Abinader denies UN report on arms arriving in Haiti from Dominican Republic: “It is totally false”.
President Luis Abinader during "La Semanal", held every Monday.GLAUCO CARPET/ LD
Santo Domingo—After being questioned about the alleged trafficking of arms arriving in Haiti from the Dominican Republic, according to a report by the UN Group of Experts, President Luis Abinader denied the information by affirming that “it is totally false.”
“It is not true. There may be some information that has come and it is not that. We also have intelligence information and this is not true, nor is it logical,” assured the president during the meeting with the press called La Semanal, held every Monday at the National Palace and which yesterday counted with the participation of journalists from the city of Santiago.
The arms that the country possesses – pointed out Abinader – are “seven times more expensive” than those of Haiti.
“It is not logical to bring or carry weapons here: it would be a bad business. What at the time was that they were bringing weapons from Haiti to here,” said the president in response to a journalist’s question at the press conference.
Abinader offered these statements three days after the international news agency EFE and other media published an article on arms trafficking between Haiti and the DR, according to an investigation by the “UN Group of Experts.”
“Most of the firearms and ammunition in circulation in the country are manufactured or originally purchased in the United States. They arrive in Haiti directly from the United States or through the Dominican Republic,” the document stated.
According to the article, the UN experts visited the DR and the neighboring countries to elaborate on the study.
There is arms trafficking in the RD. The article “Strengthening the fight against crime, arms trafficking and other crimes” appears alongside with this article in today’s DT edition. The companies transporting arms would be open to deal with buyers, Haitians or any other questionable parties.
The President is taking a political stand by his denying. However, it is not a realistic one.
arms traficking has historically been in the reverse. People get weapons FROM haiti. not the other way around. this accusation is ridiculous and unrealistc. Arms imports are banned in DR, some small armas get imported illegally but not enoguh to support a full arms traffiking operation of that level, specially not involving high caliber weapons.
And no evidence of such operation has been provided. No evidence and and not historical or econonic logic to sustain the argument. Weapons in haiti are WAy cheaper than DR due to non existing import regulations, large haitian diaspora in a state with ungregulated arms sale (florida) and the imposibility of tracking such weapons, that is absulutelly not the case in DR.
yeah, EVERY signle issues in the DR is because of Haiti… Illegal guns? Because of Haiti, Low wages? Because of haitian, Hospitals? Full of haitian, Schools? Full of haitian… While you are at it let me add:
Dengue fever? Because of haitian flies, Power outtage? Because of haitian, Stray dogs? Because of Haiti. Heavy tropical storm? Because of Haiti (because the storm wants to reach Haiti).
refute the argument with evidence, crying like a baby wont help.
Haiti does not need to get its arms from the DR when they are shipped directly to Haiti with the blessing of their politicians. The Dominican Republic does not fabricate firearms anymore and before anyone tries to smuggle weapons into Haiti from the DR they must smuggle those weapons into the DR first.
I agree, Haitians do not get all their weapons from RD, but they get ammunition from RD.