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Anti-Haitianism and Black Discrimination in the Dominican Republic

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Anti-Haitianism and Black Discrimination in the Dominican Republic

Relationship between Haiti and the Dominican Republic

Anti-Haitianism is a racist ideology supported by the ruling classes of France, the United

States, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. To put it another way, racial dynamics are an essential

part of the problem. One form of racism that has its origins in colonialism is the idea that

individuals of African descent do not deserve the same rights as white people. Because it thinks

like an animal, it benefits a wider variety of people than just white people. If white people were

the only ones participating, stopping white supremacy would be much simpler. However, the

hydra has spread to include all of them (Restrepo Rocha et al., 2019). Even on both sides of the

island, or even around the world, having pale skin is important, and one's skin tone may be

perceived as belonging to a distinct social class, but especially in these two destitute nations,

having pale skin is very valuable. It even threatens the very first Black Country that ever existed.

Stopping illegal immigration would be the first step I would take if I were in charge of

mending ties between the Dominican Republic and Haiti if I had the capacity. The relocation of

Haitians to the Dominican Republic is economically beneficial to Haiti and the Dominican

Republic. People in both countries despise one another because of the illegal immigration that

comes from Haiti. On the other hand, illegal immigration from Haiti is immensely unpopular in

the Dominican Republic. Therefore, I would propose the establishment of international treaties,

the facilitation of civilian volunteer groups, the authorization of the deployment of armed forces

at the border, the legalization of illegal immigrants, the removal of incentives for illegal

immigration, the development of a more effective job program, the demand for e-verify, and the

improvement of the legal immigration system.

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Long-term solutions to the immigration problem will require cooperation between the

federal government, state and local governments, shifts in the economy, modifications to the

laws that are currently in place, and the creation of opportunities in underdeveloped countries

from which illegal immigrants originate. Combining elements from several available options is

likely the best way to develop a plan that adheres to the Constitution and what it says,

successfully brings together government members and persons from various backgrounds, and is

effective.

The Emergence of Anti-Haitians in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the

Caribbean Sea. The western third of the island is occupied by Haiti, making Hispaniola one of

two islands in the world that are shared by two sovereign states. The Dominican Republic has a

long history of anti-Haitianism sentiment and has been accused of mistreating Haitians living in

the country. This mistreatment has led to the emergence of anti-Haitians in the Dominican

Republic.

Anti-Haitianism can be defined as feelings of prejudice, animosity, or discrimination that

are aimed toward Haitians, their language, their culture, and, most specifically, their skin color.

There are several instances in which Dominicans and Haitians are not identical. The first

challenge involves the use of language. Most people in the Dominican Republic speak Spanish,

but most in Haiti speak Creole, based on French. The issue of Haitians being of many different

races must also be addressed. Human Rights Watch suggests that the differences in race,

language, and culture between Haitians and Dominicans can be traced back to when the two

countries were under colonial rule. For instance, the Spanish colonized the Dominican Republic

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and brought a portion of their culture with them when they left. This culture became a hybrid of

that of the Tainos and the Africans.

In contrast, Haiti was ruled by the French for most of its history, and the country's culture

is a fusion of that of the French, the Africans, and the Tainos. While the bulk of Dominicans is of

Spanish, African, and, to a lesser extent, Native American background, most Haitians trace their

ancestry almost entirely back to enslaved Africans. Anti-haitianism can be traced back to the

Captaincy General of Santo Domingo when the Spaniards segregated individuals into different

classes depending on their race.

The Dominican Republic and Haiti have a long history of conflict. The two countries

share the island of Hispaniola but have very different cultures and languages. For example, Haiti

is a predominantly French-speaking country, while the Dominican Republic is a Spanish-

speaking country. In addition, Haiti was once a colony of France, while the Dominican Republic

was a colony of Spain. These differences have led to conflict between the two countries

throughout their history.

The most recent conflict between the Dominican Republic and Haiti occurred in 2010.

Then, Haiti was hit by a massive earthquake that killed thousands of people. The Dominican

Republic sent aid to Haiti, but there was also a large influx of Haitians into the Dominican

Republic in the aftermath of the earthquake (Joseph et al., 2022). This led to tension between the

two countries, and the Dominican Republic was accused of mistreating Haitians living in the

country. In addition, the anti-Haitian sentiment in the Dominican Republic has led to the creation

of several anti-Haitian groups. These groups are responsible for promoting anti-Haitian

sentiment in the country and carrying out acts of violence against Haitians living in the

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Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic Anti-Haitian League (LADAH) is the most

notable of these groups.

The French colony was a serious adversary because it possessed 500,000 enslaved people

and a stronger economy than its competitors. Spain's political and cultural cohesion has always

been a top priority for the Spanish government, and they have never shied away from a fight to

protect it. As a direct consequence of this, the initial stirrings of Dominican nationalism began to

take shape in the 18th century as part of an effort to differentiate the country from France. After a

brutal revolution, Haiti did not become independent until 1804. This Hispanic nationalism

remained, and the brutal campaigns of Haitian President Jean-Jacques Dessalines aggravated it.

People in Santo Domingo considered themselves exceptional and had no desire to be considered

Haitian. These ideas were devised and spread by colonial elites who intended to keep Spain in

command of the province even after it had been ceded to France in 1795. Even though the

province had been ceded to France, they wanted to keep Spain in power.

It should not be surprising that many Dominicans living in the middle of the nineteenth

century were against Haitianism (DeLugan et al., 2018). The struggle for independence was

frequently couched in anti-Haitian language and rhetoric to stoke the flames of nationalism. The

fact that these anti-Haitian sentiments have not changed significantly in the decades since Haiti

gained its independence from France is even more challenging to comprehend. When the War of

Restoration broke out in 1865, Haiti's goal of retaking the Dominican Republic was no longer a

priority. Instead, Haiti's government assisted Dominican rebels during their conflict with the

Spanish. People began to internalize these biases to the point where being Dominican became

synonymous with harboring prejudice against Haitians 1974, Despradel. The elites of the

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Dominican Republic coupled their traditional cultural and racial biases with their nationalist

leanings at the same time.

On the other hand, Haitians were described as voodoo sorcerers who believed in spirits

and performed mystery rites utilizing black magic. Dominicans, on the other hand, were

portrayed as devout Catholics. In conclusion, Dominicans were genetically white since they were

derived from Spanish conquistadors, and Haitians were black because they were descended from

enslaved Africans. It did not take long before people in the Dominican Republic started referring

to themselves as dark rather than black. Only people from Haiti were considered to be of the

black race. As a direct consequence of this, the elites of Dominica saw no distinction between

issues of race, culture, and nationality. Regardless of skin color, being Hispanic is more

important in the Dominican Republic than being black.

Rafael L. Trujillo was a dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until he

died in 1961. His rule lasted over three decades. Between 1930 and 1937, Haiti and the

Dominican Republic had ties that were, for the most part, amicable. In 1937, however, the

Trujillo government was responsible for the deaths of a large number of Haitians. This marked a

significant shift in Trujillo's attitude toward the Haitian people. Trujillo cited the 1937 slaughter

as the impetus for his plan to protect, develop, and make the Dominican borders into a national

showcase. At the time, relations between the two countries were strained, and Trujillo used the

massacre as the beginning point for his strategy.

On the other hand, Trujillo instituted this program to bolster his grip over the national

territory and to turn Dominican nationalism into a cultural shield that protects the country from

the cultural impact of other influences. An apparent reference to the fact that they claimed to be

descended from Indians, Dominican mulattos started calling themselves "Indios," which is the

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Spanish word for "Indian." The Dominican Indio replaced the mulattoes, who had previously

made up most of the country's population when the mulattoes emigrated. Being of Indio descent

in 1974 also assisted a mulatto in shifting his perceptions regarding his skin tone and racial

identity (Craemer et al., 2022). In other words, the labels black and mulatto were removed from

Dominican Spanish and replaced with the term Indio, which is less intimidating and more

desirable from a social standpoint. This was done to conceal the fact that many Dominicans had

ancestors who originated in Africa. Because it was believed that Haitians were the true black

people, the terms "black" and "mulatto" were used to refer to them.

Anti-Haitianism has developed through a protracted and winding path throughout history.

From its beginnings as Hispanic racism to its evolution into anti-Haitian nationalism to its

culmination as Trujillo's official ideology, anti-haitianism has had one goal: to defend wealthy

elite interests through the subjection of the Dominican people's lower and darker parts (Mayes et

al., 2022). This has been the case from its beginnings as Hispanic racism to its evolution into anti-

Haitian nationalism to its culmination as Trujillo's official ideology. As a result, anti-Haitianismo

is beneficial to the interests of elites in the Dominican Republic and has even been accepted by

the vast majority of Dominicans as a legitimate component of Dominican political culture.

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References

Restrepo Rocha, A. C. (2019). Systemic Racism and Anti-Haitianism in the Dominican Republic.

https://ddd.uab.cat/record/214371

Joseph, D., & Louis Jr, B. M. (2022). Anti‐Haitianism and Statelessness in the Caribbean. The

Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology.

https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jlca.12617

Mayes, A. J. (2022). Unmastering the Script: Education, Critical Race Theory, and the Struggle to

Reconcile the Haitian Other in Dominican Identity, by Sheridan Wigginton & Richard T.

Middleton IV. New West Indian Guide/Nieuwe West-Indische Gids, 96(1-2), 153-154.

https://brill.com/view/journals/nwig/96/1-2/article-p153_16.xml

DeLugan, R. M. (2018). Reimagining the strange and familiar in national belonging: Memory,

heritage, and exclusion in the Dominican Republic. Journal of Anthropological

Research, 74(4), 450–467. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/699939

Craemer, T., & Martínez, S. (2021). Anti-Haitian stereotypes in three Dominican daily

newspapers: a content analysis. Latin American and Caribbean Ethnic Studies, 16(1), 85-

107.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17442222.2020.1773031

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