A/HRC/7/19/Add.5 A/HRC/7/23/Add.3 Page 15 ties at all with Haiti. A community member stated that: “The most important passport is skin colour. Those with light skin rarely have a problem. Those who are black and look poor face problems all the time, no matter whether Haitian or Dominican. If you are black, you are Haitian”. It was reported to the experts that there had been cases where black foreigners, with no ties at all with the Dominican Republic or Haiti, but happening to be in the border area had also been threatened, just because of the colour of their skin, with deportation to Haiti. (b) Racial prejudice in anti-Haitianism 45. Civil society representatives highlighted that among blacks, Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent are subject to the more acute forms of racial prejudice and discrimination. AntiHaitianism, being a construct that results not only from the evolution of racial prejudice against Haiti, but also from political, historical, sociological and economic factors that characterize the relationship between the two countries, was said to be permeating every aspect of today’s Dominican culture. 46. It was generally noted that the term black and, by extension, traits or elements related to African descent are associated with Haitians – which in turn is commonly used to designate both documented and undocumented Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent. “Haitian” is also used as a label for improper behavior, lack of civility, and often as an insult in Dominican society. As a result of those associations, Haitians have become identified with all discriminatory stereotypes associated with blacks. It was noted that racial prejudice towards Haitians was accepted and recognized by some sectors of the Dominican population, and justified primarily as a defensive attitude to confront “the Haitian threat”. In this context, civil society actors highlighted the fact that many black Dominicans would reject being labelled as black in order to mark a difference with Haitians. 47. Anti-Haitian political discourse and statements referring to the threat of “Haitianization” were noted to be common. One community representative in Santo Domingo stated: “AntiHaitian feeling is part of the State ideology here – if you want to be a good Dominican, you have to be anti-Haitian”. In meetings with representatives of the main political parties, the experts noted the influence of a political discourse based on a security approach towards immigration through statements that referred to the “peaceful invasion of the country” or to “the need to preserve national security and national identity”. This discourse, which contrasts with a reality where Dominican entrepreneurs benefit from a steady arrival of cheap Haitian labour, is particularly at the core of the so-called nationalist political parties, whose views are also shared by a small but highly influential group of intellectuals and historians. 48. Civil society actors generally referred to the dissemination of prejudices and stereotypes against Haitians in school textbooks and by an increasing sector of the media. In their view, this is contributing strongly to fostering feelings of discrimination and intolerance within the population. 49. In the course of several meetings and in visits to affected communities, Dominicans of Haitian descent and Haitians exposed the various manifestations of racism that they face with a profound sense of frustration, vulnerability and isolation. They described a reality of insults and verbal aggressions, widespread and institutionalized discrimination resulting, amongst others, in