Legislators from Dominican Republic’s border provinces are proposing that their government join Haiti’s initiative to build a wall to separate the two countries, as the latter is doing at the community of Carrizal, Elías Piña (west), and extend the dividing line between the island’s two nations.
Haiti’s government is building a wall at the border to control the entry of, and collect taxes on merchandise from Dominican Republic, whose lawmakers have suggested extending the construction so the government can control illegal migration.
Barahona province senator Eddy Mateo said the work by Haiti is an opportunity for both countries to agree to build a wall to define a border line dating back to 1929 and ratified by the 1936 Treaty. He said conflicts between Dominicans and Haitians often lead to attacks on agents assigned to the border. “It’s now time to reach a bilateral understanding between the two sides to put an end to that situation, Dominican Republic must demand respect because [of] shenanigans and blackmailing by the Haitian Government and its authorities and we must protect with blood and guts what has cost us so much sacrifice to achieve our independence.”
Independencia province senator Juan Orlando Mercedes said the Government should first investigate the real reason behind the wall’s construction, because the relations between the two countries have been satisfactory. He said, however, that this is a good opportunity for the Dominican Republic government to support the wall. He advocates a wall with five gates, one at each border province, and a wide highway along the wall to strictly control the illegal migration he affirms takes place every day at the border.
For Pedernales senator Dionis Sánchez, the wall poses an opportunity to clearly define the situation between the two nations.
“I’d like to know the opinion of international organisations that permanently live condemning us and that Haiti has erected a wall unilaterally without consulting the Government, I would like to know their opinion.”
