30302: (Roebling) reply) Re: 30290: Pierre (Comment) Re: 30287: Roebling (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Elizabeth Roebling <lizieames@yahoo.com>

I imagine that it is a comfort to have such fixed ideas about the solutions for 
this island. How is going with the worker's revolution in the US? Ah, yes, I 
thought not.

  Many people in the US assume that all nations have - or should have-the same 
policy as the US- that anyone born on the soil of a nation are entitled to 
citizenship. This is not so, See 
http://canada.metropolis.net/events/metropolis_presents/EspeakersU_/weil2_e.htm 
for some background on the laws of different nations. It is not, in fact, 
international "law" that a nation must guarantee citizenship to every child 
born on its soil.Haiti does not grant citizenship to any child born on its soil 
but rather to the children of any Haitian born to a Haitian born parent 
anywhere in  the world.http://www.haiti.org/constitu/constabl.htm
  The issue that we are facing here is that many of the children of Haitians 
who were born here are not, in fact, eligible for Haitian citizenship as their 
parents were also born here. They are,in fact, stateless persons.

  The Dominican constitution provides that children of workers "in transit" are 
not eligible for citizenship. 
http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/DomRep/domrep02.html  And the Haitians 
are considered "in transit". If their parents have gone through the proper 
procedures to obtain Domincan citizenship, they are children of Domincans.

  Imagine if the economy of Haiti were miraculously to boom, with plenty of 
work and personal security. There would be a flood across the border going in 
the other direction. Yet many Haitians who are here do have legal residency, a 
process that may lead to citizenship in time. It is a matter of filing the 
proper papers, following the proper steps, just as it is for immigrants to the 
United States. This is, of course, an almost impossible project for those who 
are illiterate.

  The Dominican Republic is trying to maintain its national identity and its 
borders. It is true that the availability of Haitian workers probably brings 
down the wages of all Dominicans, who themselves are very poorly paid. So 
perhaps it would be better for the Domincans if all the Haitians were to be 
deported. Would that further the cause? Perhaps those millions of illegal 
immigrants are holding down the wages of all the legal US citizens?

  It is a measure of how successful Ms. Pierre has been that she is attracting 
such a visceral response. Many people of good will are working to make life 
here in the DR a bit better for the 600,000+ Haitians who are here. I am not 
certain that you are helping the situation, well meaning though you may be. 
Dialogue is not assisted by demonizing.

  The DR is perhaps reacting quite understandably to the force of the 
international pressure which seems intent on pressuring this nation without 
offering much in the way of assistance The United States would not, for 
instance, open its doors to all the Haitians living here.. Notice please, how 
quickly the Haitians who arrive in Florida are sent to deportation 
proceedings.Unlike the Haitians who are well educated and have sufficient means 
to obtain visas to emigrate to the US, France, Canada, the Bahamas, etc., most 
of the Haitians who are here are neither highly skilled or litterate. They are, 
however, extremely willing to work for whatever small amounts they can make. 
Most live here in peace,and prefer to stay rather than return to Haiti,

  It would be useful if we could work together to come up with some positive 
steps to help reconcile these two nations, obtain some rights for the education 
of Haitian children who live here and a means for them to legally obtain 
citizenship. We need the help of the Haitian and Dominican respective 
disasporas living in the United States,

  I invite anyone who is working for reconciliation to contact me.

  For those of you who are on the picket lines, why not find a Domincan to hug? 
Brotherhood is after all one of the great ideals of the revolution, n'est ce 
pas?

  Elizabeth