"No dije que los dominicanos tienen miedo de salir de sus casas. No hablé sobre los campos de concentración en República Dominicana. Y tampoco llamé a boicot alguno para la República Dominicana."
SANTO DOMINGO, República Dominicana.-El pasado miércoles, 24 de junio, el escritor y académico dominicano Junot Díaz participó en un diálogo sobre las relaciones entre República Dominicana y Haití, en el cual se trató el tema de la nueva política de migración dominicana y cómo afectan a los inmigrantes haitianos en territorio dominicano y a los dominicanos de ascendencia haitiana.
A raíz de sus declaraciones en ese encuentro, los sectores más conservadores y nacionalistas dominicanos arremetieron contra el laureado escrito, Premio Pulitzer de Literatura, poniendo en su boca un supuesto apoyo a un posible boicot internacional contra República Dominicana.
Le atribuyeron, además, decir que en República Dominicana había campos de concentración similares a los usados durante la Guerra Mundial y en otras crisis bélicas, sobre todo en Europa.
Los insultos en su contra llovieron, lo que ha motivado que Junot Díaz emitiera la siguiente nota de prensa aclaratoria, en español e inglés.
Declaración de Junot Díaz (en español)
El pasado miércoles [24 de junio] participé en un panel sobre la crisis domínico-haitiana junto a Edwige Danticat y Ediberto Román en el Miami Worker Center.
En mis comentarios situé la crisis dominicanos en un contexto internacional más amplio, subrayando que el Gobierno de Obama había deportado miles de inmigrantes indocumentados y que en el trasfondo, en todo el mundo había una amplia política anti-inmigrante, tanto en los Estados Unidos, Europa, Australia, incluso en países de todo el Caribe.
Sostuve que la hostilidad de Estados Unidos hacia sus inmigrantes ciertamente animaba políticas xenofóbicas a través de las Américas y que ese tipo de política anti-inmigrante estaba interconectada, exigiendo de nosotros una visión más amplia si queríamos combatirla.
"Una democracia debe ser capaz de tolerar debates sanos si quiere llevar dignamente ese nombre. Como la mayoría de mis compañeros en esta lucha, amo a la República Dominicana más allá de todas las palabras".
Critiqué a los políticos y a las élites haitianas por su cruel indiferencia hacia su propia gente y también critiqué igualmente a las fuerzas de ocupación de la ONU, y a las corporaciones en ambos lados de la Isla por estar extrayendo todos los minerales que podían; señalé igualmente que con amigos como esos la diáspora haitiana no necesitaba enemigos.
Y como lo he hecho en ocasiones anteriores, también critiqué enérgicamente la componenda de Leonel/Medina/PLD/TC que ha amenazado con desnacionalizar a una amplia franja de ciudadanos dominicanos.
Condené la decisión del Tribunal de anular de manera retroactiva la nacionalidad a dominicanos cuya nacionalidad se había reconocido anteriormente, algo no visto desde las Leyes Raciales de Núremberg.
Condené el miedo y la confusión que se ha difundido por los medios de comunicación y por los líderes políticos.
Ahora quiero decir las cosas que NO dije en ese panel. No dije que los dominicanos tienen miedo de salir de sus casas. No hablé sobre los campos de concentración en República Dominicana. Y tampoco llamé a boicot alguno para la República Dominicana.
La reportero de AP Jennifer Kay me preguntó directamente si yo apoyaría un boicot al país y yo le respondí que NO. El periodista Daniel Rivero reportó que yo apoyaría un boicot y cuando a él le preguntaron si podía mostrar que en su grabación había dicho yo semejante cosa, entonces él se desdijo y en su sitio web “Fussion” publicó una retractación.
Aquellos que como nosotros nos solidarizamos con los desnacionalizados, debemos continuar presionando al Gobierno de la República Dominicana para devolverle los derechos de ciudadanía de los dominicanos que han nacido en el país y crear un proceso justo, transparente, para proteger los derechos de los migrantes indocumentados.
(Sí, la República Dominicana tiene el derecho a deportar inmigrantes indocumentados; todas las naciones lo hacen; ¿pero no deberíamos lograr un proceso equitativo, donde la persona al menos pueda ser escuchada?)
Esta presión ya tiene efectos positivos. La JCE ha devuelto su acta de nacimiento a 55,000 desnacionalizados y por primera vez en su historia ha regularizado alrededor de 100,000 de inmigrantes haitianos.
Eso solo se ha producido por aquellos que han luchado por una República Dominicana más justa. Y creo que en tanto nosotros sostengamos esta presión el Gobierno volverá a respetar eventualmente las leyes internacionales y volverá a su interpretación original de esa constitución.
También sigo insistiendo en que no hay ninguna traición al criticar al gobierno o sus políticas.
El hecho de que uno se opone a la política de las élites políticas dominicanas no significa que uno odia la República Dominicana.
Si usted quiere creer que aquellos de nosotros que se oponen a la Sentencia y sus efectos malignos somos traidores anti-dominicanos, usted es libre de hacerlo. Pero uno no lucha tan decididamente contra la impunidad del Gobierno porque uno odia a la patria. Luchamos por una República Dominicana más justa porque nosotros amamos al país y porque sabemos que nuestro país lo que más necesita es justicia.
También seguiré insistiendo en que, a pesar de lo que quisieran las noticias que usted creyera, hay una importante comunidad de dominicanos que no quiere ver a sus conciudadanos desnacionalizados simplemente porque tienen un ancestro haitiano.
Pero digamos que usted no está de acuerdo con aquellos que como nosotros estamos en solidaridad con los desnacionalizados; digamos que usted está en desacuerdo con Reconocido, con Participación Ciudadana, con Edith Febles, Marino Zapete, Juan Bolívar Díaz, Patricia Solano.
Ok, tá tó. Usted no está de acuerdo. Pero, en lugar de asumir que no sabemos nada quienes estamos en solidaridad con los desnacionalizados, que no hemos leído la Constitución, que somos traidores, moralmente deficientes, ¿sería exagerado imaginar algo menos siniestro –que hemos leído lo que usted ha leído, visto lo que usted ha visto y que nosotros simplemente no estamos de acuerdo? ¿Y que este desacuerdo no es una aberración sino la mejor señal de una sociedad sana?
Una democracia debe ser capaz de tolerar debates sanos si quiere llevar dignamente ese nombre. Como la mayoría de mis compañeros en esta lucha, amo a la República Dominicana más allá de todas las palabras. He pasado mi vida adulta apoyando nuestra gente, y recordándoles a todos que perciban nuestra naturaleza, nuestra extraordinaria capacidad para amar y crear. Algunos de ustedes me conocen personalmente y saben que esto no es ninguna mojiganga.
He dedicado mi vida a apoyar a nuestros inmigrantes, nuestros artistas, nuestros académicos, nuestras organizaciones comunitarias y sobre todo, recordándole al mundo nuestras contribuciones y nuestro coraje colosal.
Si ya usted se ha hecho la idea de que aquellos como nosotros, que luchamos por los derechos de los desnacionalizados, odiamos a la República Dominicana, entonces definitivamente este mensaje no es para usted. Pero para aquellos que aún están oyendo, por favor no olviden: uno puede amar su país y oponerse a sus políticos. En un mundo como el nuestros eso no es sólo normal, sino también que es sensato.
La versión original, en inglés:
On Wednesday I participated in a panel on the Dominican-Haitian Crisis with Edwidge Danticat, Ediberto Roman at the Miami Workers Center. In my comments I placed the Dominican crisis in a larger international context–I underscored that the Obama Administration has been deporting undocumented immigrants by the thousands and that throughout the world there exists a vast undercurrent of anti-immigrant politics, in the US, Europe, Australia, even in other nations throughout the Caribbean.
I argue that the US hostility towards its immigrants surely encouraged xenophobic politicians across the Americas and that these type of anti-immigrant politics are interconnected and require us to have a broader vision if we are going to combat them. I criticized Haitian politicians and Haitian elites for their cruel indifference towards their own people and criticized as well the UN occupation of Haiti and the corporations on both sides of the Island that are extracting every mineral they can; I pointed out that with friends like these the Haitian diaspora needs no enemies. And as I’ve done on previous occasions I forcefully criticized the Leonel/Medina/PLD/TC cabal that has threaten to denationalize a wide swathe of Dominican citizens; I condemned the Tribunal’s retroactive withdrawal of citizenship from Dominicans of Haitian descent whose nationality it had previously recognized, something unseen since, well, the Nuremberg Racial Laws. I condemned the fear and confusion that has been spread by the media and by political leaders.
Now here are things that I did NOT say on that panel. I did not say that Dominicans are afraid to come out of their homes. I did not talk about concentration camps in the DR. And I did not call for a boycott of the Dominican Republic. AP reporter Jennifer Kay asked me directly if I supported a boycott of the nation and I told her that I did not. Journalist Daniel Rivero reported that I called for a boycott and yet when he was asked to show where in his records I had said such a thing, he recanted and his site Fusion issued a retraction.
Those of us who are in solidarity with the denationalized must continue to pressure the Dominican government to return citizenship rights of those Dominicans born in the Dominican Republic and to create a just transparent process for protecting the rights of undocumented migrants.
(Yes, the Dominican Republic has the right to deport undocumented immigrants; all nations do; but shouldn’t we have a fair process where folks can at least have a hearing?)
This pressure has already had positive results. The JCE has returned birth certificates to 55,000 denationalized and has for the first time in history regularized roughly 100,000 Haitian immigrants. This only happened because of those of us fighting for a more just Dominican Republic. And as long as we keep up the pressure I believe the government will eventually return to respecting international law and will revert to its original interpretation of its constitution.
I also continue to insist that there is nothing traitorous about criticizing the government or its policies. Just because one opposes the policy of Dominican political elites does not mean one hates the Dominican Republic. If you want to believe that those of us who oppose the Sentencia and its malign aftershocks are anti-Dominican traitors—you are free to do so. But one does not fight so hard against government impunity because one hates one’s country. We fight for a more just DR because we love the Dominican Republic and because we know that what our country has needed more than anything is justice.
I also continue to insist that despite what the news would have you believe there is a sizable community of Dominicans who do not want to see their fellow citizens denationalized simply because they had a Haitian ancestor. But let’s say you don’t agree with what those of us who are in solidarity with the denationalized; let’s say you don’t agree with Reconocido, with the Participación Ciudadana, with Edith Febles, Marino Zapete, Juan Bolivar Diaz, Patricia Solano–OK, ta to.
You don’t agree. But instead of assuming that that those of us who are in solidarity with the denationalized don’t know anything, that we haven’t read the Constitution, that we are morally deficient traitors, is it too much to imagine something far less sinister–that we have read what you have read, seen what you have seen and that we just don’t agree? And that this disagreement is not an aberration but the best sign of healthy society? A democracy must be able to tolerate healthy debate if it is going to be worthy of that name.
Like most of my comrades in this struggle, I love the Dominican Republic beyond all words; I have spent my adult life supporting our people and reminding all who will listen of our genius, of our people’s extraordinary capacity to love and to create.
A few of you know me personally and know that this ain’t no mojiganga; I have dedicated my life to helping our immigrants, our artists, our scholars, our community organizations and above all else reminded the world of our contributions and the long history of our colossal courage.
If you’ve already made up your mind that those of us who fight for the rights of the denationalized hate the Dominican Republic then this message is clearly not for you. But for those who are still listening please don’t forget: one can love a country and oppose its politicians. In a world like ours that’s not just normal—that’s sane.
La versión original, en inglés:
On Wednesday I participated in a panel on the Dominican-Haitian Crisis with Edwidge Danticat, Ediberto Roman at the Miami Workers Center. In my comments I placed the Dominican crisis in a larger international context–I underscored that the Obama Administration has been deporting undocumented immigrants by the thousands and that throughout the world there exists a vast undercurrent of anti-immigrant politics, in the US, Europe, Australia, even in other nations throughout the Caribbean.
I argue that the US hostility towards its immigrants surely encouraged xenophobic politicians across the Americas and that these type of anti-immigrant politics are interconnected and require us to have a broader vision if we are going to combat them. I criticized Haitian politicians and Haitian elites for their cruel indifference towards their own people and criticized as well the UN occupation of Haiti and the corporations on both sides of the Island that are extracting every mineral they can; I pointed out that with friends like these the Haitian diaspora needs no enemies. And as I’ve done on previous occasions I forcefully criticized the Leonel/Medina/PLD/TC cabal that has threaten to denationalize a wide swathe of Dominican citizens; I condemned the Tribunal’s retroactive withdrawal of citizenship from Dominicans of Haitian descent whose nationality it had previously recognized, something unseen since, well, the Nuremberg Racial Laws. I condemned the fear and confusion that has been spread by the media and by political leaders.
Now here are things that I did NOT say on that panel. I did not say that Dominicans are afraid to come out of their homes. I did not talk about concentration camps in the DR. And I did not call for a boycott of the Dominican Republic. AP reporter Jennifer Kay asked me directly if I supported a boycott of the nation and I told her that I did not. Journalist Daniel Rivero reported that I called for a boycott and yet when he was asked to show where in his records I had said such a thing, he recanted and his site Fusion issued a retraction.
Those of us who are in solidarity with the denationalized must continue to pressure the Dominican government to return citizenship rights of those Dominicans born in the Dominican Republic and to create a just transparent process for protecting the rights of undocumented migrants.
(Yes, the Dominican Republic has the right to deport undocumented immigrants; all nations do; but shouldn’t we have a fair process where folks can at least have a hearing?)
This pressure has already had positive results. The JCE has returned birth certificates to 55,000 denationalized and has for the first time in history regularized roughly 100,000 Haitian immigrants. This only happened because of those of us fighting for a more just Dominican Republic. And as long as we keep up the pressure I believe the government will eventually return to respecting international law and will revert to its original interpretation of its constitution.
I also continue to insist that there is nothing traitorous about criticizing the government or its policies. Just because one opposes the policy of Dominican political elites does not mean one hates the Dominican Republic. If you want to believe that those of us who oppose the Sentencia and its malign aftershocks are anti-Dominican traitors—you are free to do so. But one does not fight so hard against government impunity because one hates one’s country. We fight for a more just DR because we love the Dominican Republic and because we know that what our country has needed more than anything is justice.
I also continue to insist that despite what the news would have you believe there is a sizable community of Dominicans who do not want to see their fellow citizens denationalized simply because they had a Haitian ancestor. But let’s say you don’t agree with what those of us who are in solidarity with the denationalized; let’s say you don’t agree with Reconocido, with the Participación Ciudadana, with Edith Febles, Marino Zapete, Juan Bolivar Diaz, Patricia Solano–OK, ta to.
You don’t agree. But instead of assuming that that those of us who are in solidarity with the denationalized don’t know anything, that we haven’t read the Constitution, that we are morally deficient traitors, is it too much to imagine something far less sinister–that we have read what you have read, seen what you have seen and that we just don’t agree? And that this disagreement is not an aberration but the best sign of healthy society? A democracy must be able to tolerate healthy debate if it is going to be worthy of that name.
Like most of my comrades in this struggle, I love the Dominican Republic beyond all words; I have spent my adult life supporting our people and reminding all who will listen of our genius, of our people’s extraordinary capacity to love and to create.
A few of you know me personally and know that this ain’t no mojiganga; I have dedicated my life to helping our immigrants, our artists, our scholars, our community organizations and above all else reminded the world of our contributions and the long history of our colossal courage.
If you’ve already made up your mind that those of us who fight for the rights of the denationalized hate the Dominican Republic then this message is clearly not for you. But for those who are still listening please don’t forget: one can love a country and oppose its politicians. In a world like ours that’s not just normal—that’s sane.
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