On Monday morning, the Dominican government called for an extraordinary meeting of the National Security Council to address the situation in Haiti and the new crisis on the border. Haitian groups have already begun to install culverts in the dredged area that will serve as a channel for the diversion of water from the Masacre River.
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DR & Haiti Decide to Maintain Border Closure, Dajabon Province
A large group remains day and night in the surroundings of the canal, armed with sticks, machetes and stones, to avoid the stoppage of the works by compatriots affected by the closing of the border. According to Haitian media, the decision of the Haitians is supported by former senator Waninque Pierre.
Last Saturday, a crane was spotted on the western bank of the tributary while lowering the sections that will be attached to form the water conduit. It was also reported that uniformed Haitian forces have been seen guarding the work, presumably to provide protection to the proponents of this act.
Tripotay Lakay, a media outlet from Juana Mendez, Haiti, reported that residents of the Maribawo area, where the canal is being built, began nightly monitoring operations to prevent their compatriots from destroying the work that has been done so far to build the canal.
The tweet reads, "Faced with the conflict between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, border mayor Santiago Riveron, asked the Dominican government to carry out a massive repatriation of Haitians who are circulating illegally."
Meanwhile, agents of the Haitian Brigade of Surveillance of Protected Areas have been meeting on the border with Dominican Army soldiers, without so far revealing the issues discussed.
The Dominican consul in Juana Mendez, Margarito de Leon, who has been very active in the area, has called on the Haitian government to take measures and stop the work, in order to put an end to the conflict that this has generated.
For his part, the mayor of Dajabón, Santiago Riverón, asked the Dominicans to support the decision of President Luis Abinader to close the border in the part of the province, in view of the rebellious attitude of the Haitians to continue with the illegal construction of the canal.
For his part, Consul Margarito de León sent a letter to the Haitian authorities, in which he informed them of the following:
"The reason for this letter is to reiterate our intention and invite you to continue our efforts to seek a harmonious solution, under the protection of the laws and treaties in force. To the impasse created between the two nations by the unilateral action initiated by a group of Haitian citizens on the banks of the Masacre River."