Haitiano-Dominican relentless polemic

Agent-x - June 5 2012, 6:09 PM

Those that are interested in Haitaian history, particularly between Haitian and Dominican should monitor the dr1-com to understand the depth and the scope of this ongoing antagonist.

dr1.com/forums/living/119407-matildas-blog-43.html
You may as well have been writing from a English person's point of view, the more the reason why it's so difficult for you to grasp things.

The fact that you recognize you're a foreigner on this land limits your understanding of how thing work. Yet you feel you're more than certain that the "Deguelle de Moca" in fact is not the underlying reason for the resentment between both cultures.

First rule of thumb for writing requires one to remove themselves from any emotional involvement from the subject at hand, even more so when writing about history.

One must be able to separate facts, fiction and emotions.

You to me, are too involved to be able to separate your emotions, this becomes apparent when you state in your blog that you "jumped in the bed of a truck/ lorry to prevent certain illegals from being transported to authority headquarters.

Which by the way, living in a democratic society, are more within your right to do so, nevertheless, this doesn't give you the right to change a countries history to fit your perspective of things.

Facts: Haitian soldiers have invaded Dominican soil more than once in the past, killing many Dominicans in the process.

Dominican soldiers however, have never in the history of the Island stepped foot on Haitian soil.

Fact: Haitian historians have rewritten the Island history, both Haitian and Dominican history in their favor.

Dominican historians however, have never rewritten Haitian history to favor us.

Fiction: Dominicans do not hate their African history, fact is, we embrace it through our music (merengue).

Fiction: Dominicans do not "hate" Haitians, fact is, we tolerate them more than any other western nation.

Emotions: when Haitians us their propaganda machine to "alert the world" of all the atrocities face by them in the DR, when in fact, Haitians receive 6 billion pesos worth of state funded free health care. Something, mind you, that not even Dominican tax payers get, raises heated emotions.

Emotion: You jumping on the back of a military truck/lorry to defend rights of people that for all intensive purposes are illegals in this country is an action of one not suited, or too emotionly involved to see thing any different than how you currently view them....tainted.

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Today, 09:32 AM #422
Matilda
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You may as well have been writing from a English person's point of view, the more the reason why it's so difficult for you to grasp things.

I will always be a foreigner in this country as I am not and never will be Dominican irrespective of how long I live here. However, that does not prevent me from being interested in why Dominicans behave in certain ways, and the rationale behind these behaviours.

I tried to explain the reasoning behind the behaviour of certain people towards Haitians and I think I explained a whole range of issues from history.

Again I apologise for leaving out the Moca massacre but I do not think that one single event can explain the situation, however appalling it was.

First rule of thumb for writing requires one to remove themselves from any emotional involvement from the subject at hand, even more so when writing about history.

One must be able to separate facts, fiction and emotions.

This is a blog, not a history book and is about my perceptions living in this country whether they be other people's perceptions or not. It is not a academic work.

The blog relates to my experiences, and this was one of them. The point was that the vast majority of the Haitians arrested had exactly the same status as me - residency, and were in possession of their residency cards, as was I. I could not see why I should not be arrested too.

Facts: Haitian soldiers have invaded Dominican soil more than once in the past, killing many Dominicans in the process.

Dominican soldiers however, have never in the history of the Island stepped foot on Haitian soil.
Agreed which is a major part of the issue, and I did say that Haiti occupied the DR and how that occupation was used by Balaguer to incite the fear that it might happen again.

Fact: Haitian historians have rewritten the Island history, both Haitian and Dominican history in their favor.

Dominican historians however, have never rewritten Haitian history to favor us.
I have no idea on this one. I read several articles and books by people from all over the world before writing the blog.

Fiction: Dominicans do not hate their African history, fact is, we embrace it through our music (merengue).

Some deny it some don't. Am not sure I think that the fact that Dominicans love merengue means that they are embracing their African history.

Fiction: Dominicans do not "hate" Haitians, fact is, we tolerate them more than any other western nation.

No idea whether Dominicans tolerate Haitians more than any other nation.

I didn't say Dominicans hated Haitians, I said that some dislike them and other embrace them. It is a fact though that several international bodies have criticised the DR for their treatment of Haitians - rightly or wrongly.

Agreed.

And I pointed out the free health care which the Haitians receive.

I am not sure how it is tainted.

On the one hand I can only speak from experience, and mine comes from all angles.

On the one hand I have seen Haitians mistreated, I have had superb Haitian employees, good Haitian friends, and on the other I was shot by two Haitians.

Hence trying to read up on the history to try and mix the emotions and experience with the facts.

Thanks for the discussion and taking the time to comment.

I appreciate it and take some of your points on board.

Many of those who read the blog are Dominican and it is their views and perceptions which I find the most insightful and which help with my understanding of the country and its people.

Matilda

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Today, 10:38 AM #423
bob saunders
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There is a Haitian invasion right now in the DR. It may be mainly peaceful but as the population of Haitians grow they will become more agressive in demanding rights, political...etc. Now, if most Haitians are as you say honest hard working people why is their country in such a sorry state?

One must pause and ask this question because surely all these wonderful hard working and honest people could transform Haiti in to a working country.

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Today, 10:52 AM #424
Mariot
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Quote Originally Posted by bob saunders View Post
There is a Haitian invasion right now in the DR. It may be mainly peaceful but as the population of Haitians grow they will become more agressive in demanding rights, political...etc. Now, if most Haitians are as you say honest hard working people why is their country in such a sorry state?

One must pause and ask this question because surely all these wonderful hard working and honest people could transform Haiti in to a working country.

smh, blaming the victim, how cynical.

why don't you read up on haiti and its problems in order to find out what keeps those hard working people from turning the country around before making a comment like this one.

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Today, 11:11 AM #425
bob saunders
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Mariot writes: smh, blaming the victim, how cynical.

why don't you read up on haiti and its problems in order to find out what keeps those hard working people from turning the country around before making a comment like this one

Hardly blaming the victim.

I know considerable about the history of both Haiti and the Dominican republic, perhaps more than you. My experience with Haitians here in Canada is that they are aggressive hard working people.

They have allowed the criminals and politicians to ruin their country.

Instead of blaming the French, Americans, and Dominicans they need to put in the effort in their own country to make it a success.

They have become professional victims.

Of course I'm cynical, why not.

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Today, 11:36 AM #426
MJSantoDomingo
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I always thought blogs were supposed to be informational opinions written from a particular person's experiences and based on their perspective.

My opinion is that blogs are not meant to be historical research papers.

But I do find it helpful when a person like Matilda supports her thoughts and opinions with the facts she has available.

I also find it to be a very good blog when the blog can inspire a good follow-up discussion.

It allows other people to introduce other information based on their knowledge and experiences, which I think Matilda's blog has done. I do not think she has to apologize for anything she wrote.

She introduced a topic that is at times difficult and contentious, yet also one that many of us want to understand better.

If she was not allowing others to add additional information that her blog inspired a dialogue around, then that might be a problem.

But she has continued to support the adding of new information and opinions to this discussion.

I may not contribute often, but I do learn a lot from the contributions of the many experienced travelers, experienced expats and experienced locals of the DR. Reading the different perspectives offered in the blogs and in the forum topics help me to get a better understanding of DR.

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Today, 12:40 PM #427
Taino808
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The fact that Great Britain shared a brief history in time with Germany does not justify a comparison to what's happening between DR and Haiti.

Fact is, since the inception of the Island of Hispa

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