«Se ha construido un proceso para desconocer los derechos de descendientes haitianos en Dominicana»

“A Process Has Been Built to Deny the Rights of Haitians in the Dominican Republic” https://www.clacso.org/se-ha-construi... Elena Lorac is the founder and co-coordinator of the Dominican Citizens' Organized Common Network (Reconoci.do), which has been defending the rights of Dominicans of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic since 2011. During the International Forum “Society of Care and Politics of Life,” organized on April 20 and 21 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, by CLACSO, Oxfam, UN Women, the Friedrich Erbert Foundation, and the CLACSO Caribbean Region Centers, she spoke with CLACSO.tv about the difficult reality faced by Haitians and their descendants upon migrating to the eastern part of the island they share in the Caribbean, Hispaniola. “A process has been constructed to deny the rights of Haitians in the Dominican Republic,” she stated, among other points. She explained that Dominicans of Haitian descent are seen as second-class citizens. In 2010, a new Constitution rendered stateless anyone born to an undocumented foreign parent. The ruling was implemented retroactively, and thousands of people became undocumented overnight, including Elena Lorac. This led to their being denied access to education, employment, healthcare, and the right to vote. The Reconoci.do movement has a presence in several bateyes (rural communities that have sprung up near sugarcane plantations) and supports Dominicans of Haitian descent in asserting their rights before government institutions. Members of Reconoci.do often face accusations of promoting a Haitian invasion, threats from conservative groups, and smear campaigns. Interview by Gustavo Lema #ElenaLorac #DominicanRepublic