The Bishop of southwestern province of San Juan de la Maguana, Juan Dolores Grullón Estrella said that he is participating in the preparation of a project for the joint development of the frontier zone with funding from the European Union. He said that Dominicans and Haitians that live on the frontier "cannot be enemies". He said, "if those of the capital city want us to become enemies, that is a problem of theirs." Grullón was referring to the good relations Dominicans and Haitian residents along the frontier maintain. He said that thousands of indigent Dominicans who live along the frontier do not have their birth certificates either. He said this is so because there is a law that obliges that parents be recognized by their parents to be able to in turn recognize their children. Grullón said that the repatriations of Haitians are legal but they are inhuman because they separate families and the Haitians are not given time to pick up their belongings. He said this is a wasted effort as these people return to join their family and their belongings left here.
