A/HRC/7/19/Add.5 A/HRC/7/23/Add.3 Page 3 deportations, racial discrimination, and are denied the full enjoyment of their human rights. They are also being denied legitimate expectations of citizenship. The current Migration Law must be revised as a matter of urgency to conform to the jus soli provisions of the Constitution and the rights of all persons of Haitian descent must be respected. As a vital step, the experts urge recognition of the reality of racism and discrimination and the expression of a strong political will at the highest level, as well as the establishment of a national plan of action against racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, in consultation with, and inclusive of, all groups within Dominican society. The experts also call for a wide and inclusive debate on issues of racism and discrimination within the country, particularly in regard to these groups, to rebuild confidence across and within communities and promote a sense of belonging. In parallel with a political and legal strategy, the experts call for an ethical and cultural strategy to uproot the very deep roots of racism and racial discrimination, and address the invisibility and silence of minority groups, and others experiencing discrimination. Such a strategy should be built around a critical collective review of the historical legacy of racism, as well as the promotion of reciprocal knowledge of cultures and values, of interaction among the different communities, and of the link between the fight against racism and discrimination and the long-term construction of a democratic, egalitarian and interactive, multicultural society.

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