On 21 March, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Amnesty International calls on the Dominican authorities to comply with their international obligations to respect and guarantee the right to defend human rights without discriminating against those fighting structural racism in the country. In this regard, Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International, said:
“The authorities must act decisively in the face of the increasing threats against those defending the human rights of Haitian migrants, Dominicans of Haitian descent affected by statelessness and Afro-descendants. Failure to do so could result in physical violence and the permanent silencing of a part of Dominican civil society.”
The authorities must act decisively in the face of the increasing threats against those defending the human rights of Haitian migrants, Dominicans of Haitian descent affected by statelessness and Afro-descendants. Failure to do so could result in physical violence and the permanent silencing of a part of Dominican civil society
– Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International
The Dominican authorities must end the anti-human rights discourse, practices, policies and decisions that sustain structural racism and have created an enabling environment for discrimination. This includes guaranteeing the right to nationality of Dominicans of Haitian descent who were made stateless in 2013 through judgment 168-13 of the Constitutional Court, and ending the racist migration policy based on the collective expulsions of Haitians and the racial profiling of black persons.
The authorities must also refrain from making stigmatizing statements against Haitian migrants, Dominicans of Haitian descent and those who defend their rights. This includes ending denials and acknowledging the arbitrariness and human rights violations committed as part of a racist migration policy, as well as ceasing to put the blame on the Haitian migrant population for the deterioration of public services such as education and health.
The lack of guarantees and protection measures to enable individuals to exercise their right to defend human rights, the context of attacks on defenders and an environment of structural racism result in indirect racial discrimination, as these conditions restrict access to justice for victims of racism and racial discrimination. The state has an obligation to adopt effective measures for protection, access to justice and reparation, and to cooperate with organizations to prevent racial discrimination.
“The government’s racist policies have validated a climate of terror. In the bateyes – communities made up of Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent – fear of migration operations is prevalent. We have received painful testimonies from people who, despite having their documentation in order, are reluctant to seek medical care or go to work because of this fear,” said Ana Piquer, Americas director for Amnesty International.
The government’s racist policies have validated a climate of terror. In the bateyes – communities made up of Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent – fear of migration operations is prevalent. We have received painful testimonies from people who, despite having their documentation in order, are reluctant to seek medical care or go to work because of this fear
-Ana Piquer, Americas director for Amnesty International
It is alarming that racist discourse has also increased in the media and on social media. This has led to a digital siege that is stigmatizing, discrediting and defamatory, and even includes threats against human rights defenders. Amnesty International has heard of cases where personal details have been published – a practice known as “doxing” –, which is not only a violation of privacy, but also a threat to the person’s physical integrity in a context of xenophobia and systemic racism. Women defenders have told Amnesty International that the messages they receive are usually misogynistic. There is at least one documented case of cyberattacks succeeding in disabling the website of a non-governmental organization.
Since the end of last year, the Sociocultural Movement for Humanitarian and Environmental Work (MOSCTHA) and the National Commission on Human Rights reported attacks against their headquarters. The media and the Participación Ciudadana organization also reported similar incidents. As rallies that espouse and promote racist and xenophobic discourse multiply, racial justice defenders have expressed fears that the digital and verbal threats they receive may materialize into physical attacks.
The authorities have also curtailed freedom of expression in public spaces on the basis of racial prejudice. On 8 March, police officers disrupted a public event to mark International Women’s Day because they confused a syncretic expression of Dominican national culture with a song in Creole. In addition to unjustifiably restricting the freedom of peaceful assembly of those present, their intervention constituted a violation of cultural rights based on racial stereotypes on grounds of language, reflecting the stigma against Haitian culture and those who are perceived to be allies of the Haitian population. The authorities should facilitate rather than restrict peaceful anti-discrimination events in physical public spaces, in line with the objectives stated by the organizers, and ensure that police operations are carried out free from racial bias.
In this regard, Johanna Cilano, regional researcher for the Caribbean at Amnesty International, stated: “The government has an international obligation to protect any attack against human rights defenders, including those who oppose the Dominican Republic’s racist migration policy. Failure to do so sets a dangerous precedent for the freedom of expression of anyone in the country.”
The government has an international obligation to protect any attack against human rights defenders, including those who oppose the Dominican Republic’s racist migration policy. Failure to do so sets a dangerous precedent for the freedom of expression of anyone in the country
– Johanna Cilano, regional researcher for the Caribbean at Amnesty International
Finally, these threats and attacks against human rights defenders must be investigated independently and impartially without discrimination, including an investigation into possible discriminatory motives. Only if the state acts, provides preventive protection measures and condemns these actions will there be any guarantee that they will not happen again. Amnesty International has received information regarding complaints lodged with the Attorney General’s Office and the National Police, which are allegedly not being investigated with due diligence, and progress whereon would depend solely on the efforts of the defenders involved.
“President Abinader has the opportunity to take concrete steps to strengthen respect for critical voices and ensure an environment in which the defence of racial justice is protected. Moving in this direction would not only reaffirm the country’s commitment to human rights but would also prevent these violations from becoming normalized and affecting any individual who expresses views that differ from those who promote discrimination,” said Ana Piquer.
President Abinader has the opportunity to take concrete steps to strengthen respect for critical voices and ensure an environment in which the defence of racial justice is protected. Moving in this direction would not only reaffirm the country’s commitment to human rights but would also prevent these violations from becoming normalized and affecting any individual who expresses views that differ from those who promote discrimination
– Ana Piquer, Americas director for Amnesty International.
Amnesty International urges the government of the Dominican Republic to adopt urgent and enhanced measures to guarantee the right to defend human rights without discrimination, especially for those fighting racial discrimination.