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{{Discrimination}}
{{Discrimination}}
'''Antihaitianismo''' ([[Spanish]] for "anti-[[Haitian]]ism") is a bias against [[Haitian]]s and descendants of Haitians living in the [[Dominican Republic]]. It is an ideology unique to Dominicans.<ref name="sagas">{{cite web| last = Sagás| first = Ernesto | title = A Case of Mistaken Identity: Antihaitianismo in Dominican Culture| publisher = Webster University| url = http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/misctopic/dominican/antihaiti.htm| accessdate = 2007-08-19 }}</ref> It was originally a policy of [[racial segregation]] instituted by the [[Spanish people|Spanish]] inhabitants of the colony of [[Santo Domingo]] (present day [[Dominican Republic]]).
'''Antihaitianismo''' ([[Spanish]] for "anti-[[Haitian]]ism") is a bias against [[Haitian]]s and descendants of Haitians living in the [[Dominican Republic]]. It is an ideology unique to Dominicans.<ref name="sagas">{{cite web| last = Sagás| first = Ernesto | title = A Case of Mistaken Identity: Antihaitianismo in Dominican Culture| publisher = Webster University| url = http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/misctopic/dominican/antihaiti.htm| accessdate = 2007-08-19 }}</ref> It was originally a policy of [[racial segregation]] instituted by the [[Spanish people|Spanish]] inhabitants of the colony of [[Santo Domingo]] (present day [[Dominican Republic]]).

[[Human Rights Watch]] has stated in their reports that the perceived difference between Haitians and Dominican's can be based from colonial times from linguistic, cultural, and racial differences (where Creoles or Haitians were thought to be decendents of [[blacks]] or [[africans]] while Dominican's were taught to believe they were decendents of Spanish or other European ancestors. [http://hrw.org/reports/2002/domrep/domrep0402-02.htm] It remains an issue in present-day Dominican Republic
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 people|Spanish]] [[conquistadores]]<ref>{{cite web| title = Country profile: Dominican Republic| publisher = [[BBC News]]| date = 2007-07-13| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/country_profiles/1216926.stm| accessdate = 2007-08-19 }}</ref>. 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]]. <ref name="hrw">{{cite web| title = Illegal People| publisher = [[Human Rights Watch]]| date = 2001| url = http://hrw.org/reports/2002/domrep/domrep0402-02.htm| accessdate = 2007-08-19}}</ref><ref name="sagas"/>
Antihaitianismo was strongly institutionalized during the regime of [[Rafael Leónidas Trujillo]]. Native Dominicans were taught that they were "white," and were to be proud to be descendants of the [[Spanish people|Spanish]] [[conquistadores]]<ref>{{cite web| title = Country profile: Dominican Republic| publisher = [[BBC News]]| date = 2007-07-13| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/country_profiles/1216926.stm| accessdate = 2007-08-19 }}</ref>. 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]]. <ref name="hrw">{{cite web| title = Illegal People| publisher = [[Human Rights Watch]]| date = 2001| url = http://hrw.org/reports/2002/domrep/domrep0402-02.htm| accessdate = 2007-08-19}}</ref><ref name="sagas"/>


This educational policy became conjoined under Trujillo with a "Dominicanization" (or [[ethnic cleansing]]) of the Dominican-Haitian border region. "Dominicanization" culminated with the massacre of 17,000-35,000 Haitians in October of 1937, an event subsequently named the [[Parsley Massacre]].<ref name="sagas2"/> The government of Trujillo then initiated a policy of developing the border region by encouraging light-skinned Dominicans to settle there. These policies only served to perpetuate antihaitianismo within the Dominican Republic.<ref name="sagas2"/> Consequently a number of Dominicans still share this view of racial policy and history. However, this ideology can be viewed as contradictory, as the vast majority of Dominicans are of both African and European heritage. Groups outside the Dominican Republic thus see biased Dominicans as having a self-identity crisis.<ref name="sagas2"/>
This educational policy became conjoined under Trujillo with a "Dominicanization" (or [[ethnic cleansing]]) of the Dominican-Haitian border region. "Dominicanization" culminated with the massacre of 17,000-35,000 Haitians in October of 1937, an event subsequently named the [[Parsley Massacre]].<ref name="sagas2"/> The government of Trujillo then initiated a policy of developing the border region by encouraging light-skinned Dominicans to settle there. These policies only served to perpetuate antihaitianismo within the Dominican Republic.<ref name="sagas2"/> Consequently a number of Dominicans still share this view of racial policy and history. However, this ideology can be viewed as contradictory, as the vast majority of Dominicans are of both African and European heritage. Groups outside the Dominican Republic thus see biased Dominicans as having a self-identity crisis.<ref name="sagas2"/>
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Today antihaitianismo remains as a prejudice against those being dark-skinned by those that are light-skinned. Because of Haiti's much higher black-to-other ratio of ancestry as compared to the Dominican Republic, many of the biased Dominicans perceive all dark-skinned individuals on the island as Haitian or all Haitians as dark-skinned, a racist and nationalist misconception.<ref name="sagas2">{{cite web| last = Sagás| first = Ernesto| title = An apparent contradiction? Popular perceptions of Haiti and the foreign policy of the Dominican Republic | publisher = Sixth Annual Conference of the Haitian Studies Association| date = 1994-10-14| url = http://haitiforever.com/windowsonhaiti/esagas2.shtml
Today antihaitianismo remains as a prejudice against those being dark-skinned by those that are light-skinned. Because of Haiti's much higher black-to-other ratio of ancestry as compared to the Dominican Republic, many of the biased Dominicans perceive all dark-skinned individuals on the island as Haitian or all Haitians as dark-skinned, a racist and nationalist misconception.<ref name="sagas2">{{cite web| last = Sagás| first = Ernesto| title = An apparent contradiction? Popular perceptions of Haiti and the foreign policy of the Dominican Republic | publisher = Sixth Annual Conference of the Haitian Studies Association| date = 1994-10-14| url = http://haitiforever.com/windowsonhaiti/esagas2.shtml
| accessdate = 2007-08-19 }}</ref>. Antihaitianismo continues to manifest itself in the form of [[hate crimes]] perpetrated by Dominican citizens, mainly in the border provinces of the Dominican Republic.<ref name="hrw"/>
| accessdate = 2007-08-19 }}</ref>. Antihaitianismo continues to manifest itself in the form of [[hate crimes]] perpetrated by Dominican citizens, mainly in the border provinces of the Dominican Republic.<ref name="hrw"/>
As such, the prejudice is being challenged by many human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch.<ref name="hrw"/> This perceived racial differences may in fact be unfounded because for many periods of history the island of Hispanola was ruled for many periods entirely by Spain, France, or Haiti up until 1844.
As such, the prejudice is being challenged by many human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch.<ref name="hrw"/>
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Revision as of 23:51, 20 November 2007

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Antihaitianismo (Spanish for "anti-Haitianism") is a bias against Haitians and descendants of Haitians living in the Dominican Republic. It is an ideology unique to Dominicans.[1] It was originally a policy of racial segregation instituted by the Spanish inhabitants of the colony of Santo Domingo (present day Dominican Republic).

Antihaitianismo was strongly institutionalized during the regime of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo. Native Dominicans were taught that they were "white," and were to be proud to be descendants of the Spanish conquistadores[2]. 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. [3][1]

This educational policy became conjoined under Trujillo with a "Dominicanization" (or ethnic cleansing) of the Dominican-Haitian border region. "Dominicanization" culminated with the massacre of 17,000-35,000 Haitians in October of 1937, an event subsequently named the Parsley Massacre.[4] The government of Trujillo then initiated a policy of developing the border region by encouraging light-skinned Dominicans to settle there. These policies only served to perpetuate antihaitianismo within the Dominican Republic.[4] Consequently a number of Dominicans still share this view of racial policy and history. However, this ideology can be viewed as contradictory, as the vast majority of Dominicans are of both African and European heritage. Groups outside the Dominican Republic thus see biased Dominicans as having a self-identity crisis.[4]

Today antihaitianismo remains as a prejudice against those being dark-skinned by those that are light-skinned. Because of Haiti's much higher black-to-other ratio of ancestry as compared to the Dominican Republic, many of the biased Dominicans perceive all dark-skinned individuals on the island as Haitian or all Haitians as dark-skinned, a racist and nationalist misconception.[4]. Antihaitianismo continues to manifest itself in the form of hate crimes perpetrated by Dominican citizens, mainly in the border provinces of the Dominican Republic.[3] As such, the prejudice is being challenged by many human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Sagás, Ernesto. "A Case of Mistaken Identity: Antihaitianismo in Dominican Culture". Webster University. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
  2. ^ "Country profile: Dominican Republic". BBC News. 2007-07-13. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
  3. ^ a b c "Illegal People". Human Rights Watch. 2001. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
  4. ^ a b c d Sagás, Ernesto (1994-10-14). "An apparent contradiction? Popular perceptions of Haiti and the foreign policy of the Dominican Republic". Sixth Annual Conference of the Haitian Studies Association. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
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