Some 150 Dominican war veterans who went to provide military service in Iraq during the administration of Hipólito Mejía were excluded from paying the per diems that the authorities of the Governmenton December 23, 2022 after several years of waiting for payments.
The complaint belongs to the Dominican Association of Veterans of the War, which explained that on Wednesday, December 22 of last year, they received a call from the Ministry of Defense, to summon them to pay the per diem by authorization of the President Luis Abinader.
Kelin Montero Santanapresident of said Association, said, however, that when they arrived at the institution to look for their checks they were told that many of the participants did not appear on the list, which is why only one party would be paid and the other would be excluded.
It is recalled that the Ministry of Defense (MIDE) initiated the payment of per diems for an amount greater than RD$ 69 million pesos (69,546,600.00), which the Armed Forces have pending with Dominican soldiers who were sent to Iraq in 2003 and 2004, to participate in the stabilization operations of the war in that country.
By order of President Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, the military authorities began delivering checks to some 442 soldiers from the different forces, of which 287 are active members of the Armed Forces and who will receive a total amount of more than RD$45. million pesos (45,781,200.oo), while some 155 are passive members and will receive a total of more than RD$ 23 million pesos (23,765,400.00)
The military participated as members of the Quisqueya I and II Task Forces, sent to Diwaniya, Iraq for periods of four and six months, in August 2003 and January 2004, respectively.
The soldiers that made up the troops were assigned to help in the reconstruction of Iraq in the midst of the military support operation, with patrols, surveillance and intelligence tasks in the Arab country from the base of operations in Diwaniya, during that time.
In November 2021, soldiers who had not yet received their travel expenses were received by Major General Celin Rubio Terrero, then Commander of the Corps of Military Assistants, who had told them that by order of the President of the Republic , they would receive during the current management, the promised payments for the work done.
During the delivery of the checks, the director of plans and operations of the Joint Staff of the Ministry of Defense, the Comptroller General of the Armed Forces, as well as executives of the legal and financial body of MIDE were present.
“When they looked for us on the list to receive the checks, they say that we did not appear on the list as we were part of the Quisqueya I and II Task Forces that went to Iraq. That is why we came here to ask the President of the Republic to take action on the matter,” said Montero Santana.
