The Dominican authorities are now arresting more Haitians than Dominicans attempting to reach Puerto Rico.
Dominican Armada (Navy) Rear Admiral Edwin Dominici Rosario says that Haitians have displaced Dominicans as the main passengers on illegal boat trips.
In a year and two months no deaths on the high seas have been recorded of Dominicans attempting to make illegal boat crossings to Puerto Rico. He says this is because prevention work has been successful and boat trip organizers have been sent to trial. “We are now preparing the cases well, because in the past the organizers were able to go free too easily,” he said, in an interview with Diario Libre.
From the change of government in August 2012 to November 2013, the Armada has confiscated 195 boats in Miches, Samana, Las Terrenas and Cabeza de Toro that were intended for use in illegal boat trips. A total of 2,377 people were arrested and 68 captains and organizers of boat trips were sent to justice. Of these, 61 were granted bail and another 16 are in preventive custody while their cases are heard. Of those arrested, 975 were Dominicans, 1,296 Haitians, 99 Cubans and seven Brazilians.
The chief of the Armada said that in the past year as part of support operations they have confiscated 8,483 kilos of cocaine, 42 lbs of marijuana and 3 kilos of heroin.
In the area of security and safety services, he said the Armada made 485 arrests, seized 75 boats, 61 illegal fishing dragnets and rescued 437 people.
El Caribe reports that Dominican military officers are traveling to Puerto Rico today, Friday 22 November to meet with their counterparts there and draft a plan for tackling the large number of undocumented Haitians who have been arrested in recent weeks attempting to reach Puerto Rican shores. Minister of Defense Sigfrido Pared said that this situation has been created by a special concession made for Haitians reaching US territory after the 2010 earthquake.
An editorial in El Caribe comments on the added cost of patrolling Dominican waters and arresting and deporting the violators. El Caribe expresses concern that the topic could become another open front for denouncing alleged human rights abuses of Haitians in the international media.
www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2013/11/22/i412093_aao-han-muerto-dominicanos-viajes-ilegales.html
www.elcaribe.com.do/2013/11/22/haitianos-yolas#sthash.fmB0Abm9.dpuf