DAJABON, Dominican Republic: Haitian paramilitaries are persistently entering Dominican territory illegally and provoking confrontations with the military, as reported by Santiago Riverón, the mayor of Dajabón. He emphasized that the situation at the border “continues to worsen.”
“The violation of our territory didn’t just happen on that day (at La Vigía). They continue to infiltrate our territory,” stated the mayor of Dajabón.
Riverón supports granting authorization to Dominican military forces to confront the Haitian paramilitaries. “We need to set an example. Since civilians are not involved, let’s set an example. Dominican territory must be respected. We need to give the green light to the military to act,” he declared.
The mayor commended the Dominican military for their conduct in the face of provocations from the Haitian group that disrupted the informal market in La Vigía, where they assaulted traders and destroyed merchandise. “There are no more traders there due to all these provocations. If they enter our territory, we cannot stand idly by. We must try to apprehend them, and if they resist arrest, then we must subdue them,” he expressed.
Riverón added, “We have to subdue them, and if we have to use force, then so be it. Let whatever needs to happen happen because we can’t talk about diplomacy; there is no one to talk to in Haiti, and they come up with something new every day. We need to be clear about that.”
He mentioned that “many inhabitants of the neighboring Haitian nation are suffering, and they want the border to be open for trading and buying products in the Dajabón market. However, Haitian entrepreneurs and authorities are paying a significant amount to this gang of criminals to keep the border closed.”
