Hello from the Dominican Republic

[Pedro Cuevas]

Hello my dear friend Guy Antoine and others,

Sometimes I want to give my opinion regarding some topics but honestly I do not know very well the way to do it, as you know, I am not used to write here, but as you know I have been recently encouraged by my friend G. S. Antoine to join this forum. Next: sometimes I do not understand quite the subject treated...

I hope, finally, to count on your help.

Sincerely yours,

Pedro Cuevas

[guysanto*]

Welcome, Pedro. I invite my friends on the forum to greet you as well. Let me say just a few things about you:

Pedro Cuevas is a young Dominican citizen, of Haitian origins on the maternal side, if I recall correctly. I met Pedro during my exploratory trip to the Dominican Republic in 2000, when I wanted to witness for myself the conditions of life of people of Haitian origins, working in the bateyes of the Dominican Republic, up the mountains growing coffee and cacao, and down the mountains growing sugar cane, which has been justly characterized as "bitter cane" for our brothers and sisters. Pedro is an energetic, idealistic young man who became a lawyer to better serve his community, made of poor and mixed Dominicans and Haitians. While Pedro's primary language is Spanish, of course, he also learned to speak Haitian Creole, some French and English as well. Pedro graciously accompanied me on most, if not all, of my excursions, and
interpreted for me whenever the need arose. (I get lost when Spanish is spoken too fast, and I regret not having practiced it enough before my trip to the DR).

Pedro has been a loyal friend and he is, by nature, devoted to improving Haitian lives in the DR, working within the legal and political frameworks of his country. He has some experience in consular matters, having worked a number of years for the Haitian consulate in the Dominican Republic.

I am specially happy to welcome Pedro to the forum, because (once he gets used to the format and the multilingual approach), he may usefully answer your questions about Haitians in the Dominican Republic. Just remember, however, that being Dominican of Haitian origins carries some risks (in many ways, it's like living in the belly of the beast), so your consideration of his environment will be greatly appreciated.

So... ... ... ¡bienvenido, Sr. Cuevas!

[Serge Bellegarde*]

Hola Pedro,

Con mucho placer te acogimos en este Foro. Estoy seguro que tu contribución puede ser nada más que positiva, informativa y constructiva. Como Guy lo dijo, tu perspectiva de la situación de los Haitianos al otro lado de la frontera será algo de gran valor.

Esperamos todos que de vez en cuando, tu podrás enterarnos de lo que está pasando en la República Dominicana.

I am sure all on this forum will warmly welcome you and look forward to some fruitful exchanges.

Serge

[Leonel Jean-Baptiste*]

Welcome Pedro, with all my soul, I can say that I am happy and looking forward to read you at WOH.

We are Family, Bienvenido!

leonel

[Charles Arthur]

Welcome Pedro.

At the moment I am pushing the British development agencies and human rights groups to do more to support Haitian and Dominican counterparts that are alarmed by the spate of murders and violent attacks on Haitians and Dominican-Haitians in the DR.

best regards

Charles Arthur
Haiti Support Group
UL

www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org