The Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR), an independent agency of the Organization of American States (OAS), held its second day of public hearings as part of the 141st session, which began March 21 and will continue until April 1.

A representation of the Dominican Republic, led by Roberto Rosario, president of the Central Electoral Commission of the Dominican Republic, came before the Commission to demonstrate that the Dominican did not make any discrimination against Haitian immigrants and their descendants to obtain their legal documents.

Roberto Rosario, declared before the Commission that efforts are underway to modernize the civil registry to ensure that documents are secure and able to guarantee the rights of citizenship and address the concerns expressed in recent years by civil society of the country and the IACHR on the situation of Haitian immigrants and their descendants without document.

"There is no national policy of racial discrimination" said Rosario" What happens is that the situation concerns the poorest people, both domestic and foreign [...] many of those who are poor are not aware that they must correct their situation [...] and most of these people are immigrants Haitian" adding that poverty and lack of documents are linked in a vicious circle.

To fill these gaps, the Dominican government has launched caravans to sensitize the populations of low-income and rural areas, of the importance of being well documented in order to receive basic services, such as health and education.

The Dominican representation has invited the IACHR to visit the country to observe the "efforts and progress " on the ground, a proposal immediately accepted by the Commission. However, Commission officials refused to comment on the situation of the Haitian immigrants and their descendants until the visit takes place, merely to recall the concerns and allegations in recent years from NGOs and individuals to the agency on this issue.

HL/ HaitiLibre