CULTURAL IDENTITY AND CONFLICTS: THE DOMINICAN-HAITIAN CASE

In recent years, on the island of Hispaniola, levels of conflict have arisen between the Haitian and Dominican communities that used to live in relative peace with each other, with the reservation that there were already historical experiences between the two nations that could lead to conflictual tendencies.At times conflict discourses have been used in a despotic manner by influential individuals in both nations, but at present they are rare. However, intellectuals from both nations do take up their nationalist positions.Similarly, international NGO activists proclaim their views, inflaming public opinion in both nations. It is necessary to identify to what extent the problem is ethical-political, when affirming that States have the right to exist, since, in the Dominican-Haitian issue, we must respect the right to exist of both nations as a State, without implying the non-existence of the other, respecting International Law and seeking mutual trust through diplomatic and intercultural dialogue.