Agenzia Fides

Santo Domingo (Agenzia Fides) - On the crisis and the tensions that are registered at the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic "only the governments on both sides, Dominican and Haiti, can find a solution to the present impasse" and should do so "without any interference": This is what is said, in a letter sent to Fides Agency, by Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez, Archbishop of Santo Domingo, speaking on the issue of the Haitian group who have been blocked for a week at the border.
The Archbishop remarks that neither the ambassadors nor foreign governments, priests or non-governmental organizations can interfere in a matter that concerns only government authorities, pointing out that "it is up to the Dominican government to establish its own immigration policy." "It is an old matter," said the Archbishop. "I understand that it is necessary to ask the Haitian government to collaborate on the regularity of citizens’ documents at the Dominican border."
According to information collected by Fides, the President of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina, convened a meeting with his officials to deal with the crisis of the border where, for nearly a week, thousands of undocumented Haitians have tried to enter the Dominican Republic. The situation on the border has become very tense, and in Oanaminthe, a city in the territory of Haiti, the Dominican consulate had to close down because of the constant threats to employees, who do not grant a visa to be able to travel to the neighboring country. Every year, thousands of Haitians enter the Dominican Republic to try to leave for other destinations, both in South America and Europe. Many immigrants are working in the agricultural field. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 12/01/2013)