The situation along the border with Haiti has been tense to say the least. No shots have been fired, but recent news reports of Haitians trying to dig up one of the border markers, armed members of Haitian security forces very near the border, and border crossings still pretty much closed have not made things dear for either nation.
Last week, ambassadors from four Latin American countries (Panama, Mexico, Honduras and Colombia) visited the border crossing at Elias Piña to see the situation for themselves. Dominican Army soldiers escorted the diplomats. The ambassadors inspected the construction of the border barrier.
The Mexican ambassador noted that the situation appeared to be “quiet” and they even took photographs with members of the Haitian police assigned to that part of the border.
Panama’s Pablo Javier Cambo noted that the Dominican Republic “is a nation that complies with human rights” and that its citizens should be proud of their armed forces.
Meanwhile, Dominican Minister of Foreign Relations Roberto Alvarez issued a strong statement asking the Haitian authorities to take control of the situation and “avoid new situations that would aggravate and already delicate situation.”
Alvarez was referring to the Tuesday, 7 November clash at the border when Dominican and Haitian troops came face to face at the border in Dajabón. The situation came about when Haitian citizens entered national territory to prevent the patrolling of the Dominican military.
The Haitians set tires on fire, threw debris on the road on the west side of the fence still in Dominican territory and damaged Pyramid 13 so as not to recognize the border limit without the Haitian authorities taking actions to stop the violent crowd. The Dominican soldiers would eventually push the protestors back, without firing a shot.
The incident occurred near the construction of the canal that Haitian civilians are building to divert the waters of the Masacre River that originates in the Dominican Republic and flows through Haiti for two kilometers.
The Dominican Army announced it has reinforced the military presence in the buffer area of the Dajabon border wall in the vicinity of La Vigia. The general commander of the army of the Dominican Republic, Major General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre visited the Dajabón border area on Sunday, 12 November 2023, where he met with the troops commanded by Colonel Domingo Cruz Sosa of the 10th Battalion of the Army.
Foreign Relations Minister Roberto Alvarez gave an update on the official government position regarding the impasse with Haiti for Zol Radio morning talk program.
Read more:
Zol Radio of RCC Media
Hoy
Listin Diario
Noticias SIN
El Caribe
Jose Peguero interviews General Damian Arias Matos on the confrontations at the border
13 November 2023