| Just to keep you up-to-date on what has been going on. As some of you have heard there has been some problems with the police here last weekend. Earlier last week there appeared an article in Clave Digital about the gay scene in Santo Domingo. The article seemed to be positive and talked about the community. There was a stir about if the article was going to cause unwanted attention, but most didn't think anything would come from it. There was talk in article about the police asking people for money. No one knows what caused the raid at Arena, but it has been confirmed that they came and closed everything down. They closed the hotel, the club and the spa. The police showed up at the Sports Bar and Jay-Dee's. All they did was ask for ID and left. There were rumors that other bars were closed, it is not true. Only Arena (and its other businesses). When I find out more information I will let you know. |
UPDATE (Wednesday, 2:20pm):
I spoke with Kelvin, the manager of Arena, today. They are still trying to find out exactly the reason for their businesses being closed. He says they keep getting different reasons from noise, to drug investigations, to underage people inside. Most people know that these reasons are nonsense. Chachita Rubio, the famous gay television personality, has been using her television show to highlight this controversy. She has been outspoken and giving the prosecutor hell. She talked about how she has been going to Arena for years and there was never a problem. Kudos to Chachita, who is doing a great service for the gay community here. Most of the reaction that I have seen is in agreement that the place was closed down on some trumped-up charges. Here's hoping that this matter can be resolved amicably and that Arena will open as soon as possible.
Also, I wanted to make sure that everyone understands that the WHOLE gay community wasn't "raided." The police only stopped by the Sports Bar and Jay-Dee's. They were not, I repeat NOT raided at anytime. Unfortunately, there are those who have spread rumors that other places were raided and closed. It is not true.
More later ...
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32 comments:
I was in SDQ this past week. Luckily I wasn't in either of the clubs when they were raided. The rumor on "El Conde" is that there were people in Arena arrested who had drugs on them.
Here's a link to an article in Clive Digital about the incident...
http://www.drsol.info/forums/portal.php?topic_id=1347
I know some of the foreigners may not want to do anything with this. But anyone who is interested may want to join the forum organized by ASA (Amigos Siemple Amigos) this Friday, June 23rd. The same presidential council on AIDS members that was in Arena/Puntoforum will be at the forum. Btw, ASA's website is www.amigossiempleamigos.org.
Here are the details of the forum:
3ER. FORO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS
EXPRESION DE LA DIVERSIDAD
Fecha del evento: Viernes 23 de junio 2006.
Duración: de 8:00 am a 5:00 pm
Lugar: Hotel Clairon
Dirigido a: Fundamentalmente a activistas de la población GTH y lésbica, y abierto a otras personas estudiosas del tema.
Cantidad de participantes: 120 personas.
Organizado por: Amigos Siempre Amigos (ASA), Red de Voluntarios de ASA (REVASA)..
Auspicia: Consejo Presidencial del SIDA (COPRESIDA)
Propósito de la actividad: Crear un espacio de reflexión sobre las aspiraciones de la población GTH y lésbica, en torno a cómo ha de organizarse la sociedad para permitir una vida de respeto a la diversidad sexual: Orientación, Identidad y Preferencia.
Resultados esperados: Creación de un documento que refleje las aspiraciones de la población GTH y lésbica, en torno a cómo ha de organizarse la sociedad para permitir una vida de respeto a la diversidad sexual.
Difusión de los resultados del taller a través de diferentes medios de comunicación.
Medios de verificación:
Relatoría
Listado de participantes.
Material de promoción impresos
Fotografías y video de la actividad
Presencia permanente del personal de COPRESIDA.
Introducción :
Con el objetivo de fortalecer institucionalmente a los grupos que constituyen la Alianza Nacional de Hombres Gay, Trans. y otros HSH para formular en conjunto un plan operativo bienal que vaya en consonancia con las líneas estratégicas definidas, se ha aprovechado el día del orgullo gay y lésbico (28 de junio) en torno al cual se genere un espacio de discusión teórica sobre la defensa de los derechos humanos y la expresión de la diversidad sexual.
Descripción de la actividad:
Foro de reflexión y aporte público sobre la situación de los derechos humanos y particularmente de la expresión de la diversidad sexual.
Se realizará en una jornada de día completo dividida en cuatro ejes fundamentales:
1. Derechos Humanos
2. Salud
3. Educación y comunicación
4. Incidencia política.
En la mañana se trabajarán los dos primeros temas con exposiciones motivacionales de cinco especialistas; cada uno con una participación de 10 minutos. Al final de las cinco exposiciones el relator(a) realizará un resumen y dividiría al grupo en diez mesas de trabajo que durante una hora construirán una propuesta que será debatida al final de la mañana en plenaria. En horas de la tarde, después del almuerzo se realizará un esquema similar con los dos últimos temas.
Los(as) relatores de cada tanda junto con las(os) moderadores(as) y el coordinador de foro compilarán todas las propuestas aprobadas en plenaria y entregarán un documento que refleje la posición de los y las participantes. Este documento será difundido a través de los Medios de Comunicación y entregado a las instancias públicas y privadas necesarias.
You can also leave your comments here: http://www.clavedigital.com/Portada/Articulo.asp?Id_Articulo=7656
Let the Dominican authorities and your Dominican friends know that the rest of the world is watching.
This is getting ridiculous with these raids. If they have a problem with Arena/Punto then deal with them. Why is it that when something happens every gay bar is raided? This happened this past February again when I was there. A police man was shot and the next thing we knew all the gay bars were being raided when the criminal was not even gay. This is just a rouse by the Policia Nacional who is so corrupt that they target the gay community to threaten them for money and make them feel scared while trying to enjoy a drink in a gay bar. When is someone going to stand up to these corrupt officials there and get human rights organizations to start targeting them. I say we all stay OUT of the DR for two years and see if they have a change of heart. Do not spend a single US dollar for two years and it will have such an impact on the airlines, hotels, restaurants and business that they will learn their lesson to leave us the fuck alone. I sick and tired of being persecuted every time I go there. I'll return to Brazil where they have military police, tourism police and nacional police who are so polite to even walk with you to restaurants and bars from your hotel so that nothing will happen to spoil your vacation. It wasn't that way 12 years ago when I first started going but when the crime level got unbearable and they were losing billions of tourism dollars then they started protecting the tourists. A new president came in and fired all the police forces and hired all new ones and what a difference that made. DR needs to do the same.
Thats a good point but are you promoting the Brazil trip? hiding behind your anger. The police there are the same way.
Here is a working link for Amigos Siempre Amigos. While I understand the desire to boycott DR until they get their politics together, I would hate to see so many of our friends who own businesses there go under.
Would complaining to the embassy help put the pressure on?
And I know who has been spreading the rumors. It is funny that Bar Friends did not get raided or have a visit from the police the entire weekend. I was at Friends and heard Leon brag about the other disco also being raided and closed. "Don't go down there, it is dangerous." Were the words of Leon as another tourist protested and told Leon that what he was saying was NOT TRUE. I agree the lies being spread by Leon are not true. How dare he sit in his bar and spread lies about other gay bars. I only want to see people live in peace and I think everyone should do the same. Live and let live.
the comments about brazil are true. nobody's agenda. lots of the smaller cities the police have stopped harassing gay people and they have gay pride parades. san paulo's pride parade last weekend was one of the biggest in the world at over 2 million people.
This is so sad to hear , I have been down there many many times and seen police all over and they are always very polite and so respectful that it's hard for me to believe, however things tend to change real quick when it comes to the gay community, no matter where you live ,even here in the U.S. this is known to happen.
For me , I will take Anthony's evualation of the situation and let that be my guide, at this point I see no earthly reason not to cont'i to visit the wonderful Santo Domingo and shall conti to do so until I hear differently from some realiable source
I go to the the Sports Bar and JD."s and of all the years and times I have been there, no way has there ever been a problem.
Now I have seen guy's with us in a group be stopped and ask for money by the police, but even that only a couple times, If you keep your nose clean and mine your business, you will be just fine and have a wonderful time. JIM HOUSTON
Police "raiding gay bars'" going in asking to see IDs, and even asking bar owners for money is nothing new in SD. Will gay bars have to close? Probably not. This has been going on for years and years. It happens every once in a while, but life continues as usual.
It looks like police bull shit is again moving against gay community in Dominican Republic, it happens from time to time.
No minors, no drugs were found. It just happened after a article in "Clave Digital" (a dominican digital newspaper) talks about police asking their share in gay business.
Chachita from her TV Show ("Que se Sepa", channel 15, 8am) is doing a great work. Its time to start a PR campaign to support gay friends in Santo Domingo.
Lets start by sending thousand of mail protesting to the public prosecutor office, called in spanish "Procuraduria General de la Republica Dominicana". Other ideas are welcome.
Any e-mail address that anyone knows for the Procuraduria General de la RRepublica Dominicana?
I am not promoting Brazil or have anything to do with a Brazil trip. I have been all over Brazil with 7 trips since 1987. The police force there has done a 100% turn around and I have never been asked for a penny or stopped, threatened or had my ID checked anywhere in Brazil. Brazil may have its problems but police corruption is not one that I have witnessed.
I will send an email if someone from Amigos Siempre Amigos give us the name and email address to send it to. It is time that the gays in Santo Domingo start protesting in the streets and at events where the Cardinal speaks. How about a Dominican Stonewall? Anyone down there got any balls to start a revolution?
To the writer asking about "balls in the DR". You are exactly right, it is going to take the Dominican gays to protest for their rights in their country. Any outside protest by non-dominicans will be cited by the DR officials as the Americans and Europeans trying to impose their value standard on the DR. So to the Chachita Rubia's of the DR, I salute you for your courage to stand up and protest these conditions. There needs to be more Dominican voices heard in protest against the Dominican treatment of Dominican gays.
Just got this in my e-mail box from some local gay activists in the Dominican Republic (click on images above to make them larger):
Únete a la CELEBRACION DE LA DIVERSIDAD SEXUAL, en la calle Padre Billini esquina Duarte, en el parque Duarte de la Zona Colonial este viernes 23 de junio a las 10:00 PM. Camiseta para las /os primeros /as 50 personas
Join a CELEBRATION OF SEXUAL DIVERSITY, at the Padre Billini street, Duarte corner, in the Duarte Park of the Colonial Zone. This Friday, June 23rd at 10pm. The first 50 people will get a free t-shirt.
Go to http://blabbeando.blogspot.com/ for more information
Well glad to see that someone is doing something on the 23rd. BE LOUD AND BE PROUD! I hope to hear how this March went and hopefully there will be a huge turn-out. Keep us abreast of the news on this Anthony!
I'm glad to see that people are starting to be vocal about the mistreatment of Gay People in Santo Domingo and the suggestion that some sort of political action be taken. I've been there more than several times in the last three years. I must say that I have not witnessed or been a victim of any mistreatment by the police, however I have been mistreated by some of the other visiting Queens. I'm just assuming that most of the people commenting are black and I find it a little odd that no one has noticed the mistreatment of our brothers and sisters from Haiti. I say that if we are going to get political over human mistreatment, we may as well kill two birds with one stone.
To prevent accusations of imposing our American and European values on the DR, we should direct our protests and comments to those world bodies that oversee such actions as gay and Haitian discremination. Bodies like Amnesty International and the United Nations.
Support for the Haitians and Dominicans can be directed to the Batey Relief Alliance that are doing great work but get no support from the goverment. www.bateyrelief.org I just wish so many have so much to say would put their money to go along with the indignation. IMHO
I would no longer support a third world country especially the dominican republic. before we start fighting for rights for the dominicans and haitians let's fight for our rights,gay rights, here in the usa. the history of the dr has always been gay bashing since the 70s but then they realize how much they need the $ of all the tourist including gay tourists. a few on here talking about writing letters protesting for rights how many actually do that here in the usa?
i will definitely watch your dominican people fight over my almighty dollar and all the blk straight and gay who support your female and male hustlers. for 500 years, your people have not got educated or learned much, so learn your history and remember how much you need us americans,our dollars, and all our federal dollars what's your name for now i'll call you "the racist hating DRs. i use the dr for what I want to use it for vacations, my company's business interests coporate meetings and the dr isn't the whole world for traveling,it's not that cheap anymore, high crime, highest aids epidemic. so throw your stones and all i do is still laugh at your pathetic asses.
`The Long Islander Black Man`(proud strong black man).
maybe the american and the dominican who're attacking each other might consider a truce or setting up a website of their own where they can go at each other? or a hotel room. please, take it elsewhere, guys.
this situation is reminiscent of what it's been like in the US over the last 35 years where the gay communities of all colors were facing state and police harassment and steadily and with determined effort were able to fight back. it isn't going to change overnight but it's good that chachita la rubia is on tv calling attention to it and amigos s a are holding rallies and speaking out and that peeps aren't letting the catholic church and bigots control the discussion.
when dominicans from all backgrounds can join together with some foreign friends offering moral and financial support things will really change. this has happened in other places around the globe and it's never easy. just look at the usa, where there are more gays and lesbians than the entire dominican population, gay bars and pride celebrations across the country, gay infrastructure, and yet gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals still have to fight for civil rights in some states. ¡no se la olvide, la lucha continua siempre!
Famed cross-dressing performer Kevin Aviance was brutally attacked on June 10th in New York's East Village. While most of his scheduled Pride performances were canceled, the resilient Aviance is expected to make an appearance at Junior Vasquez's "Gay Summer Camp" club event on Sunday, June 25th
he was attached by some so called young thugz,most are blk and at least one is hispanic.
how many usa citizens are outraged by this, work on your own back yard before you go to the dr and fight for their gay rights. I agree with that blogie from LI NY.
I was going to post a similar comment as the above poster regarding handling shyt in your own back yard first. Then I thought; I have never, ever, ever, felt a part of the larger gay community. Ever.
I participate in events and contribute when i can, to certain charities and fund raisers. But over all the gay community exists in a parallel universe for me.
When I began traveling to DR a while ago, i felt i found home; Both in the gay aspect and overall cultural aspect.
Could it be that some of the comments regarding a call to arms for our DR brothers reflect similar thoughts?
There was quite a large turnout at the March against violence in NYC last weekend which was good to see. So in some regards, folks are handling shyt in their own back yards.
I always find it interesting that many people who write on this BLOG find they need to always define thier "RACE" to the overall message that is talked about or written and basically not to the most important message overall "Human Race". Just an overall observation.
I agree, LINY and Angry DR the two of you need to find a new venue to carry on your love/hate relationship. Ying & Yang, you need to get a bottle of Brugal and "Fuck or Fight". Lets stay on subject and stop drifting into personal insults.
Does anyboby know how the rally went? I hope there was no viloence or arrests. Inquiring minds want to know!
Its not the first time or the last It’s not the first or last time a bar (gay or straight) in DR will be raided or closed down. The same thing happens frequently in the US or any other country. Most of the other bars that I have frequented in SDQ run a good, clean establishment.
This country had been moderately liberal towards alternate lifestyles, but because of the recent comments made by the Cardinal against homosexuality, it may seem that we have lost some ground protecting our basic rights. But in reality, some of us don’t even vote or fight for changes here at home in the US.
Some of you are suggesting that we should stay out of the country and see how they will miss our U.S. dollars. Guys, our dollars are just a piss in the ocean. The U.S. dollars brought down by gay tourists in no way compares to amount of dollars brought by the overall tourism industry. Wouldn’t the Cardinal consider it a victory if our presence were to be diminished?
Let’s continue to visit D.R. and enjoy all the country has to offer. Our presence there as it is anywhere is so important. Let everyone see that we are proud, strong, and that we will not allow any person, organization, or government to deny our basic human rights.
I'm going to the DR for vacation and some needed R & R(at a resort after partying in the capitol). I share my vacations between Puerto Rico and the DR lately not to mention Brazil in Agosto
I'm not getting into the politics nor the hate from any DR online or anyone else online pretending to be or not be.
After all I work hard and save my money to enjoy some of the pleasures of life,Ilive a comfortable lifestyle and fight for worker's rights(as i'm elected union delegate at my job) AND THAT WHAT COUNTS FOR ME AND MY LIFE.
I do my own thing~I enjoy and I pay NO MIND TO those who want to remain annonymous with hate mongering and to stiring up shyt and it's meaning less to me nor affects my "real" life. So love me or Hate me~ ;-)
Lately I haven't followed the blog(with working late and union delegate meetings) but after a few weeks I've decided to check it out and catch up on the latest since i'll be traveling to the DR~
Rafael hope to see you there again this year~
To each IT's own~Love/Like me or hate me, it's your karma not mines because i'm happy with me ;-)~
See you at the Sports Bar~
Happy Pride day to those New Yorkers~
Now if only I can conquer the "driving" task.
Nena Nuyorican~
To evryone in or from New York...HAPPY GAY PRIDE DAY! let's hope next year it doesn't rain1
Mire !! pueden enviar 5 mil emails y no valdria nada, tienen que hacer un boyccott para que saquen as todos esos policias corrupstos. Anyone speaks spanish here?
no i don't understand spanish but i looked up what you wrote.
thinking that the locals should fight for that as this affects their lives. tourists will come and go and have the American Emb to handle our complaints.
good luck
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