Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

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Dominican Republic: National Security
1977, was one of fifty-three political organizations and trade
unions that formed the Dominican Leftist Front in 1983 but
which still retain their individual structures. The government
has often detained members of organizations and populist
groups thought to be preparing public disturbances, especially
during election campaigns. For example, the authorities
detained hundreds of opposition party figures, members of
other antigovernment groups, and journalists, ostensibly to foil
possible violence, following the disputed 1994 elections.
The presence of Haitians living illegally in the Dominican
Republic has been a source of recurrent disturbances. Large
numbers of Haitians come to the country, some legally but
most undocumented, searching for economic opportunity.
Security forces, particularly the army, round up and repatriate
thousands of these Haitians each year. Persons with legal residence
and those of Haitian ancestry with possible claims to
Dominican citizenship have complained of being included in
the expulsions without being given a chance to prove their status.
Ill-treatment of Haitian sugarcane cutters working under
contract has also been a source of resentment and violence.
Forced recruitment of Haitians to work on the sugar plantations
has been reported. After as many as 25,000 Haitians were
deported in early 1997, the presidents of the two countries met
to set up a mechanism for the repatriations to be carried out
under humane conditions.
National Police
The nation's security forces consist of the National Police,
the National Department of Investigations (Departamento
Nacional de Investigaciones—DNI) , the National Drug Control
Directorate (Direccion Nacional de Control de Drogas
DNCD), and the armed forces. The National Police is under
the secretary of state for interior and police, the military is
under the secretary of state for the armed forces, and the DNI
and DNCD report directly to the president.
The country's first police organization was a municipal force
set up in 1844 in Santo Domingo. Beginning in 1847, other
towns formed similar organizations. Eventually, every province
had independent police forces. The national executive branch
had only nominal influence over these forces, which were
largely controlled by local caudillos. The local forces were disbanded
in 1916 during the United States occupation; at that
time, the United States Marines, and later members of the
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