Once again, the authorities in Ouanaminthe on the western side of the border with Dajabon have locked the Haitian side of the border gate. The Haitian authorities are not allowing Haitian merchants to pass to the Dominican side despite the gate being open to trade on the Dominican side.
On Tuesday, Haitian merchants had forced open the Haitian gate. But the lock was replaced and the gates again locked until “new notice”.
Haitian authorities have demanded the elimination of the minimum biometric registry for Haitians to cross. Previously, on market days all foot traffic was allowed to cross without identification for shopping in the market. There were no controls on who got in or who returned to Haiti. President Luis Abinader has said the biometric registry is here to stay.
The gates were closed after the Dominican government protested the construction of a canal that will divert waters of a river born in the Dominican Republic that passes for two km through Haitian territory before resuming its 50+ km course within the Dominican Republic.
30 November 2023