On September 23, 2013, the Constitutional Court in the Dominican Republic issued a ruling that effectively targeted and revoked the citizenship of descendants of Haitians born in the Dominican Republic since 1929, rendering them stateless. Following the decision, there have been deaths and hundreds of expulsions. The future of those remaining in the country is uncertain.
The Dominican Constitution recognizes, in principle, that ”all persons born in the territory of the Dominican Republic” are Dominican citizens but the September 2013 ruling denies this constitutional birthright on the grounds that children of undocumented Haitians are ”in transit.“ The term “in transit” normally applies only to tourists or visiting diplomats in the country for 10 days or less.
The exclusion of Haitian-Dominicans is steeped in xenophobia, racial animus, and anti-Haitianism, long-standing themes in Dominican history. Haitians and Haitian-Dominicans have historically been marginalized in the Dominican Republic, often facing violence and deportation without right of appeal or legal recourse. Haitian children born in the Dominican Republic are routinely denied Dominican birth certificates. Consequently, Haitians and Haitian-Dominicans have little to no access to fair housing, education, health care and other basic social services.
In acts of brazen hypocrisy, Dominican employers heavily recruit the labor of Haitian migrant workers, and Haitian-Dominicans have been integral to the sugar, manufacturing, and tourism industries despite being stigmatized and routinely expelled from a country they have resided in for generations. Simply put, this ruling is a violation of human rights. There are a range of standards and provisions under international law for Haitians and Haitian-Dominicans that are even more critical now that the international community is striving to bring justice to the forefront. We demand a stop to the deportation of Dominicans of Haitian descent and the immediate reversal of this unfair and inhumane law.
Take action by signing these petitions:
The Dominican Constitution recognizes, in principle, that ”all persons born in the territory of the Dominican Republic” are Dominican citizens but the September 2013 ruling denies this constitutional birthright on the grounds that children of undocumented Haitians are ”in transit.“ The term “in transit” normally applies only to tourists or visiting diplomats in the country for 10 days or less.
The exclusion of Haitian-Dominicans is steeped in xenophobia, racial animus, and anti-Haitianism, long-standing themes in Dominican history. Haitians and Haitian-Dominicans have historically been marginalized in the Dominican Republic, often facing violence and deportation without right of appeal or legal recourse. Haitian children born in the Dominican Republic are routinely denied Dominican birth certificates. Consequently, Haitians and Haitian-Dominicans have little to no access to fair housing, education, health care and other basic social services.
In acts of brazen hypocrisy, Dominican employers heavily recruit the labor of Haitian migrant workers, and Haitian-Dominicans have been integral to the sugar, manufacturing, and tourism industries despite being stigmatized and routinely expelled from a country they have resided in for generations. Simply put, this ruling is a violation of human rights. There are a range of standards and provisions under international law for Haitians and Haitian-Dominicans that are even more critical now that the international community is striving to bring justice to the forefront. We demand a stop to the deportation of Dominicans of Haitian descent and the immediate reversal of this unfair and inhumane law.
Take action by signing these petitions:
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