Media reports reveal construction of the canal that would divert the waters of the Masacre River in Haiti has halted. The canal construction has the support of Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry and Barbecue (Jimmy Cherizier), the infamous gang leader in Haiti. Yet, the construction has been under protest by the Abinader administration since 2021.
In an update, concurrently, President Luis Abinader declared during the Monday, 25 September 2023 press conference that relations between both countries will never be the same after the impasse.
Abinader told the journalists that the Dominican government does not seek or want any type of conflict with Haiti, but that it will act to defend the national interest.
He stated that he has always wanted to have good relations with Haiti, but given the events currently happening in the Masacre River, “there has been no alternative but to act and maintain national security.”
“We neither sought nor wanted this conflict, but it has been presented to us and we have had to act. “We are acting to defend the national interest,” said the President when responding to questions of journaloists during the La Semanal weekly press conference at the Presidential Palace.
President Abinader had ordered the shutdown of the air, land and maritime borders with Haiti.
Abinader understands Haiti should have another way of acting with the Dominicans due to the Dominican Republic’s solidarity with the neighboring country. “What we think is, in a country that has been so supportive of Haiti, there should have another behavior, another way of acting for its people and its country.”
He pointed out that the closure of the border by sea, air and land, for some, was an “arbitrary and drastic” measure, but he defended the measure and described it as “necessary.”
“Since we took these measures, which many say were measures without warning, we first warned about three weeks ago when they started the canal and we said that we were going to have to take measures,” he indicated.
Regarding sitting down for talks, he said that his government remains “open to dialogue” with Haiti to address the issue of the construction of the canal that aims to divert the flow of the Masacre River, but he reiterated the position that to do so the construction must be stopped.
“We are always open to dialogue to see how water is distributed equitably,” he indicated.
The President said that the dam’s design on the Artibonito River is for use of the waters for generating energy.
The head of state said that he will think about changing some of the measures against Haiti once the La Vigía canal in the Dominican Republic takes water from the river that marks the land division of both nations. The Dajabon/Masacre river begins in the Dominican Republic and then flows for around two km in Haiti before going on its path of around 55 km.
“After having this La Vigía canal in operation urgently, in two or three weeks, ensuring the river’s flow [for Dominican farmers], we would see the possibility of making some of the measures more flexible. I will tell you from now on, the Dominican border will never be the same. It will never be the same based on these events and situations that will come in that country,” he said.
Read more in Spanish:
En Segundos
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
El Dia
El Caribe
Bernardo Vega/ El Despertador
27 September 2023