Agenzia Fides

Santo Domingo (Agenzia Fides) - Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez, Archbishop of Santo Domingo, issued yesterday, May 30, an appeal so that the Government of the Dominican Republic rectifies the situation (as regards to the documentation) of the children of Haitians who were born in the Dominican Republic. The Archbishop also asked the Dominican Republic and Haiti, to reach agreements to help resolve this problem.
In the Eucharist celebration, which concluded the fifth meeting on migration and human mobility, which was attended by delegates of the Episcopal Conferences of the United States, Mexico and the countries of Central America and the Caribbean, Cardinal Lopez Rodriguez reported that Haitian migration is a problem that has been going on for a long time. The Catholic Church has denounced on several occasions, that the Dominican Republic is home to a large number of Haitian immigrants who suffer constant violations of their rights.
According to information received by Fides, during the meeting, which had as its main theme "The Church home to all", the main problems of the area were discussed: violence, human rights, prisoners, migrant victims of trafficking of people, border relations, etc.. The priest Mario Serrano, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Pastoral Care of Human Mobility of the Dominican Episcopal Conference, confirmed that this meeting was attended by experts in the field, and the work carried out helped to share the challenges and to articulate the synergies of working together to build processes to eradicate poverty, inequality and social exclusion that cause the forced displacement of population.
Pending the outcome document, we recall that in 2011, the Bishops' meeting of the hemisphere was held in Costa Rica. For the occasion a document was published in which the prelates said "to be witnesses of the great suffering of migrants, their countries and regions "(see Fides 05/07/2011). The Bishops had asked the respective governments to promote fair laws for the legal protection of migrants. The Bishops were also reminded that immigrants are those who seek a job, asylum or refuge, as they are the victims of human trafficking, a problem that every day is marked by numerous incidents of violence. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 31/5/2012)