Dominican Republic Reinstates An Old Form Of Racism

Dominican Republic Reinstates An Old Form Of Racism
TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY NICANOR LEYBAYuly Paredes Senfa, 23, born in the Dominican Republic of Haitian descent, poses in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, on October 6, 2013. A pan-American human rights court began a week-long session on Monday that will include racially-charged cases against the Dominican Republic's expulsion of citizens of Haitian origin. The Dominican constitutional court last month said children born to Haitians who were in the country illegally or in transit are not entitled to Dominican citizenship, retroactive to 1929 -- a decision that could affect 250,000 people. AFP PHOTO/Erika SANTELICES (Photo credit should read ERIKA SANTELICES/AFP/Getty Images)
TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY NICANOR LEYBAYuly Paredes Senfa, 23, born in the Dominican Republic of Haitian descent, poses in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, on October 6, 2013. A pan-American human rights court began a week-long session on Monday that will include racially-charged cases against the Dominican Republic's expulsion of citizens of Haitian origin. The Dominican constitutional court last month said children born to Haitians who were in the country illegally or in transit are not entitled to Dominican citizenship, retroactive to 1929 -- a decision that could affect 250,000 people. AFP PHOTO/Erika SANTELICES (Photo credit should read ERIKA SANTELICES/AFP/Getty Images)

A recent ruling by the Constitutional Court in the Dominican Republic to strip away the citizenship of several generations of Dominicans leaves no doubt that the nation has not left its history of abuse and racism behind.

According to the decision, Dominicans born after 1929 to parents who are not of Dominican ancestry are to have their citizenship revoked. The ruling affects an estimated 250,000 Dominican people of Haitian descent, including many who have had no personal connection with Haiti for several generations.

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