The colective Dominicans x Law denounced this Wednesday that the Dominican State continues and intensifies the processes of segregation and denationalization of more than 90,000 men and women born in this territory, nine years after ruling 168-13 of the Constitutional Court.
With banners in their hands denouncing the situation, the organization that accompanies those affected by the ruling said that the State has failed to comply with the commitment assumed with Law 169-14 to face the problems caused by ruling 168-13.
Betania Bernar, representative of the protesters, said that her identity card will expire three years and she has to pay $36,000 pesos to renew it, however, the offices are closed. Given this, she wondered where she would get that money “to renew some documents” that will not allow her to work. “I cannot have a decent job, if I have children, I cannot declare them; I can’t even get a bank account,” she complained.
On his side, Alberto Merré, demanded compliance with Law 169-14 and said that the government promised that it would resolve the situation in two years, something that has not been fulfilled. “Unfortunately we cannot do decent work, we cannot develop our capacities; We could have dreams and goals, but unfortunately we are stuck, ”he explained.
Another of the group’s spokesmen, Zacarías Tusent said that the Central Electoral Board puts obstacles when requesting any type of services. In that sense, he explained that a group of 27,000 people had their documentation restored, but that he himself is being transcribed into another book and sued in court,” in addition to demanding documentation that is not requested from the rest of the population. .
“We see arbitrary arrests by the authorities in the neighborhoods, bateyes…it seems as if it were a sin to be the son of an immigrant in this country. More than 800 arrests were also recorded in one year trying to expel these Dominicans from their country, when they were born here and try to develop like thousands of others, ”he assured.
During a demonstration in front of the Government Offices building, in the vicinity of the National Palace, Dominicans x Law indicated that, despite the promises of a solution in their government program, the current authorities have intensified “the logic of harassment and discrimination.” of nationals due to the migrant origin of their parents, to the detriment of thousands of families and communities already affected by poverty and social exclusion.
More details of the complaint
The group pointed out that two years ago the Ministry of the Interior and Police “abruptly closed” the office in charge of implementing Law 169-14, “leaving again in limbo” the 7,948 Dominicans who participated in the process of Special Registry for Naturalization and they were given provisional documentation.
“Currently these documents are expired and they have no response from the authorities on the mechanisms for accreditation of their nationality,” he explained.
The organizations that make up the platform argued that the Interior and the Police also ignore the two presidential decrees 262-20 of former President Danilo Medina and 297-21 of the current president, Luis Abinader, which granted nationality by special naturalization to 799 persons, since it has not notified or allowed the beneficiaries to complete the procedure to obtain the documents proving their nationality.
“Arbitrary arrests keep neighborhoods and bateyes throughout the country in jeopardy. The government criminalizes citizens because of their skin color, family origin and the documentation problems that the State has created, which violates the right to free movement and limits opportunities for progress. So far this year, more than 800 attempts to expel Dominicans from their own country have been reported,” they said.
The demonstrators said that in the last two years the situation of Dominicans living in rural and marginal urban communities has worsened, due to their undocumented status. The authorities carried out arbitrary arrests and more than 800 attempted expulsions of national citizens in this country, he added.
“We reiterate the call to President Luis Abinader to resume work spaces, listen to the voices of Dominicans affected by the denial of their documents and lack of accreditation of their nationality, we invite him to learn about the reality of their communities and advance in the design of public policies to face the insecurity, discrimination and inequality in which they live”, pondered the group.
