Mao-Monte Cristi bishop, Monsignor Tomas Abreu Herrera urged the Dominican government to assume the Haitian migration problem with more seriousness and responsibility, as reported in the Listin Diario’s 11 October issue. He addressed the traditional laissez-faire attitude of the government that has led to the widespread migration of illegal Haitians across the border. Listin Diario cites former army inspector general, Manuel Ernesto Polanco Salvador saying that in the DR there are more than one million Haitians, most of these illegal. Edwin Paraison, former Haitian general consul, estimates that there are only 3,000 legal Haitians living in the DR. Paraison estimates that 96% of the Haitians deported from the DR, eventually return.
Monsigor Abreu Herrera told the Listin Diario: “There is no xenophobia, but rather there is antagonism that has been building up. That is, Dominicans have their differences with the Haitians, certain antagonism, some of it historic, dating from the days of their ancestors, but the gap has widened following the crimes committed by Haitians recently. He said that there are many places where Haitians and Dominicans live and work side by side, helping each other, but the many crimes committed against Dominicans in the Northwest has brought about this new antagonism.
“People want to take justice in their own hands, that is, the Haitian situation in the region is delicate at this time because not all Haitians are coming here looking for work,” explained the bishop. “Some Haitians come to commit crimes, to make money at any cost, and they are known to rob motorcycles, cattle and farm products. There is much hunger in Haiti and Haitians are coming that are not looking for work, but for money at any price,” said the bishop.
The Listin Diario article also points out that Haiti despite the chaos in Haiti, that nation continues to be a leading importer of Dominican produce.