Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies
Although the Dominican Republic no longer faces a domestic
insurgency threat, popular economic discontent has
resulted in frequent protests and strikes that occasionally have
become violent, resulting in injuries and some deaths. Soldiers
are routinely assigned to help the police and have sometimes
been accused of excessive force in clashes with demonstrators.
Most of these disturbances are rooted in despair over the constant
deterioration of living conditions for ordinary citizens as
well as a decline in the level and quality of public services.
The country's security forces often have been called upon to
prevent violence and disturbances in connection with political
campaigns and elections by measures that included detentions
of antigovernment figures. In 1996, however, presidential
power was transferred peacefully and smoothly after elections
described as the cleanest in the country's history.
Defense budgets since the early 1980s have shown little
change except for measurable increases between 1993 and
1996. Weapons replacement and modernization have been
almost abandoned as spending constraints preclude outlays
much beyond pay and benefits. As a consequence, the readiness
of the armed forces to deal with any threat from abroad is
severely limited. They are capable of carrying out most internal
security functions, but lack the resources to adequately patrol
the country's borders against the flow of illicit drugs.
The armed forces in 1999 consisted of about 24,300 activeduty
personnel. The army has seven brigades, most organized
along constabulary or tactical infantry lines. The air force operates
three flying squadrons, only one of which is armed, and
the navy maintains twelve armed patrol vessels. The Dominican
military is second in size to Cuba's military in the Caribbean.
The National Police, the National Department of Investigations,
and the National Drug Control Directorate also share
responsibility for security matters. The latter two groups, which
draw personnel from both the military and the police, report
directly to the president.
The criminal justice system comes under the jurisdiction of
the national government. The system, according to its critics,
has many shortcomings, including interference by political
authorities, judicial corruption, maladministration of the
courts, and scandalously poor prison conditions. Much police
misconduct goes unpunished. In addition, the Dominican
Republic has become a primary way station in the transport of
narcotics between Colombia and the United States. Dominican
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