dominican republic

Less than six Months after his nomination to replace Mr. Fritz Cinéas as Haiti Ambassador in the Dominican Republic, Daniel Supplice was fired. The Government of Michel Martelly did not like his stands on the Haiti-Dominican crisis.

On Tuesday, July 21, 2015, Daniel Supplice, the Haitian Ambassador to Santo Domingo was permanently removed from his post. The Haitian government has recalled him on Tuesday because he had made a public statement blaming own government that they were responsible for the fact that due to lack of documentation, a good number of Haitians living illegally in the D.R could not register under the regularizing plan before the deadline of June 17th. The former Haiti General Consul Edwin Paraison has termed this as routine change, does never mean the diplomatic ties between two neighboring is broken. In his letter to the Head of the State, Supplice has stated that he does not fear to tell the truth and has indicated many points in the management of crisis by the Haitian government.

Daniel Supplice made the confirmation that he has been removed but at the time was not sure if that was temporarily or permanently. However, it was obvious when that the decision was permanent once d'affaires Magalie Jeanty Magloire was nominated as interim at the Embassy of Haiti in Santo Domingo.

The real reason for revocation of Ambassador Supplice was a statement he made in which he accused the Haitian government as being responsible for what is happening today as we do not manage to identify our citizens at home.

On Tuesday, July 21, 2015, Daniel Supplice, the Haitian Ambassador to Santo Domingo was permanently removed from his post. The Haitian government has recalled him on Tuesday because he had made a public statement blaming own government that they were responsible for the fact that due to lack of documentation, a good number of Haitians living illegally in the D.R could not register under the regularizing plan before the deadline of June 17th. The former Haiti General Consul Edwin Paraison has termed this as routine change, does never mean the diplomatic ties between two neighboring is broken. In his letter to the Head of the State, Supplice has stated that he does not fear to tell the truth and has indicated many points in the management of crisis by the Haitian government.

Here is a copy of a letter that Daniel Supplice wrote to President Michel Martelly after his revocation as Haiti Ambassador in Santo Domingo:

""Mr. President,

After having for 92 days carried with honor, respect, patriotism and national consciousness the bicolor in the territory of Duarte, Sanchez and Mejia, I have the honor to return you without dirtying in its glorious folds with the patriotic feeling of having tried to be helpful.

I ask you to believe that the decision to make this symbolic gesture is not the result of fleeting emotion or calculation of any interest or even a shameful agenda. The habit of clear instructions, accurate, consistent and in harmony with the rules of diplomacy and ethics in public administration have finally do of me (after all this time) an executive conscious of results and that considers more the weight of the objective reality of things and reports.

It is with calm, wisdom and insight that will resolve in conflicts between states. The management of the relationship between Haiti and the Dominican Republic requests from the different actors reasoned attitude, reasonable and where amateurism and improvisation do not have their place. The Dominican Republic is a neighbor with whom we are doomed by geography to live together in spite of unequal development that accompanies a marginal differential access to goods and services.

I have written several letters that have remained unfortunately unanswered and, in my last report of 14 July, I took the precaution to renew the urgency that the Haitian diplomacy had to manage the crisis not only in the logic of the defense of national interests, but also always emphasize the constructive dialogue. It is the responsibility of the Ambassador of Haiti to the Dominican Republic to ensure that a balance remains between respect of our dignity of people, our values, our customs and traditions while maintaining open realistically the door to dialogue. You know why ? Because while you read this lines :

a) thousands of our brothers and sisters continue to cross the border 'anba fil' in search of wellness ;

b) dozens of women and adolescent girls of Haitian nationality give birth every day to children in Dominican hospitals ;

c) 44.310 students attend state universities and private university centers without forgetting those who, living at the border, go into primary and secondary schools in Dominican territory in the morning and return in the evening in Haiti ;

d) numerous are those who, returning to the country voluntarily for all sorts of reason during the past few days, already planning to return to resume the "job" they had abandoned and where they are awaied ;

e) hundreds of thousands of men, women and children continue to sell their day's work in the agricultural sector, in extremely difficult conditions, but do not think of returning home;

f) hundreds of thousands more are waiting in vain for promised documents that would allow them to regularize their immigration status.

That's also the other face of the reality that we have a responsibility to manage !

In 211 years, we have not managed to reduce socio-economic disparities, or to mitigate the thorny question of color. We have not managed to give our citizens a birth certificate proving that they exist and create an internal situation that would have prevented millions of Haitians to leave the country at any price and sometimes in any condition. If we do not accept the fact that there is a problem, there will be no solution.

Mr. President,

I understand the logic of Haiti's past, in the maze of history, in its missteps, with its moods, its ambitions but especially with its shortcomings, weaknesses, limitations and disappointments.

I also know our brothers and sisters with their love of life, their love of country, respect for the founding fathers, pride of African descent but also with their disdain for the truth and their often irresponsible attitude in the management of res publica.

Using a metaphor you will understand, those who ride the 'char' in the beginning of the cortege leaves at the end of the parade. In general, I do the circuit until the end, but some mishaps sometimes force me to change route to avoid unfortunate judgment of history.

Mr. President,

The country expects you to be firm and do not be a prisoner of the past reports or advice from suspicious 'officines'. The people had trusted you by allowing you to access the high magistrature of the State. He therefore relies on you.

I'm not the first Haitian ambassador to the Dominican Republic to be recalled but I hope to be the last to prevent that, precisely, on the other side of the border, one continue to believe that if the defeat of intelligence seems to be a national constant, the failure of foreign policy seems to be too.

So I go home to join the family members, find the heat of my friendships, renew with this culture that permeates me and hoping the best for Haiti.

Represent and serve Haiti in the Dominican Republic has been a great honor for me.

Please accept, Mr. President, my very patriotic greetings.

Daniel Supplice"

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Here is a picture of Haiti ambassador Daniel Supplice as he has been removed from his position.

On Tuesday, July 21, 2015, Daniel Supplice, the Haitian ambassador to Santo Domingo, has been removed "permanently" from his post by the Haitian government because he could not defend his government properly amid the current immigration issues with the Dominican Republic, instead he has held his government responsible for the vulnerable illegal residential status of thousands of Haitians living in the D.R who are facing threats of deportation as stateless people. They could not register themselves before the given deadline of the D.R authority on June 17, 2015, because the Haiti government could not provide them necessary documents required for their registration to residential status in the D.R.

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Here is a picture of Mr. Andrés Navarro, Dominican Chancellor who stated that the conditions for dialogue with Haiti have not been met.

The Dominican Chancellor Andrés Navarro, as a reaction to the statement of Luis Almagro, the Uruguayan Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) to hold a dialogue and resolve the crisis between the Haitian and Dominican authorities on the migration issue, has said that the situation is not yet ripe since the Haitian authority has maintained an aggressive stance without meeting some preconditions necessary for the dialogue. He has further added that, two nations can never sit before an agenda while one keeps throwing unfounded allegation on the other. The Dominican authority needs to see a clear change of signal from the Haitian government that it has changed its attitude towards the Dominican Republic.

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Here is a picture of Former Maryland Governor, Martin O'Malley, as he is raising the issue of the Haitian migrants in the Dominican Republic. He has called on the United States government to speak up against the deportations of Haitian migrants there.

Martin O'Malley, the U.S. Presidential candidate has openly showed his empathy for the Dominican-Haitians deported from the Dominican Republic. He has showed his support from them and in a radio interview said that it was an inhumane act by the DR government. He has expressed his astonishment as to why the US government has not acted to the circumstances. He said that the strengthening of bonds among the American and Caribbean countries is a key to the progress of USA. O'Malley, who has been the governor of Maryland twice, has extended his helping hand towards the deported and promised improved healthcare facilities and creation of an agency for ensuring the eligible immigrants.

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According to Communications Minister Rotchild Francois Jr. "the Haitian government would not be apologizing" as Haiti declines Dominican Republic demand for apology.

There has been a long standing conflict between Haiti and the Dominican Republic on matters of cultural differences. This conflict recently reached its peak with the deportation of the Haitians living in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican has now claimed apology from the Haitians for comments made by the Haitian government regarding the Dominican Republic. The Haitian President and Foreign Minister held the DR responsible for inhuman treatment of non-natives living in the country, before the Organization of American States (OAS). The Haitian Government has long been looking for an understanding with the DR regarding matters of communication, border points and repatriation of DR. However, the Dominican Republic has resisted any such effort demanding first an apology from the Haitian government.

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Here is a picture of Haiti's Reception Center for Returnees at Malpasse following mass deportation of undocumented Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent.

Malpasse situated in the Ouest Department of Haiti, is one of the four land connections between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. To combat problem of statelessness of the Haitians deported from the Dominican Republic, the Haitian government reportedly set up reception centres at Malpasse. But these so called reception centres are far from capable to accommodate the deported people. The reception centre at Malpasse is nothing more than a flimsy plywood hut in the midst of desert of white gravel. The government had declared in June that the reception centres were ready to welcome the Haitians, but the reality of the situation is rather miserable. The migrants are in a devastated, homeless and stateless condition in Haiti.

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Here is a picture of the usual activities that take place regularly on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic where many smuggling operations take place

As per news report dated July 1, 2015, Carl-Frédéric Madsen, the President of the Association of the Industries of Haiti (ADIH) has expressed his deep concern about the rising smuggling activities in the border area with the Dominican Republic and also in the provincial ports and the capital city. Smuggled merchandises create unfair competition and threaten the existence of the local Haitian traders and manufacturers by pushing them towards bankruptcy. Such act of smuggling is further weakening the national security through illicit goods and curbing the state revenue by $300 million, every year. ADIH has urged the state to take immediate actions to eliminate this scourge as it is threatening our national economy. The fight against smuggling will encourage our local businessmen and create many new investment opportunities. ADIH is ready to extend their unconditional support in this movement.

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The Dominican Republic has officially started the long awaited deportation of Dominicans of Haitian descents. As per a report dated July 2nd, Dominicans immigration officers/polices have started visiting the homes of the susceptible deportees and forcing them to dress up and put on a bus with very little items-- leaving everything behind. They confined those unfortunates in the vehicle for 15 hours without any food, water or bathroom, until they were dropped in the Haitian border. Some of the victims have reported their identity cards were either rejected or destroyed during the time of deportation. In some cases, victims born in the Dominican Republic were not allowed to prove their nationality. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (ICCHR) has condemned the Dominican Republic as "internationally liable for the violation" of articles of the American Convention of Human and children Rights against Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent. The U.N. mission has decided to assess the country's immigration situation in consequence of the mass deportation.

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Here is a picture of the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis Timothy Harris on the expulsion of Dominicans of Haitian descent in DR

Prime Minister of St Kitts on Dominicans of Haitian Descent. On Thursday, July 2nd, 2015, during his first CARICOM Heads of Government meeting, Timothy Harris, the newly-elected Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis has told the Dominican Republic authority to cease its plans that could lead to any cause of expulsion of the Dominican nationals of Haitian descent and render them stateless. He has called for the extension of deadline for registering eligible undocumented immigrants to residency status. The people of St Kitts and Nevis share the pain and anguish of the unfortunate Dominicans of Haitian descent and stand by them into the present assault to their human rights and dignity. In his speech he has also stated that the success of the theme of CARICOM in securing vibrant societies and resilient economies depends on its member states in carrying their unity forward.

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Let's call a dog a dog. What the Dominicans are currently doing to Haitians and Dominican-Haitians is not the behavior of a civilized society. At least we can go along with the statement of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio who described the behaviors of the Dominican government as illegal, immoral and racist.

The Dominican Republic (DR) is getting ready to expel thousands upon thousands of Haitian migrants and their natural-born progeny as the date for implementation of the new immigration law draws near. Human rights organizations claim the law is based on race-hatred of darker-skinned Haitians.

DR President Medina states no mass deportations will happen and 210,000-plus Haitians have registered for the regularization program. Meanwhile dozens of buses stand poised to transport deportees to Haiti's border.

NYC Mayor de Blasio denounces DR Haitian Migrant Deportation Plan

The Dominican Republic's (DR) plan to deport Dominican-born Haitians has drawn the ire of NYC Mayor de Blasio. He describes the DR's intentions as "illegal, immoral, and racist".

In Washington D.C. the Association of Haitian Professionals (AHP) are organizing a protest at the
Embassy of the Dominican Republic, where they will call for ending deportations. AHP says Dominicans target anyone, who possess "Haitian facial features" and commit violent acts on them.

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