By Rosa Rodriguez
Caribbean Net News Dominican Republic Correspondent
Email: rosa@caribbeannetnews.com

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic: International organisations are reportedly preparing to launch a US$30 million international campaign accusing the Dominican Republic of enslaving Haitians that work in the country and of denying Dominican nationality to Haitians that were born here.

The month-long programme is scheduled to start in France in May.

The key figures behind the campaign are Catholic priests, Christopher Hartley, who is related to Spanish nobility and is close to the monarchs of Spain, and Pedro Ruquoy. Hartley was asked to leave the country when his superior, Bishop Francisco Osoria, expelled him from the diocese, reportedly after uncovering Hartley's participation in criminal activities.

Ruquoy also left the country shortly after it was discovered that he was declared as the father of several children of illegal Haitian parents so these could get their Dominican birth certificates.

Another key figure mentioned as part of the campaign is the Haitian activist in the Dominican Republic, Sonia Pierre.

Recently, the Central Electoral Board ruled in favour of the implementation of the Libro de Extranjeria that documents when a foreigner is born here. The new registration document has been well received by the US Consulate, but not by international organisations that demand that all those born in the Dominican Republic be granted Dominican citizenship.

In December 2005, the Supreme Court of Justice ruled that those born to parents without permanent residence or citizenship would not be Dominicans at birth.

Given the difficulties in stemming migration at the border, the Dominican Republic every year receives thousands of new Haitian migrants.

Source www.dominicantoday.com