Human Rights Watch riles Dominican Republic media

Santo Domingo.- "Tens of thousands of Dominicans ofHaitian descent remain in an indefinite legal status, unable to exercise theirfundamental rights," the organization Human Rights Watch said in a pressconference Wednesday, which became a shouting match when several reportersdemanded proof of the accusation from its executive director for the Americasdivision, José Miguel Vivanco.

Vivanco asked CARICOM to demand a solution to the "denationalizationcrisis" from Dominican Republic prior to accepting Santo Domingo’smembership.

The report "We are Dominicans: Arbitrary deprivationof nationality in the Dominican Republic" released today presents cases in13 provinces which the organization says support its conclusions.

"The Dominican Republic is denying the right to anationality tens of thousands of citizens and, despite mixed messages,authorities are arresting people and expelling them to the other side of theborder," said José Miguel Vivanco said.

The press conference held in a hotel in the capitalquickly became tense when reporters demanded proof of the accusations, but Vivancoinstead opted to leave the area.