Ethical Travel

The thing about me and the Dominican Republic was that I was initially very leery. I had consciously avoided the island because the country has been charged with many human rights violations, not to mention forced slavery of Haitians working on plantations. That's not the kind of scenery that I want my kids exposed to. I feel very strongly about supporting abusive governments with travel dollars. So I never considered traveling there until I kept hearing about all the new construction. Besides scads of new hotels and resorts, the Dominican Republic is constructing a commuter train system. New developments typically mean a rise in the standard of living for many people living in the booming areas. But does that mean the abuses have lessened?




I checked the latest Amnesty International reports and the findings for 2008 appeared to better than 2007. There was no mention of slavery and assaults and violence against women had decreased. But I was still skeptical. When we traveled to the DR I was on the look out for anything that smacked of discrimination or abuse. What I found were charming people and genuine warmth wherever we went. Interestingly, many people assumed we were either Dominican or Haitian but I detected no negative undertones with either assumption. My children frolicked on the beach, rode horses and scampered through caves and up mango trees in the country side. We were embraced by cooks and vendors and receptionists. We had special meals prepared for us at the insistence of our waiter. At the airport, when our flight was cancelled, the reservations agent upgraded us to first class. This wasn't a courtesy that I saw handed to the other passengers. So were we given special treatment because they thought we were Dominican or Haitian American? Or was this just regular Dominican expansiveness connected with class expectations?

It's difficult to get a true feeling for a culture as a tourist so I made a point of talking to every Haitian that I met. It was not good. They told me that discrimination against Haitians is widespread. Immigration officials and police routinely beat Haitian and Dominican-Haitians. The border patrol is particularly brutal and often send Haitians back even if they are in DR legally. Many Haitians are afraid to go home because they probably won't be allowed back. Amnesty International migrant worker reports confirmed all of this. Yet, I detected very little bitterness when my Haitian acquaintances told me their stories. They were just glad for an opportunity to work and send money home.

The ethics of traveling to a place that routinely allows such abuse still makes me queasy. Of course, these abuses also take place in the U.S. and all over the world. I loved my Dominican trip and the culture provided a rich experience for our family vacation. I know that our presence did make a psychological and financial difference to many who suffer in the DR but knowing what I know now, I don't think that I could go back unless it was to volunteer to help change the inequality.