Top UN official urges re-opening of Dominican border with Haiti

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
19 Sep 2023 09:52

The UN's top official on human rights in Haiti says the Dominican government's decision will have serious impacts on people on both sides of the border.

Dominican soldier from the Specialized Land Border Security Corps observes a Haitian citizen crossing back to his country during a military operation at the border post in Dajabon, Dominican Republic, on September 18, 2023 (AFP)

A top UN official on Monday urged authorities in the Dominican Republic to re-open its border with Haiti and use diplomacy to resolve a dispute over a shared river.

The Dominican Republic announced the border closure on Thursday in response to Haiti's plans to build a canal on the Massacre River, arguing it violates several border treaties between the two nations, which share the island of Hispaniola.

William O'Neill, the UN's top official on human rights in Haiti, stressed that the border must be reopened.

"I urge the government to reconsider its decision which will have serious impacts on people on both sides of the border," O'Neill expressed in Geneva.

He pointed out that many businesses in the Dominican Republic depend on trade with Haiti and rely on Haitian workers.

According to O'Neill, the consequences of the border closure will be even more dire for Haiti, which imports much of its food and medical supplies from its neighbor.

"Directors of medical clinics in Haiti have told me that they will not be able to care for their patients if access to the Dominican Republic is cut off," he added.

"Lives are at stake."

On his part, Dominican President Luis Abinader reiterated Sunday that land, air, and sea borders with Haiti will remain closed until the canal project is halted.

"The measures will be in force until we achieve the definitive stoppage of the canal under construction," Abinader said in a televised address.

On Monday, his government called O'Neill's statements "biased and unfortunate."

The diplomatic crisis comes on top of existing tensions between the Caribbean neighbors over emigration from Haiti, one of the world's poorest nations, to the richer Dominican Republic.

It is noteworthy that Dominican authorities are building a 160-kilometer (100-mile) concrete wall along the 380-kilometer border with Haiti to keep out undocumented migrants.

"The Republic of Haiti can make sovereign decisions on the exploitation of its natural resources," the Haitian government underlined in response to the initial announcement of the border closure by the Dominican Republic.

As part of the canal dispute, the Dominican government also suspended visas for Haitians. Ahead of the full border closure, it closed the Dajabon crossing -- one of the most important crossings where a cross-frontier market takes place twice a week.