NewsWhore
10-31-2007, 05:30 PM
Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso has blasted the report submitted by two human rights activists that visited the DR last week. Morales Troncoso's comments were echoed by Presidential Legal Advisor Cesar Pina Toribio. In separate statements, they agreed that the report was biased. Morales Troncoso said that the observers had come with their report already written. Doudou Diene (who is married to a Haitian woman) and Gay McDougall (member of the committee that gave Sonia Pierre the Kennedy Award for her activisim in favor of Haitian migrants) were considered to have been biased in their reporting. Sonia Pierre advocates that all children of foreigners born in the Dominican Republic be granted Dominican nationality.
Morales Troncoso said that this was "not a surprise for us that without knowing our reality these observers could produce this diagnostic in just a few days, because we know what is behind this."
The visitors concluded that while there is not a racist official policy, there is profound racism in the DR against Haitians, their descendents and negros.
Morales said, as reported in Diario Libre: "Our border with Haiti has its problems, but it is our reality and needs to be understood. It is important not to confuse national sovereignty with indifference, and security with xenophobia," said Morales. He said the DR has a long tradition of upholding human rights and would be proud to compare its track record with any other country. He said the statement of the visitors does not necessarily mean it is the truth, especially under Dominican laws. He pointed out the opportunities Haitians have found for jobs in construction, agriculture and other services in the DR. Meanwhile, he said the country would continue to seek that Haiti receives the treatment it deserves from the international community. And that the DR would continue to extend its solidarity to brother Haitians.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)
Morales Troncoso said that this was "not a surprise for us that without knowing our reality these observers could produce this diagnostic in just a few days, because we know what is behind this."
The visitors concluded that while there is not a racist official policy, there is profound racism in the DR against Haitians, their descendents and negros.
Morales said, as reported in Diario Libre: "Our border with Haiti has its problems, but it is our reality and needs to be understood. It is important not to confuse national sovereignty with indifference, and security with xenophobia," said Morales. He said the DR has a long tradition of upholding human rights and would be proud to compare its track record with any other country. He said the statement of the visitors does not necessarily mean it is the truth, especially under Dominican laws. He pointed out the opportunities Haitians have found for jobs in construction, agriculture and other services in the DR. Meanwhile, he said the country would continue to seek that Haiti receives the treatment it deserves from the international community. And that the DR would continue to extend its solidarity to brother Haitians.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)