Dajabon, Dominican Republic.- The Dominican consulate in Ouanaminthe (Haiti northeast) will remain closed until the violent incidents of the last few days cease in Haiti, where protesters demand drinking water, street repairs and lower taxes on products bought in the city’s bustling market.
Dominican military patrols have also increased in the area, rocked by incidents since last week between Haitians and Dominicans, including the retention of a Dominican truck driver who was later released.
The Dominican consulate in Ouanaminthe –just two kilometers from the border at Dajabon- shuttered its doors early Tuesday and its 14 staffers had to scurry to safety in nearby homes, when a mob of Haitians pelted it with stones, bottles and sticks.
The weeks-long turmoil in Haiti has hobbled the market held in Dajabon Mondays and Fridays.