LONDON - Amnesty International has published its 2018 annual report, covering the human rights situation in the world during 2017, including a number of Caribbean nations.
Dominican Republic 2017/2018
Limited progress was made in solving the statelessness crisis. Abortion remained criminalized in all circumstances. Excessive use of force by the police and gender-based violence continued.
Background
The Dominican Republic suffered from a series of natural disasters that hit the Caribbean during the year, including two major hurricanes in September. This, along with previous flooding earlier in the year, left tens of thousands of people temporarily displaced and badly damaged infrastructure. Like many small, developing island states, the Dominican Republic remained very vulnerable to climate change, which scientists linked to the increasingly extreme weather. On 21 September, the Dominican Republic ratified the UN Paris Agreement on climate change.
Allegations that several Dominican officials were bribed by the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht triggered massive country-wide demonstrations against corruption under the Green March movement. In September, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) held a public hearing on the issue of “human rights and reports of impunity and corruption in the Dominican Republic”.
In May, the UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children visited the country. She urged the government to put child protection at the core of any tourism strategy.
Discrimination – stateless persons
The Dominican Republic continued to fail to uphold its international human rights obligations with respect to the large number of stateless people born in the country who were retroactively and arbitrarily deprived of their Dominican nationality in September 2013.
Law 169-14, adopted in May 2014 to address the statelessness crisis, continued to be poorly implemented. According to official statistics, only 13,500 people of the so-called “Group A” created by the law (out of an official estimate of 61,000 individuals) were able to access some sort of Dominican identity document proving their Dominican nationality. In the meantime, many had their original birth certificates nullified and their new ones transferred to a separate civil registry without the necessary measures in place to avoid further discrimination.
The naturalization plan established by Law 169-14 for people in “Group B” (those whose birth was never registered in the Dominican Civil Registry) had made little or no progress during the year. Of the 8,755 individuals who were able to register under the new plan (16 per cent of the estimated 53,000 people in Group B, according to the government), it was believed that as few as 6,545 had had their files approved by the authorities by the end of the year.
The law required a two-year waiting period after the approval of the registration for them to be able to formally request their naturalization as Dominicans. By the end of the year no one was known to have been naturalized under the new plan. Most of the individuals affected remained stateless in the absence of another nationality.
During the year, the authorities failed to discuss, design or implement new solutions to guarantee the right to nationality for the tens of thousands of Dominican-born people who could not benefit from Law 169-14, in particular the remaining 84% of those in Group B, and all those who were left out of the scope of the 2014 legislation.
Responding to this situation, in April the IACHR incorporated the Dominican Republic in Chapter IV.B of its annual report that included countries in need of special human rights attention.
By the end of the year, no public official had been held accountable for discriminatory practices in granting registration and identity documents, including for the 2013 mass arbitrary deprivation of nationality. Affected people continued to be denied a range of human rights and were prevented from accessing higher education, formal employment or adequate health care, among other things.
Police and security forces
The Office of the Prosecutor General reported 110 killings by security forces between January and October. The circumstances around many of the killings suggested that they may have been unlawful. The homicide rate remained high, at nearly 16 per 100,000 inhabitants during the first half of the year.
The media reported allegations of the repeated use of unnecessary and excessive force by the police during social protests.
Refugees’ and migrants’ rights
The authorities remained unable to process most of the cases of irregular migrants that they received during the National Regularization Plan for Foreigners with Irregular Migration Status that operated between 2014 and 2015. As a result, in July the authorities renewed for a further year the temporary “regularization carnets” issued to registered individuals, allowing them to stay in the country.
Sexual and reproductive rights
The Dominican Republic remained one of the few countries worldwide that criminalized abortion without exception.
In May the Senate voted against a proposal, supported by President Medina, to decriminalize abortion. On 11 July the Senate’s vote was rejected by the Chamber of Deputies, providing the possibility of future reforms that would protect the rights of women and girls.
In August, a petition was presented to the IACHR seeking justice and reparation for the death in 2012 of 16-year-old Rosaura Almonte Hernández, publicly known as “Esperancita”. Because of the country’s restrictive legislation on abortion, Rosaura Almonte Hernández, who was seven weeks pregnant, was denied life-saving treatment for leukaemia for several days and died shortly after.
An investigation published in August by the NGO Women’s Link Worldwide found that one woman died every two days in the Dominican Republic during the first half of 2017 from pregnancy-related causes due to the lack of access to quality maternal health services.
Violence against women and girls
According to official statistics, the first half of the year saw a 21 per cent increase in the number of killings of women and girls, compared with the same period in 2016.
Rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people
The Dominican Republic continued to lack legislation to combat hate crimes. In June, the body of a transgender woman, Rubi Mori, was found dismembered in wasteland. By the end of the year, no one had been brought to justice for her killing.
Hon. Cornelius, knowing that you are one of the best Labour Ministers in St Maarten in the past and knowing that you and all the rest of the politicians know well there's an urgent need for a Small Claim Court for St Maarten people as soon as possible.
Dear Editor,
Mr. Gates, it’s that time of the year again and I must say, boy, is it interesting! They have become more creative but if you have a good collection of their words you will find out that they all basically say the same thing but through different microphones. Some political rallies sound like a screaming contest. Gosh! My ears still hurt from last night.
Those who believe in the power of redundancy ensure that these same people or their younger version are elected every year either for sex, job, land, promotions, association purposes, family ties or for a few dollars. That doesn’t mean that there are no legitimate voters, you have to first of all, find and then count them. They should be about a handful.
When you decide to visit our beautiful paradise realize that to survive, there are rules that you must adhere to. Trust me, you will thank me later. If you don’t adhere to these rules, you might be on your way to the steep hillside in no time. My car is in such a terrible mess that going up that hill could be catastrophic.
Please take into consideration that we just had a hurricane and things are very slow especially in relation to obtaining documents from government offices but elections are always on a speed dial! Everything is possible at that time! The best time to visit is during elections and please come with a camera because that’s the only time you will see or hear from our politicians.
When you have decided to visit our very friendly Island, do take note of the following:
Remember to take a ferry from the port to town after your arrival because the roads aren’t friendly.
If you are a lover of fast food, be informed that Mac has gone to visit Donald and he won’t be returning any time soon. Do eat in your galley before boarding the ferry.
Be informed that most stores on Front Street were attracted to the hood after the hurricane and they got their “Robin”. Most of them are still recovering from the hood hugs. Do not expect to be impressed.
If you decide to shop at the supermarket, please stay away from those that care for the four only. Visit the one that the Minister of health has approved genetically.
Do not voice your negative opinion about the government publicly, you will be fired!
The chicken and johnny cake on the Island are the best around carnival season but their taste may differ when the “dump fire” starts.
Remember that health is wealth! Have your safety gear including your mask ready for when you visit the government building especially when there is a “burn fire” at the dump.
If you need any land all hope is lost because Robin only gives to the hood and you don’t stand a chance neither do I, even as a local. It is meant for those “special loyal locals.”
If you plan to apply for a business license, well I wish you all the best. You might have to pray about that and I will pray with you also, if we are lucky, you may get it after about a year. Remember it’s a slow season, it may require more time.
Expect the rude attitude from some government staff because they are under a lot of pressure from seemingly inconsiderate locals.
Do not attend election rallies unless you are hungry. The grey guys would give you free food and drinks. They won’t force their mission statement down your throat. At least they will allow you to eat in peace.
Don’t forget to visit Colombia in case you have a headache, it’s faster than visiting our Medical Center. They may be out of a bed by the time your headache starts. Oh, I forgot, the contract has been awarded and our “able and capable” is once again in charge of it.
If you get picked up by immigration due to overstay, relax and chill out in jail, they will release you in about a few weeks and you will be free again.
Do not attempt to pay your bills, you will regret it due to endless queues.
Above all, relax and thank God for life because another hurricane season would be here soon but that doesn’t matter because as usual the government has a very good plan and God is in control. As if He was out of control when Irma hit.
Wake up St. Maarten!
Cecil A. Scott
Dear Editor,
You may keep your commitments to others, the one who is reliable always delivers and on time – integrity. However, you may not realize that you aren’t living in your truth.
Do you say “yes” when every part of you screams “no” with that heavy, nauseating feeling in your stomach? Oh, you must agree to all requests because you desperately want to maintain your “I’m a nice person image.”
Do you tell yourself that you will exercise, attend to that project, learn something new, clean the car, start saving or end a friendship, but you don’t? Do you play small because it makes someone else uncomfortable? You wouldn’t want others to think that you’re full of yourself or superior to others, right?!
Do you exaggerate or tell “white lies”?
Do you put up with abuse from your spouse, relative or other relations, because it’s too embarrassing to let anyone know that you don’t fully love yourself? Or are you the abuser who is the most charming person publicly, but you treat those closest to you with less than dignity and respect?
Do you preach that everyone is equal, yet you insult and demean others who are less fortunate than you?
These are all acts that are not aligned with your integrity.
You are merely one person with a unique personality. Don’t dishonour yourself by trying to please others while displeasing yourself. You cannot meet everyone’s desires. “No” is a full sentence; practice using it more often and you’ll be surprised by the reaction you’ll receive. Mature people will appreciate your honesty and will be inspired to do the same. As for the others who resent you, the people that mind don’t matter.
It’s believed that when you don’t honour your personal commitments the chakras, the energy system in your body, become out of alignment which causes dis-ease in the body (Eastern philosophy). You can remedy this right now by making a list of all the promises you made to yourself and execute them; you’ll experience immediate emotional relief and self-respect.
Don’t dim your talents, joy or experiences because others can’t handle your light. When you shine your light the brightest possible, you give others permission to do the same. Playing small is a terrible disservice to yourself and others. If others around you cannot handle your brightness, hand them a pair of sunglasses and find like-minded people to surround yourself with.
Exaggeration of accomplishments, possessions, associations etc., is an indicator that you feel that you are not enough. Recognize this false belief and choose to make peace with it as you shift to your truth. You are enough! Furthermore, you only perpetuate that false belief of “not enough” when you are recognized for an accomplishment that you acquired based on deceit.
Abuse occurs when people mistreat or misuse other people, showing no concern for their integrity or innate worth as individuals, and in a manner that degrades their well-being. Abusers frequently are interested in controlling their victims. They use abusive behaviour to manipulate their victims into submission or compliance with their will. Abuse is an act of violence and the perpetrator, nonetheless, a criminal.
Abuse can be verbal, psychological, emotional or physical, including the silent treatment. Yelling, obscene language, insults and other demeaning language, threats, withholding money or things, restricting another’s freedom, infidelity, hitting, manipulation, withholding information, control and the silent treatment are all forms of abuse.
The silent treatment is often overlooked but is nonetheless considered emotional abuse: The term “silent treatment” refers to when a person uses silence to convey their anger or grievance by ignoring or not speaking to the victim. Often used by narcissists, silence can be a form of emotional abuse and as such, is unacceptable. Often, the person giving the silent treatment does so because they want (consciously or unconsciously) their victim to feel unworthy, to appease them, or to feel guilty about something.
It’s important that you always seek help and always share with others what you’re experiencing. Silence is the weapon of the abuser. The tolerance of such a horrific act directly undermines your inherent feelings of worthiness, dignity and respect- self-esteem. A price too high to pay. No doubt this is an act of violence and the abuser a nonetheless criminal who also suffers from a poor self -image and a lack of self-respect. No healthy person mistreats others. By pretending that all is well, you are violating yourself, your integrity.
It is common to frown on discrimination of different sorts, but do you think less of someone who is less fortunate than yourself? You may offer assistance yet secretly scorn the receiver. Our egos make us believe that we are separate from others, superior or inferior, but the truth is, we are all connected. Treating and believing that everyone is equal to you will bring you into alignment with your integrity. Besides, what you do to another, you do to yourself.
Integrity isn’t merely the promises that you keep to others, but it’s also living in your truth; the dissonance is a betrayal of yourself. The worst act of violence is the one that you commit towards yourself. Begin to truly live in integrity. The most important relationship is the one that you have with yourself.
Carmelise Gittens
St. Eustatius
We heard from all them candidats
So today we determin their fate
by deciding which one
we send te parliament
That house where tis we
who pays the rent
Therefore we can pick
we own tennants
Pay their salaries
So they can do their
Duties
which is serving we the people
But fo we te do Dat
Man and Woman
We must stop sitting on
we hands
Come out ah we hold
And go to the poll
22 Thousand voters strong
How could we go wrong
And outright majority
Or ah strong correlation
will guarantee stability
But a solide minority
will insure integrity
So we the people most
importantly
can get back to what matter
most te we
That is living we life HAPPILY
Raymond Helligar aka “Big Ray”
