VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDG #1859/01 2201859
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081859Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8910
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN PRIORITY 2083
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0797
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN PRIORITY 0990
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON PRIORITY 2772
RUEHPO/AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO PRIORITY 1124
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 4664
RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN PRIORITY 1828

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001859 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ASEC DR
SUBJECT: EMBASSY BANS STAFF FROM NIGHTCLUB AFTER 
DISCRIMINATORY INCIDENT 
 
 
¶1. (U) On July 30, the Charge Roland Bullen directed all 
resident official U.S. Embassy employees to refrain from 
patronizing &The Loft,8 a popular Santo Domingo nightclub. 
The decision was made public in a press release, in which the 
Charge noted that the decision was taken in response to the 
actions of Loft management in selectively denying entry to 
African-Americans Embassy employees on July 22.  The Charge 
also noted that the recent selective denial of entry was only 
the latest such action by the discotheque.  In 2005, the 
Charge,s predecessor, DCM Lisa Kubiske, met with executives 
of several nightclubs seeking changes in admission policies 
following repeated denials of entry to African-American 
Embassy employees. 
 
¶2. (U) The Charge telephoned Deputy Foreign Minster Trullols 
to inform him of the decision to refrain from patronizing the 
Loft, and the Embassy sent a diplomatic note on the subject. 
Notice of this action was also placed on the Embassy,s 
website to advise U.S. citizens visiting the Santo Domingo of 
the Loft,s discriminatory actions.  (The full text of the 
press release can be found at 
http://www.usemb.gov.do/prelease/Loft Disco.htm.  For the 
diplomatic note, see para. 10.) 
 
BACKGROUND 
 
¶3. (U) As outlined in the Embassy,s human rights report, 
there is significant racial prejudice against persons of dark 
complexion in the Dominican Republic, and the government has 
done little to address the problem.  Acts of discrimination 
are common, ranging from the petty to the more serious.  In 
particular there are strong prejudices against Haitians, 
which disadvantage many Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian 
ancestry, as well as other foreigners of dark complexion, 
including African-Americans.  Few government officials 
acknowledge the existence of this discrimination; others 
regularly and publicly deny that it exists. 
 
¶4. (U) Darker-skinned Dominicans frequently report being 
denied entry into stores, nightclubs, and restaurants.  In 
September 2006, a private security officer shot and killed a 
22-year-old Dominican student at the popular Santo Domingo 
nightclub &Praia8 after a security officer's refusal of 
admission to her darker-skinned friend escalated into a 
heated argument. 
 
PRESS AND PUBLIC REACTION 
 
¶5. (U) Following the Embassy,s press release, the Dominican 
press gave wide coverage to issue.  On July 31, the 
country,s leading newspaper, Listin Diario, carried 
front-page coverage, as did other morning dailies.  Local 
radio and television news and commentary programs devoted 
significant time to the decision.  The local Associated Press 
reporter and the Miami Herald published stories on the 
decision made by the Charge. 
 
¶6. (U) A number of newspapers have opined positively on the 
decision.  Several opinion articles were written which openly 
criticizing not only the Loft, but also other discotheques 
that routinely practice selective-entry policies.  Of 
particular note was the fact that even media outlets that are 
often critical of the Embassy and U.S. foreign policy 
congratulated the Embassy for their stance on this issue. 
Pablo McKinney, poet, television/radio political analyst, and 
daily columnist for the left-of-center tabloid El Nacional 
wrote that, &For that dignified decision, we find ourselves 
writing this early morning to the imperialists, with love. 
Who could have imagined this...?  I can only salute Mr. 
Roland,s decision... and invite him to drink a couple of 
cold beers at a local spot in order to show him the good will 
of our simple people.8 
 
GOVERNMENT REACTION 
 
¶7. (U) On August 6, following the positive press and public 
reaction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a supportive 
press release:  &(The MFA) agrees with the position of the 
Embassy of the United States of America against the 
discotheque Loft for allegedly being racist....  It is 
incredible that these things occur in a country where 70 
 
percent of the population is mulatto and 20 percent black.... 
 Discrimination in public places violates multiple 
international human rights treaties to which the Dominican 
Republic is a signatory.8  Such a release by the MFA on a 
domestic matter is unprecedented.  EMBOFFs have also received 
positive feedback from other government officials, diplomatic 
colleagues and private sector contacts. 
 
MEETING WITH LOFT MANAGEMENT 
 
¶8. (SBU) On August 7, the Charge met with the general manager 
of The Loft and the shift manager who was on duty the night 
of July 22.  The meeting was requested by the Loft owner.  In 
the meeting, the managers were defensive, claiming that 
racial discrimination had not taken place, but rather blaming 
the denial of entry on poorly educated doormen.  The Loft 
managers maintained that the reason for denial of entry was 
hairstyle (specifically, braided hair), and then went into 
some detail about what they considered to be acceptable 
hairstyles.  The managers further claimed that the doormen 
did not contact management when they denied entrance to 
Embassy staff.  (Note:  During the incident on July 22, 
EMBOFFs witnessed several calls from the doormen to 
management.  In addition, one doorman stated to EMBOFFs that 
his supervisor had said that he was not to allow entry to 
&blacks.8) 
 
¶9. (SBU) An apology was offered for the incident, but not for 
racial discrimination.  The managers suggested that Embassy 
staff call in advance so that they would not be denied entry 
in the future (note: this is moot given the ban on The Loft). 
 The Charge concluded the meeting by stating that he does not 
intend to lift the ban. 
 
PRESS RELEASE AND DIPLOMATIC NOTE 
 
¶10. (U) Begin text of diplomatic note. 
 
No. 166 
 
The Embassy of the United States of America presents its 
compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the 
Government of the Dominican Republic and notes the decision 
of Charg d, Affaires a. i.- Roland W. Bullen of prohibiting 
all Embassy employees from patronizing &the Loft discothque 
in response to the actions of it,s management in selectively 
denying entry to African-Americans on July 22, 2007. 
 
The Embassy notes that this recent selective denial of entry 
was only the latest such action by the club.  In 2005 Embassy 
personnel met with Loft officials seeking a change in its 
admission policy following denials of entry to African 
American Embassy employees. 
 
The Embassy of the United States considers it necessary to 
take this action to place the Loft venue off-limits to its 
employees, because of the consistent and repeated 
discrimination towards US Embassy employees of African 
decent.   The US Embassy condemns such discrimination, which 
violates Dominican law and U.S. norms of equal access and 
non-discrimination towards all. 
 
The Embassy of the United States avails itself of this 
opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of 
the Government of the Dominican Republic the assurances of 
its highest consideration. 
 
Embassy of the United States of America, 
Santo Domingo, July 31, 2007 
 
(U) This report and extensive other material can be consulted 
on our SIPRNET site, 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/  
BULLEN