Spanish
Pablo Ulloa, the Ombudsman, spoke out about the rejection of the housing application of the singer Tokischa, noting that this case goes beyond a simple breach.
According to Ulloa, the refusal to grant the housing is not due to a breach, but to a rejection of the way Tokischa expresses herself and acts.
“Avoiding people like you wasn't an opinion, it was a sentence,” stated Ullora, highlighting that the rejection towards the singer reflects a prejudice that contravenes the principles of the Constitution of the Dominican Republic.
Ulloa recalled that Article 59 of the Constitution guarantees the right to housing and that Article 39 prohibits discrimination. According to the Ombudsman, denying housing to a person because of how they dress, sing, or act constitutes a violation of the fundamental rights established in the Magna Carta.
The Ombudsman stressed that this type of situation reveals a widespread prejudice in different sectors of society. For Ullora, this problem should not only be seen in the context of what happened with Tokischa, but as a demonstration of the exclusion faced by many people for not conforming to certain patterns.
“The country we dream of is not built with closed doors, but by guaranteeing fundamental rights for all,” concluded Ulloa.
The Ombudsman reiterated that respect for human rights and the elimination of discrimination must be priorities to move towards a just and egalitarian society for all Dominicans.
