Haitian-Dominicans take demand for papers to the Palace

Santo Domingo.- Representatives of the Haitian-Dominican group Reconoci.do gathered outside the National Palace on Tuesday to decry that only 5 percent of those affected by Supreme Court ruling 168-13 have received their papers, one year after Law 169-14 took effect.

Reconci.do coordinator Ana Maria Belique said the Central Electoral Board (JCE) and the Interior and Police Ministry have hampered the law’s enforcement as evidenced by "the poor results achieved and the continuing problems in accessing identity documents that prevents Dominicans of Haitian descent from properly going about their civil and commercial activities."

She said the civil society consensus is to restore the rights of Dominicans of Haitian origin to obtain identity documents, registered or not, and has only served as a smokescreen to reduce the "strong national and international pressure demanded put an end to the denationalizing policy, consistent with the provisions of the Dominican Constitution and international agreements."