Haitian children who live here and a means for them to legally obtain
citizenship. We need the help of the Haitian and Dominican respective
disasporas living in the United States,
I invite anyone who is working for reconciliation to contact me.
For those of you who are on the picket lines, why not find a Domincan to hug?
Brotherhood is after all one of the great ideals of the revolution, n'est ce
pas?
Elizabeth