Dominicans rally in support of controversial ruling on nationality

Santo Domingo.- Chanting "Them there and us here," a crowd gathered at the downtown Independencia park Monday afternoon to support the recent Constitutional Court ruling on Dominican nationality.

The National Sovereignty Defense Network organized the activity with lawyers, journalists, neighborhood boards, sports clubs and other social groups, who proclaimed their commitment to Dominicanism.

"We don’t negotiate our sovereignty" was another chant, while banners read "Illegal Haitians out of Dominican Republic; "Not illegals in our country;" "We asked to finish the wall they started;" "Respect for the right to nationalization" and "Support Ruling 168-13."

In his speech, one of the organizers Felipe Auffant Najri said the uncontrolled immigration denies poor Dominicans the benefits of their own country’s economic growth, their jobs and salaries, which in their view is under pressure from poorer immigrants, who "compete for their jobs and are willing to work for less."