President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic has taken a firm stance on keeping the border closed, despite the potential economic, social, and diplomatic repercussions for both nations. He is expected to address this issue at the UN General Assembly, drawing global attention to the situation.

It has been a considerable span of time since all Haitians united with unprecedented solidarity, rallying behind a common goal. The Canal project has garnered unanimous support, transcending societal boundaries and encompassing civilians, government officials, influential figures like pastors, and voodoo priests, Teachers and local elected officials.

They have all made solemn pledges to stand steadfast rather than allow the construction to halt. Notably, the entire population, including the Haitian diaspora, is fervently contributing funds to bolster the efforts of engineers and workers involved in this ambitious endeavor. Given this unwavering collective commitment, there appears to be no conceivable scenario in which progress stops, particularly since President Abinader has stated that he will only open the Dominican border if the canal construction is suspended.

Abinader is gaining notoriety for his increasingly hardline stance against Haitians, a shift in policy and rhetoric that has drawn attention and concern from both national and international observers.

A dozen Dominican organizations issued a joint statement on Saturday against the Dominican government’s closure of the Dominican-Haitian border in retaliation for the construction, on the Haitian side, of an irrigation canal on the Masacre River and denying that the work is a diversion of its course.

“We reject the Dominican government’s warlike speeches and aggressive measures based on the assertion that the Haitian irrigation canal on the Masacre River is a ‘diversion of the river,’” which constitutes a natural border between the two countries.

That assertion, according to the statement, “contradicts the Dominican official documents themselves, including the position of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (Indrhi) issued in 2021 and the binational declaration of May 27 of that year.”

In previous UN assemblies, President Abinader has highlighted the urgent need for international intervention to stabilize Haiti and ensure security, emphasizing that Haitians alone cannot pacify their country given the political divisions and the presence of criminal gangs.

The crisis in Haiti escalated after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021, leading to violence, insecurity, and the rise of armed gangs. President Abinader has emphasized that there cannot be a “Dominican solution” to the crisis in Haiti and has called on larger nations to collaborate in addressing the situation.

Haiti Hebdo