....

[Mr. Lu]

This is scary. From the DR1 Daily News: 30 September 2009

Citizens lose civil right
The new Constitution agreed on by the PRD and PLD majority in Congress and the party leaderships includes a clause eliminating Dominican citizens' right to protest against violations of the Constitution or the violation of rules or judicial acts. The change was made on the grounds that citizens "do not have a true judicial or legally protected interest." This means that Dominicans will not be able to protest when they believe that laws, resolutions or decrees issued by the government are in violation of the Constitution, as reported in El Caribe.


Wow!



Mr. Lu

[CFA123]

I would protest that is unconstitutional and is in violation of laws... but I guess I can't.

Does it expressly say they can't hire non-citizens to protest for them? May be the newest way for expats to earn a living. Fill the streets with paid gringo protestors!

All joking aside, limiting freedom of speech is a bad sign and sounds like the type of thing that Chavez (for example) uses to suppress opposition. If it's truly as reported, you'd think there'd be major protests right now.

[Mr. Lu]

That's the double edge sword. Basic freedoms are being challenged, but no one has gotten up and viced anger over. So where does that leave the country? Apathy is a killer.



Mr. Lu

[minerva_feliz]

Could have also gone with 'WTF?!' There's really no way for me to approach this, it's so incredible. Isn't free speech one of the very basic tenants of democracy? Some kind of international human right? Ahh, what do I know, better let 'los que sepan de eso' decide.

If this is true, it makes me feel uncomfortable about living here and will influence my decision to continue to do so. Talk about the man keeping the little people down. It seems like a flying leap backward into the days of Trujillo and associates.

[Chip]

No doubt we can thank the new wave of "kinder, gentler even humanist(yeah right)" socialism floating around for that. Ahh, but remember it is for the betterment of mankind... because the "masses" obviously can't do it on there own. Leonel is starting to scare me.

[Lambada]

Originally Posted by Mr. Lu

This is scary. From the DR1 Daily News: 30 September 2009

Citizens lose civil right
The new Constitution agreed on by the PRD and PLD majority in Congress and the party leaderships includes a clause eliminating Dominican citizens' right to protest against violations of the Constitution or the violation of rules or judicial acts. The change was made on the grounds that citizens "do not have a true judicial or legally protected interest." This means that Dominicans will not be able to protest when they believe that laws, resolutions or decrees issued by the government are in violation of the Constitution, as reported in El Caribe.


Wow!



Mr. Lu

Did you see my response to you here, quoting DR1 news of 2 weeks ago?
The New Constitution:

Not the fiirst time this has been in the news. I was quite surprised you didn't respond on that thread, but perhaps you're doing so here ?

[leromero]

So who's in charge here? Chavez?

[RonS]

If the powers that be have agreed to deny Dominican citizens the right to free speech and freedom to assemble to protest unlawful acts or constitutional violations, what the heck do you think they would do to protesting gringos?! On another thread I asked the question as to whether these constitutional 'reforms' are being discussed among ordinary Dominican citizens and was informed that there discussions were going on. I guess the better question is: are the ordinary Dominican citizens actively contributing to the debate and standing up for basic human rights or are they just being the apathetic sheep being led to slaughter. The deafening silence answers that question unequivocally! All this sounds like a done deal to me. So much for the new era of Dominican politics Leonel was hoped to usher in! He has really been a disappointment!

[Mr. Lu]

Originally Posted by Lambada

Did you see my response to you here, quoting DR1 news of 2 weeks ago?
The New Constitution:

Not the fiirst time this has been in the news. I was quite surprised you didn't respond on that thread, but perhaps you're doing so here ?

I saw your response, but I was waiting to see where all of this went. First off, I am interested in the coverage of the new constitution by the local press, who have managed to present the news, but in typical Dominican journalism, has lost the point.

So in that sense there is even more of a sense of concern, since the voice of the people, or the group that can potentially challenge the powers of government, the media, has failed its job here.

There is a great concern here. Dominicans no longer have the right to challenge those things they view as unconstitutional, because they do not have the "right to do so."

"The change was made on the grounds that citizens "do not have a true judicial or legally protected interest."

So the basis of a real democracy, the right to free speech, and the power of the proletariat, to challenge through civil disobedience, dissent, or any form of protest against the government, have now been abolished?

So when Juan Politico steals a million bucks, or better yet Leonel Fernandez signs a US$130 million deal with Sun Land, and bypasses all Congressional and Judicial protocol, neither I, nor the news media, nor the general public, have the right to protest this?

This is not about political ideology. Both the left and the right, in the US / Western context, have moved their politics to the extremes to further their agendas. The Republicans did it with the Patriot Act, and the Democrats are doing it with their wild spending.

But in the DR, I see it as a way to create a legal protection for politicians to steal more. Nuria and the rest of those TV journalist, and those people protesting Los Haitises, are now left to eat dirt and enjoy it.

But, wait, why do I care? Dominicans don't care. And I can leave anytime I want. I checked out of this system a long time ago. I guess I've posted this as a result of utter dismay, but in the end it won't bother me. I'll "pillage and plunder," leave ash in my wake and not give two winks about the repercussions, until locals make me think different.

For most of us on this board, we are so removed from the potentials of this issue, that we would never be in the middle of the protests, anyway.

File this under: "Crazy sh*t that happens in the DR," and use it as coffee table conversation with your "gringo" friends. And when you strike up a conversation with your Dominican "apathetics," tell them to shut up and remind them the no longer have the right to say anything.



Mr. Lu

[Kajuilito]

Where is this in writing? In a verifiable format? I keep hearing about it but I havent seen any concrete proof yet. Its far more than disheartening. I may just give up on all hope if its indeed true.