Advertising
For help, call:
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The Dominican Republic on Thursday accused Haiti of border violations in the latest dispute involving their shared border on the island of Hispaniola.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Álvarez, held a press conference on the issue a few days after an armed confrontation between Dominicans and members of a Haitian government environmental brigade.
The brief stalemate is due to obvious confusion over border barriers. It happened Tuesday at the northern end of the shared island, near one of the more than 300 concrete barriers that delimit the border.
“What happened is a flagrant violation of Dominican territory,” Alvarez said. “We strongly appeal to the Haitian government to restore order on its territory and avoid conditions that further aggravate an already delicate situation. »
A spokesman for the Haitian prime minister’s office declined to comment Thursday, referring to a statement issued Wednesday by the government accusing Dominican infantrymen of violating Haitian territory.
He also said Haitian Foreign Minister Jean Victor Généus spoke with Alvarez after Tuesday’s incident and that both sides agreed to make an attempt to defuse tensions to further escalation.
Long-simmering tensions between the two countries escalated in recent months when Dominican President Luis Abinader announced he would prevent the issuance of visas to Haitians and closed all land, air and sea borders for about a month, dealing a severe blow to Haiti’s economy.
The border closures were due to an ongoing dispute over the structure of a canal in Haitian territory for water from a river that runs along the border.
Abinader partially reopened the borders last month, even though the visa ban remains in place and Haitians are not allowed to enter the Dominican Republic for work, education, tourism, medical or other purposes.
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Advertisement