Antihaitianismo
Encyclopedia
Antihaitianismo (ˌanti.aitjanˈizmo, anti-Haitianism) is a racist bias against Haiti
ans and descendants of Haitians by Dominicans
.
instituted by the Spaniards
in the colony of Captaincy General of Santo Domingo (present day Dominican Republic
).
Human Rights Watch
has stated in their reports that the perceived difference between Haitians and Dominicans can be based from colonial times from linguistic, cultural, and racial differences, where Creoles or Haitians were thought to be descendants of Black
Africans while Dominicans were descendants of Spaniards
mixed with the indigenous Tainos. http://hrw.org/reports/2002/domrep/domrep0402-02.htm It remains an issue in the present-day Dominican Republic.
The Dominicans do not even call themselves black, in fact on the main identity card (Cedula) Indian color is used for dominicans dark-skinned people.
Antihaitianismo was strongly institutionalized during the regime of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
. This policy became part of the Dominican school curriculum, which Trujillo relied "on the schools and the media to disseminate these ideas" Native Dominicans were taught that they were "white," and were to be proud to be descendants of the Spanish
conquistadores. On the other hand Haitians, who share the island of Hispaniola
with the Dominican Republic, were to be viewed under this racial policy as "merely" descendants of African slaves.
This educational policy became conjoined under Trujillo with a "Dominicanization" of the Dominican-Haitian border region, which culminated with the massacre of 17,000-35,000 Haitians in October 1937, an ethnic cleansing
event subsequently named the Parsley Massacre
.
The government of Trujillo then initiated a policy of developing the border region by encouraging light-skinned Dominicans to settle there (as a matter of fact, Trujillo actively sought to raise the number of white people
by sponsoring immigration from Spaniards escaping from the war-torn
Spain and Jews
fleeing Nazi persecution, during the 1930s and '40s). Under the pretext of creating new companies and teach the Dominican people productive work they do. Many of these companies exist today, such as "Products Sosua" which was founded in Puerto Plata for Jewish immigrants brought by Trujillo. In other hand, these policies only served to perpetuate antihaitianismo within the Dominican Republic. Consequently a number of Dominicans still share this view of racial policy and history.
Joaquín Balaguer
on one of his speeches swear that while he is alive, a Haitian never will be president of the Dominican Republic.
In the 1996 Dominican presidential election, Joaquín Balaguer
(historical leader of the populist Right
and former right-hand of dictator Trujillo
) united in a "National Patriotic Front" with PLD candidate Leonel Fernández
in order to prevent Peña Gómez
from becoming President. Peña Gómez's alleged Haitian ancestry was regarded as a significant reason for the alliance against him.
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
ans and descendants of Haitians by Dominicans
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
.
Description
Antihaitianismo can be traced back to a policy of racial segregationRacial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
instituted by the Spaniards
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
in the colony of Captaincy General of Santo Domingo (present day Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
).
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
has stated in their reports that the perceived difference between Haitians and Dominicans can be based from colonial times from linguistic, cultural, and racial differences, where Creoles or Haitians were thought to be descendants of Black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
Africans while Dominicans were descendants of Spaniards
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
mixed with the indigenous Tainos. http://hrw.org/reports/2002/domrep/domrep0402-02.htm It remains an issue in the present-day Dominican Republic.
The Dominicans do not even call themselves black, in fact on the main identity card (Cedula) Indian color is used for dominicans dark-skinned people.
Antihaitianismo was strongly institutionalized during the regime of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina , nicknamed El Jefe , ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. He officially served as president from 1930 to 1938 and again from 1942 to 1952, otherwise ruling as an unelected military strongman...
. This policy became part of the Dominican school curriculum, which Trujillo relied "on the schools and the media to disseminate these ideas" Native Dominicans were taught that they were "white," and were to be proud to be descendants of the Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
conquistadores. On the other hand Haitians, who share the island of Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
with the Dominican Republic, were to be viewed under this racial policy as "merely" descendants of African slaves.
This educational policy became conjoined under Trujillo with a "Dominicanization" of the Dominican-Haitian border region, which culminated with the massacre of 17,000-35,000 Haitians in October 1937, an ethnic cleansing
Ethnic cleansing
Ethnic cleansing is a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic orreligious group from certain geographic areas....
event subsequently named the Parsley Massacre
Parsley Massacre
In October 1937, Dominican President Rafael Trujillo ordered the execution of the Haitian population living in the borderlands with Haiti. The violence resulted in the killing of 20,000On October 2, 1937, Trujillo had ordered 20,000 Haitian cane workers executed because they could not roll the "R"...
.
The government of Trujillo then initiated a policy of developing the border region by encouraging light-skinned Dominicans to settle there (as a matter of fact, Trujillo actively sought to raise the number of white people
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
by sponsoring immigration from Spaniards escaping from the war-torn
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
Spain and Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
fleeing Nazi persecution, during the 1930s and '40s). Under the pretext of creating new companies and teach the Dominican people productive work they do. Many of these companies exist today, such as "Products Sosua" which was founded in Puerto Plata for Jewish immigrants brought by Trujillo. In other hand, these policies only served to perpetuate antihaitianismo within the Dominican Republic. Consequently a number of Dominicans still share this view of racial policy and history.
Joaquín Balaguer
Joaquín Balaguer
Joaquín Antonio Balaguer Ricardo was the President of the Dominican Republic from 1960 to 1962, from 1966 to 1978, and again from 1986 to 1996.-Early life and introduction to politics:...
on one of his speeches swear that while he is alive, a Haitian never will be president of the Dominican Republic.
In the 1996 Dominican presidential election, Joaquín Balaguer
Joaquín Balaguer
Joaquín Antonio Balaguer Ricardo was the President of the Dominican Republic from 1960 to 1962, from 1966 to 1978, and again from 1986 to 1996.-Early life and introduction to politics:...
(historical leader of the populist Right
Right-wing populism
Right-wing populism is a political ideology that rejects existing political consensus and combines laissez-faire liberalism and anti-elitism. It is considered "right-wing" because of its rejection of social equality and government programs to achieve it, its opposition to social integration, and...
and former right-hand of dictator Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina , nicknamed El Jefe , ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. He officially served as president from 1930 to 1938 and again from 1942 to 1952, otherwise ruling as an unelected military strongman...
) united in a "National Patriotic Front" with PLD candidate Leonel Fernández
Leonel Fernández
Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna is a Dominican lawyer, academic, and the current President of the Dominican Republic since 2004. He held the same office from 1996 to 2000...
in order to prevent Peña Gómez
José Francisco Peña Gómez
José Francisco Peña Gómez was a politician from the Dominican Republic. He was the leader of the Dominican Revolutionary Party , a three-time candidate for president of the Dominican Republic and former Mayor of Santo Domingo...
from becoming President. Peña Gómez's alleged Haitian ancestry was regarded as a significant reason for the alliance against him.
See also
- Racial segregation (Dominican Republic)
- Sonia Pierre
External links
- Sonia Pierre’s struggle for justice — article in The Socialist Worker
- The Double-Edged Sword of Racism and Sexism — article about blackBlackBlack is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
women in the Dominican Republic - Human Rights Watch report
- Ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the case of Yean and Bosico v. Dominican Republic