We write to denounce terrorist threats received by our colleague and collaborator, human rights activist Ana Belique, author of La Muñeca de Dieula. Barnard College’s Digital Humanities Center team was honored to work with Ana on an anthology by Dominicans of Haitian Descent, Nos Cambiò La Vida/ Our Lives Transformed. Since being selected as one of 12 Dominican authors presenting at the 2022 Santo Domingo Book Festival (April 22-May 2, 2022), Ana has been subjected to individualized harassment from ultranationalist groups seeking to deny Dominicans of Haitian descent the right to exist and participate in civic life. Ana and her collaborator Michelle Ricardo, director of El Proyecto Anticanón, have received numerous messages from antagonists claiming to be part of the Antigua Orden Dominicana (Old Dominican Order) a militaristic white supremacist group which promotes anti-Blackness, xenophobia, and anti-Haitian hate. The direct threats to Ana and Michelle’s safety have led to the cancellation of their presentation at the book fair. The perpetrators of these serious threats of violence cannot be allowed to act with impunity.
Update:
Muchas gracias a todas las personas que firmaron en solidaridad con Ana Belique y Michelle Ricardo.
Les informamos que la declaración unitaria fue entregada el 11 de mayo ante la Procuraduría General de la República y la Defensoría del Pueblo, respaldada por alrededor de 600 firmas.
El texto completo con sus firmas puede leerse en el siguiente enlace: https://mst-rd.org/2022/05/13/nos-solidarizamos-con-ana-belique-y-michelle-ricardo-rechazamos-la-censura-y-las-amenazas-fascistas-en-el-marco-de-la-feria-internacional-del-libro-de-santo-domingo/
Una nota de prensa ha sido publicada en este medio: http://www.nuevo.espacinsular.org/index.php/noticias/9139-entregan-a-la-pgr-declaracion-de-apoyo-a-las-activistas-ana-maria-belique-y-michelle-ricardo
En inglés ha sido publicado aquí: https://uit-ci.org/index.php/2022/05/16/we-stand-in-solidarity-with-ana-belique-and-michelle-ricardo/?lang=en
Cualquier difusión es bienvenida. Seguimos en lucha contra la impunidad. Gracias por continuar apoyando este esfuerzo unitario.
Campaña en solidaridad con Ana y Michelle.
....
Thank you very much to all the people who signed in solidarity with Ana Belique and Michelle Ricardo.
We inform you that the declaration was delivered on May 11 to the Attorney General's Office and the Ombudsman's Office, backed by about 600 signatures.
The complete text with signatures can be read at the following link in Spanish: https://mst-rd.org/2022/05/13/nos-solidarizamos-con-ana-belique-y-michelle-ricardo-rechazamos-la-censura-y-las-amenazas-fascistas-en-el-marco-de-la-feria-internacional-del-libro-de-santo-domingo/
A press release has been published in this media (Spanish): http://www.nuevo.espacinsular.org/index.php/noticias/9139-entregan-a-la-pgr-declaracion-de-apoyo-a-las-activistas-ana-maria-belique-y-michelle-ricardo
In English it has been published here: https://uit-ci.org/index.php/2022/05/16/we-stand-in-solidarity-with-ana-belique-and-michelle-ricardo/?lang=en
And here: http://www.socialistcore.org/2022/05/16/dominican-republic-we-stand-in-solidarity-with-ana-belique-and-michelle-ricardo-we-reject-the-censorship-and-fascist-threats-during-the-international-book-fair-of-santo-domingo/
Feel free to post on your own social media and blogs or web pages and to send to the press. We continue to fight against impunity. Thank you for continuing to support this united effort.
Campaign in solidarity with Ana and Michelle.
Signed,
the DHC Team