The Artibonito River is born in the Central Mountains of the Dominican Republic. It flows westward, through the province of Elias Piña, and in the tiny town of Banica on the Haitian border. It serves as the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic before heading across Haiti to the sea.
There is nothing except nature between the two countries at this point: no wall, no fences, and no controls. As reporters from the Diario Libre approached the river, troops from the Specialized Corps of Frontier Security (Cesfront) ordered them to stop and present identification. The ranking Cesfront official told the reporters to be careful down by the river since there were no controls whatsoever as to who might cross over.
Every Thursday, hundreds of people cross the river in makeshift canoes, or on foot or on motorcycle to attend the marketplace in Banica.
At the river’s edge, the reporters saw hundreds of Haitians carrying as many as three 125-lb bags of rice across the river. Once on the river’s edge, the men that handle the canoes, hollowed-out tree trunks- take over and carry the merchandise across the river. The flow of Haitian people to marketplace has been going on for decades.
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Diario Libre
Diario Libre
15 April 2024