Reinaldo Pared speaks to the Assembly. Photo elnuevodiario.com.do
SANTO DOMINGO.- The Revisory Assembly on the Constitution yesterday passed the Executive Branch’s proposal that penalizes abortion in the country.
"The right to life is inviolable from conception until the death. The death penalty will not be established, pronounced nor applied in any case."
This motion passed with 167 votes against 32, though only 133 votes were needed to validate it, and will be article 11 in the new Constitution.
The proposal was voted despite Assembly vice-president Julio Cesar Valentin’s proposal to adopt article four of the American Convention on Human Rights, voted in San José, Costa Rica in 1969, which states: "All persons have the right to their life is respected. This right will be protected by law and, generally, as of the moment of conception. Nobody can deprive them of their life arbitrarily."
Moreover, the Executive Branch’s proposal was also adopted by the caucuses of the opposition PRD and PRSC parties, and backed by the most of the lawmakers of the ruling PLD party.
The Assembly members heatedly debated the controversial topic, with eleven speaking to the floor, whereas 37 took turns last Thursday.
From: Dominican Republic, Cabarete
There are currently over 400 abortions per day in the DR. This includes Xmas Day and Easter Sunday and even Altagracia Day and Mercedes Day etc. What will happen to those girls/women now? The State will provide care for them? I doubt that. And how do physicians respond to the pleas of these women and the rapes caused by many of the men who pass these laws. How can this Country deface an international law for which they voted? The church needs to find its place and the lawmakers need to pay attention to the people. This will become an ugly situation in the coming years.
From: Dominican Republic, la Romana
How can a government pass a law that they know will be defied justifiably every day of the year?? How could anyone support a church that has no regard for the misery it causes the people ..banning condoms and abortion is just crazy and in itself is a crime against the people
Written by: juanb, 22 Apr 2009 8:31 AM
From: Dominican Republic
What an outrage. Vote the bums out.
And the Church members responsible for pushing this anti woman bill should just go back to diddling little boys in the closets and confessionals.
Written by: FMT1010, 22 Apr 2009 9:04 AM
From: United States
this is insane! and shame on the so called lawmakers for not seeing how this will hurt women and the future of the dominican people.
Written by: Bailarin 
, 22 Apr 2009 9:12 AM
From: Dominican Republic
With one hand they sign the bill while at the same time the other hand is stealing from the countrys cookie jar ..lol .Wait until its one of thier daughters selling thier bodies in Sosua who gets knocked up by some old gringo on a third world sex tour ! Just like every law in the D.R,, This too will be subject to private interpretation and dependant upon who needs what and how much of it .. Again.,moral problems need spiritual solutions . Hanging condom dispensers in the classrooms and showing a sperm meets the egg video is not going to close the legs and open the bibles of these poor girls who already believe that they have nothing to loose and no future to look forward to other than an irresponsible Dominican man slapping her silly and then riding off into the sunset on his motoconcho never to return ... Yes , abortion is the sin of murder against Almighty God , BUT THE GREATER SIN . IS THE SIN OF REJECTING GODS FORGIVENESS and the only true solution , Jesus Christ !
Written by: xwill7, 22 Apr 2009 9:28 AM
From: United States, Chicago
There will always be abortion in the black market. This will not stop anything, but will make an abortion more expensive since it would be done illegally.
Written by: BLANCO, 22 Apr 2009 9:31 AM
From: Dominican Republic
I see the heavy hand of the church in this issue.. these guys ae not going to heaven..regardless. even the good cardinal can't get them there...by this decision they have promoted the continued abuse of women and children. shame on them.
Written by: Juango, 22 Apr 2009 9:35 AM
From: United States, far S. Florida (formerly Santo Domingo)
A bunch of old two-faced Christian pretending macho goofballs, voting on what is Right for a Woman. They can't take care of their own (Sen. A. Williams of SPM), yet are able to decide what is good for girls/women in the DR. I hope to God, that none of their wives and/or daughters ever have an unwanted pregancy or one that threatens that woman's life ! Christianity at its best folks!
Written by: Pedro, 22 Apr 2009 9:36 AM
From: Dominican Republic
What a sad day in modern Dominican history. What a sad day indeed. If the catholic church has anything to do with this (and I bet it has) it ought to be ashamed of itself. Like drbcabarete says, this will become ugly in days to come. And like xwill7 says, it will become more expensive too. But of even greater importance, it will become more unsafe for the women. What about underage and rape? To me, decisions like these belong more to the Taliban radicals in Pakistan and Afghanistan - and not in present day Dominican Republic. What a sad day indeed!
From: United States, atlanta GA
how sad
Written by: xwill7, 22 Apr 2009 9:51 AM
From: United States, Chicago
Pedro, you are right. If the women have to go have it done illegally, then it will be very unsafe. The women will not even be able to track the doctor down if something goes wrong. Is abortion illegal in Haiti??? If not, the women might have to cross border and have it done in a hospital overthere...
From: Dominican Republic
Here comes overpopulation!
Written by: Bailarin , 22 Apr 2009 10:10 AM
From: Dominican Republic
Poor girls ! I would hate to see them risk thier own selfish lives crossing the Haitian border as they kill another at the mercy of some voodoo priest .. Surely we should strive as a global community to keep premeditated murder legal and as safe as possible for these selfish little whores who didnt know a baby would come out if her popi came in.. Porfavor !
Written by: xwill7, 22 Apr 2009 10:14 AM
From: United States, Chicago
I noticed that alot of girls in DR do not like it when a man uses a condom, they think that if you pull it out at the last minute it will not make a baby.
From: United States
They should make corruption a crime for legislators in the DR instead of issueing medals for corruption.
Written by: Bailarin , 22 Apr 2009 10:35 AM
From: Dominican Republic
Im sorry , is not the man just as bad ? Why should he care after hes spilt his seed and went home with nothing more than a little rash on his sack ? The chicas an ocean away and the dead beat dads face on the milk carton concept still hasnt caught on in the D.R...
Written by: Edward, 22 Apr 2009 10:44 AM
From: United States, Faux News: Unfair Imbalance
As much as I hate abortion I think this was a mistake. To ban all abortions under all circumstances is just going to far. I am disappointed. It's sad that the D.R. still has to be so socially conservative in the 21st century.
Written by: xwill7, 22 Apr 2009 10:44 AM
From: United States, Chicago
Balarin,
True, it is the man's fault as well. I know this guy that makes a baby almost every trip with different women. I told him, man you need to get an operation, its not right to have somany fatherless kids. Also, rash on his sack??? LOL Never happened to me with any girl in DR (thank god)
Written by: Bailarin , 22 Apr 2009 10:58 AM
From: Dominican Republic
Again ,Gods commandments are meant to give us life , not deprive us of it ......If would do things the way God ( not the church) tells us to , we wouldnt need condoms as there wouldnt be any stds , abortions or unwanted pregnancys. We forget that sex and pleasure were Gods idea and he created it . God wants sex to be a truly fulfilling ,enjoyable expression of love between a man and a woman and in order to protect us from the other evils , he has told us what safe sex really is...One man and his one wife till death to they part...
Written by: xwill7, 22 Apr 2009 11:15 AM
From: United States, Chicago
Bail,
In a perfect world that would be the case
Written by: Bailarin , 22 Apr 2009 11:47 AM
From: Dominican Republic
Before the fall the world was perfect and that was the case and man didnt need laws to govern him ...God promises in His word to restore all things and to create a new heaven and a new earth , but until then , He commands us to live in obedience to His written word which is as close to His original intention as possible...
From: Dominican Republic
I hope no one who commented on this article voted for McCain/Palin as the They ultra-right conservative view on abortion is the same in the US...no abortion under ANY circumstance. Instead they proposed to offer counseling and adoption assistance...even in cases of rape or incest. Unbelievable...
Written by: Belly, 22 Apr 2009 11:57 AM
From: Dominican Republic, San Francisco and Houston,Texas
Bailarin
There is the world as it should be and ther is the world as it is. if we refuse to change and accommodate new problems lke this ones we will fail. I'm pro-life and i think we should still have limit abortions in some cases but also not use it as a way out of people being responsible for teir actions. Churches are getting their hand too deep into the DR laws and if just getting to the point where is holding back progress to move forward. you never hear them talking about domestic violence or child buse because they got their hand dirty in that department. Whats the point of bringing a baby into life you they are not going to figt to make sure his daily necesaries are met. they are even against using preventions for pregnancy even comdoms and how are people suppose to do it because waiting as a virging until married and staying married for life is not a option any more because in this world thats the reality.
Written by: dominic, 22 Apr 2009 12:00 PM
From: United States
Congratulations to the country that once was the beginning of Christianity for the whole continent, and now hopefully will be the same for sanity.
Congratulations also to Cardilnal Lopez-Rodriguez for his tough, determined stance in favor of women and babies. It takes alot of courage to stand in defense of women when loud and ideologically-mediated voices make it sound as though women need abortion, when in fact they need deliverance from it. Maybe now real answers to the real problems women face -- never denied or ignores by real Christians and prolifers -- can begin to be sought.
Praise god!
Written by: Bailarin , 22 Apr 2009 1:18 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Yes Banana , and there is also the world that will be and thats what makes all the difference in the world as to the choices we make in this life as well as the point Ive already made ..If heaven and hell are nothing more than mythical places dreamed up in the mind of some ancient Greek poet , then have all the abortions you want and do who ever you want for tommorrow we die.. The world has and is constantly changing but God changes not ..King David could not fight the battles of God wearing the armor of Saul , nor can a God rejecting world expect to fight moral spiritual battles with worldy human philosophies and methods.. As the Psalmist said '' the way of the Lord is proven '' . The problem is man is trying to create God in his own image while failing to realize he was created in the image of God . A carnal minded society can not recieve nor understand the concepts of selflessness or self sacrifice let alone laying down your life as Christ did so that others might live..
From: United States, "La matabugas, matabocones, matacobardes y azarosos".
There should have added a clause indicating that the father must be responsible and fined for unattended paternity. Until then the men will continue impregnating girls.
Or better yet, they should make a law requiring all boys age 15 to take parenting classes and sexual education learning how to have sex without making babies.
Written by: Bailarin , 22 Apr 2009 2:13 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Better still , teach them the word of God from the time they stop peeing thier beds and maybe they will wait until they are married and not have to deal with all this other crap ? Just a thought ..
From: United States
Anyone who voted yes to this should have their wives and daughters locked in an insane assylum where they can be repeatedly raped until they are pregnant.
Many lives will be ruined with unwanted pregnancies or poorly performed abortions.
Anyones version of justice will still be for sale to anyone able to buy it.
Yet another reason the DR will remain a 3rd world country.
From: United States, "La matabugas, matabocones, matacobardes y azarosos".
Abstinence is a great way.
But the women should be given a choice of having a baby or not.
Written by: xwill7, 22 Apr 2009 2:29 PM
From: United States, Chicago
popon,
yes, better sex ed could help produce less pregnancy. I have always been very careful, because the USA child support orders will rape any man that has separated from the woman. In DR if a girl is pregnant there are no wage assignments since you can work getting paid cash
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata
DR must be the only country in the world where separation of Church and State has not yet been consumated.
From: Dominican Republic
* 10 million people live in DR. 9.6 million people live in Haiti (5.6 million are children).
* More than 309,000 people are born in Haiti yearly. More than 243,000 people are born in DR yearly.
* Nearly 20 million people live in the island growing at a rate of 2.8 % yearly!
Given the demographic explosion, THE WHOLE ISLAND WILL IMPLODE AND IT WILL NOT BE SUITABLE FOR HABITATION!
From: United States
This is disgusting. This act sets the feminist movemovent and women's rights DR at least 50 years. I hope that amendments are made to this proposal before it is made oficial. And of course in DR we still have to draw a clear division between the State and Church.
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And the Church members responsible for pushing this anti woman bill should just go back to diddling little boys in the closets and confessionals.
True, it is the man's fault as well. I know this guy that makes a baby almost every trip with different women. I told him, man you need to get an operation, its not right to have somany fatherless kids. Also, rash on his sack??? LOL Never happened to me with any girl in DR (thank god)
In a perfect world that would be the case
There is the world as it should be and ther is the world as it is. if we refuse to change and accommodate new problems lke this ones we will fail. I'm pro-life and i think we should still have limit abortions in some cases but also not use it as a way out of people being responsible for teir actions. Churches are getting their hand too deep into the DR laws and if just getting to the point where is holding back progress to move forward. you never hear them talking about domestic violence or child buse because they got their hand dirty in that department. Whats the point of bringing a baby into life you they are not going to figt to make sure his daily necesaries are met. they are even against using preventions for pregnancy even comdoms and how are people suppose to do it because waiting as a virging until married and staying married for life is not a option any more because in this world thats the reality.
Congratulations also to Cardilnal Lopez-Rodriguez for his tough, determined stance in favor of women and babies. It takes alot of courage to stand in defense of women when loud and ideologically-mediated voices make it sound as though women need abortion, when in fact they need deliverance from it. Maybe now real answers to the real problems women face -- never denied or ignores by real Christians and prolifers -- can begin to be sought.
Praise god!
Or better yet, they should make a law requiring all boys age 15 to take parenting classes and sexual education learning how to have sex without making babies.
Many lives will be ruined with unwanted pregnancies or poorly performed abortions.
Anyones version of justice will still be for sale to anyone able to buy it.
Yet another reason the DR will remain a 3rd world country.
But the women should be given a choice of having a baby or not.
yes, better sex ed could help produce less pregnancy. I have always been very careful, because the USA child support orders will rape any man that has separated from the woman. In DR if a girl is pregnant there are no wage assignments since you can work getting paid cash
* 10 million people live in DR. 9.6 million people live in Haiti (5.6 million are children).
* More than 309,000 people are born in Haiti yearly. More than 243,000 people are born in DR yearly.
* Nearly 20 million people live in the island growing at a rate of 2.8 % yearly!
Given the demographic explosion, THE WHOLE ISLAND WILL IMPLODE AND IT WILL NOT BE SUITABLE FOR HABITATION!