On Monday in Ouanaminthe, several hundred Haitians tried to force their way into Dominican territory to buy food and other goods on the binational market in Dajabón, which was temporarily closed by the Dominican authorities to avoid the spread of Covid-19, while Haiti declared a state of emergency duie to the strong rebound in the number of cases and deaths on its territory https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33918-haiti-flash-3rd-wave-already-more-than-2-500-cases-and-60-deaths.html

Immigration inspectors and public health officials backed by the Dominican military demanded Haitians to present Covid-19 vaccination cards. Haitian buyers and merchants reacted violently stressing these requirements do not concern large merchants and businessmen who are allowed to enter without meeting these requirements, frustrated several individuals attacked the Dominican soldiers stationed at the border with stones which did nothing but take shelter without responding.

Faced with the risk of a more violent confrontation, the Dominican authorities ordered the temporary closure of the border.

Angry, the Haitians then set tires on fire and blocked the road from Ouanaminthe to Dajabón warning that they would not allow the entry of Dominican goods into their territory as long as the market remained closed.

Many Haitians then tried to enter Dominican territory despite everything via the Massacre River, a movement thwarted by the arrival of the Border Police (PoliFront) a special unit of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), which had to face violent individuals who threw stones at them.

A PoliFront officer, with a megaphone warned the protesters that they were not Dominican soldiers and police, but Haitian law enforcement officers. In order to disperse these highly motivated demonstrators, the PoliFront used tear gas, gunshots were reported. According to Haitian testimonies at least one protester was injured and another killed. Information that has not been confirmed by the Haitian authorities.

During these clashes, a strong presence of soldiers from the Specialized Corps for Land Border Security (Cesfront) was observed throughout the border strip that separates the two nations, to prevent possible demonstrators from entering Dominican territory.

S/ HaitiLibre