Smaller
BiggerHaitians protest against Dominican measures for the canal and ask for the departure of Ariel Henry
Haiti.- In Port-au-Prince, hundreds of Haitians gathered in a protest demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry on Sunday. They expressed frustration over his perceived inability to govern the country, which is grappling with an enduring socio-political and economic crisis. This turmoil is further exacerbated by a conflict with the Dominican Republic concerning the use of the Masacre River, which serves as a natural border between the two nations.
The protest, organized by the new political party Engages pour le Developpement (EDE), led by former Prime Minister Claude Joseph, attracted participants who voiced concerns about the plight of those displaced by ongoing conflicts and living in challenging conditions on the streets and in schools.
During the demonstration, which marched to the prime minister’s residence, protesters also decried recent incidents of racism against Haitians living in the Dominican Republic. They criticized the Dominican government’s unilateral decision to close the borders, both land and maritime, in an attempt to halt the construction of an irrigation canal on the Massacre River in northeastern Haiti.
Protesters expressed unwavering support for the farmers in Ouanaminthe (Juana Méndez) who are engaged in building the canal, which is intended to irrigate more than 3,000 hectares of land in the northeastern part of Haiti.
The Dominican government initiated the border closure last Friday as a means of pressuring Haiti to halt the water intake project. This blockade also led to the suspension of the binational market in the Dominican municipality of Dajabón, resulting in economic losses for local merchants and producers and shortages of supplies on the Haitian side of the border.
Since the border closure, thousands of Haitians have been returning to their country, often waiting in long lines with their limited belongings during the designated border openings at noon and 4:00 PM.
Additionally, the Dominican president, Luis Abinader, took other measures, such as suspending visa issuance for Haitian citizens and expressly forbidding the entry of nine Haitian citizens, including Camiel Samson, considered a key figure associated with the contested canal project.
In response, the Haitian government defended its right to exploit its natural resources, asserting that, like the Dominican Republic, it has the full right to capture water from the Massacre River in accordance with the 1929 bilateral agreement. Nevertheless, the Haitian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized the importance of dialogue to resolve the crisis, even as various organizations within the Dominican Republic strongly criticized the retaliatory measures taken by the Abinader government over the irrigation canal dispute.
I believe the Dominican youth of today are a bigger threat to Dominican society than most Haitians. Too many youngsters are emulating the bad elements of American society all while being hooked on drugs. At least most Haitians actually want to work and live a conservative lifestyle.
Totally agree. I’ve always said that the DR people try to emulate what they see in the US too much. It is not good at all, and the association between NYC especially and the DR is what will be this country’s Achilles heel. Sadly, Mystery Babylon’s spider web reaches far and wide
“Hooked on drugs”??…. What the HELL are you talking about? The most you’ll see a Dominican doing is hookah. Most of the real drug consumption happens in the United States, just look at the recent fentanyl epidemic sweeping the nation.
The Dominican state will like to use the Massacre river ;s resources only for its own usage by preventing the Haitian farmers who are in Haiti from doing so, The reason for such selfish behavior is that the Dominican state will like that the Haitians rely exclusively on their agricultural products. The Dominicans have closed the borders between both countries, and the Haitians who are now in that country are stranded, harassed and unable to vacate to their daily activities. They are are facing a lot of problems, For example the association of Dominican public transport has decided not to carry Haitian passengers began on September 18 2023 until further notice The Haitians who are in the Dominican republic are not responsible to the border conflict which exist between both countries over the Massacre river . What would the million of Dominicans who are overseas would think if a similar unfair action would have been taken against them, they would not be happy, therefore it is the same for the Haitians who are in the Dominican republic. The Dominicans should stop their anti Haitian attitude. They have a complex of superiority toward the Haitians simply for the fact that most of them are mulattos or a little bit light skinned, while the Haitians are in majority back skinned. what a stupidity.
Stupid indeed, and there are MANY who are watching the actions of the racist-behavior of the DR against the Haitian people. All I will say is, Karma will make its move at some point…and I just hope I am not here when SHTF
Dude, stop believing nonsense and start looking at the FACTS for what they are. What Haitians are attempting to do with this absurd canal construction in the border is not only ILLEGAL but it’s also gonna hurt them in the long run, and it’s going to have adverse effects on rural communities living on both sides of the border. Haitians are DESTROYING the little natural resources they have and they want to drag Dominicans down with them to the abyss with their poor, senseless decisions. Haitians like to play the victim card and want to cry and accuse Dominicans of “racism”….but at the end of the day, the biggest enemy of Haitians is their own corrupt people, that is why their country is submerged in total chaos and instability…