Dominican Republic Intensifies Haiti Border Shutdown

The Dominican Republic has announced new measures to strengthen control at its border with Haiti.

Report says the measures include an indefinite extension of the border shutdown it enacted last month plus boosting military forces as well as a new exports ban.

The Dominican Republic sealed its border with Haiti last month citing the construction of a canal from the Massacre River, which straddles the border between the two countries, arguing this violated a treaty.

Haiti’s government responded by saying it backed its citizens’ rights to the equitable use of shared waters and continued to favor dialogue.

Meanwhile, last week Dominican President, Luis Abinader, who is seeking re-election next year, said a decommissioned canal on the Dominican side was ready to restart and that plans to continue the construction of two dams off the shared river.

However, the Organization of American States has called for a resumption of dialogue.

 New measures
Meanwhile, under the new measures, exports of electronics, cement, and other building materials will be banned to prevent the construction of structures that threaten the river or related resources.

The government said it would also launch “provisional commercial corridors” in border provinces to facilitate trade, under strict military controls, of Dominican products such as food and medicine.

Santo Domingo said it would also indefinitely extend the suspension of visa issuances to Haitian citizens, and create a fund to finance an agricultural program to reduce hiring of undocumented immigrant workers.

The new measures will take effect on Wednesday.

Report says the Dominican Republic has deported tens of thousands of Haitian migrants who have fled escalating gang warfare in their own country, drawing international criticisms.

The parliament in Kenya which has offered to lead a UN backed international force requested by Haiti’s government a year ago – temporarily barred a deployment of 1,000 police officers to the Caribbean nation.

REUTERS/Christopher Ojilere