People evicted from Los Haitises

[NewsWhore]

The Deputy Minister of Protected Areas at the Ministry of the Environment reaffirmed yesterday that the first squatters to leave Los Haitises National Park were high-ranking military officers from the armed forces or the National Police who had occupied the lands in an irregular fashion. Deputy Minister Eleuterio Martinez said "Everyone will have to get out of Los Haitises National Park, no matter whether they are military or political, and regardless of social status." He pointed out that the government is making great efforts to get the poor rural residents, who have nothing, out of the park area, and it would not be fair for military and police officers who had also appropriated some of this land to be treated with kid gloves. "Not only were there military personnel, but also cattle-ranchers and people in very comfortable social positions," said Martinez. "They (the military and police) were the first to leave. They knew that nobody could claim land by illegal possession and they were the first to leave." Martinez said that he was not able to say how many military officials had appropriated plots of land in the park, without paying anyone a penny, and knowing full well that it was a state protected national asset. To those who think that these lands will continue to be left to their fate and subject to the will of the military, police and civilians, Martinez said that from now on a permanent military presence would be installed to prevent the lands from being reoccupied. The official made these statements to reporters from El Caribe during a event to disburse of RD$6.4 million to people who lived in Los Haitises National Park for many years and were obliged to move as the government struggled to preserve the natural resources in the reserve. In total, 119 families were part of the initial program. Data from the Ministry of the Environment showed that between 1993 and 1994 the government paid out RD$3.220 million to 291 families who lived in Los Haitises National Park, in 2002-2003 RD$5 million was paid to families living in El Catey, and between January 2007 and July 2008 a total of 651 people received RD$32.9 million. According to Martinez this was the second disbursement this year and another two are planned before the end of the year.

More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)