Haiti says it has no intention of going to conflict with the Dominican Republic over a border scenario that previously few days “has been inflicting pointless issues” between the 2 republics.
The 2 nations make up the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, however final Friday, the Dominican Republic closed its land, air and sea borders with Haiti as the 2 nations proceed to be at odds over the development of an irrigation canal in Haiti.
Water from the canal comes from the Bloodbath River which flows between the 2 nations.
“I want to state that the Republic of Haiti just isn’t at conflict with anybody. Haitians are a beneficiant folks. Now we have at all times proven solidarity and imagine in dialogue and the flexibility to pretty share shared sources by way of mutual respect, “Prime Minister Dr Ariel Henry informed the United Nations Normal Meeting (UNGA) on Friday evening.
“I got here right here in the present day to let you already know that we now have no intention of any kind to prejudge the neighbours with whom we share our island with whom we should co-exist and advance.
“Historical past teaches us day in and day trip that violence with a brotherly nation can solely result in regrets and depart behind bitterness and regret handed down from era to era.”
Henry stated he wished to move on the message from the “whole Haitian folks, the river generally known as the Bloodbath River, the background of friction between Haiti and the Dominican Republic means we should do our best possible to make sure that outdated demons don’t break away once more, that we don’t open outdated wounds or new ones”.
However Henry stated Haiti “reaffirms this sovereign proper of the Haitian folks to make use of excessive pure water sources, similar to the Dominican Republic and we name for an equitable sharing of the river sources.
“The Haitian folks chooses the trail of dialogue and to negotiation to peacefully resolve any variations, any battle underneath the auspices of worldwide agreements signed between the 2 states in 1929 and once more in 2021,” Henry informed the UNGA.
Final Sunday, President Luis Abinader defended his determination, saying that the border closure will proceed till the development of the canal is suspended.
“We neither want nor search confrontation, however we’re confronted with uncontrollable individuals who preserve insecurity in Haiti and who, due to their non-public pursuits, at the moment are additionally conspiring in opposition to the soundness of their authorities and the safety of our sources in water,” he stated, including ‘this isn’t a battle between two peoples, as a result of neither the Dominican folks nor the Haitian folks need confrontation”.
Earlier this week, the United Nations professional on human rights in Haiti, William O’Neill, stated he’s “ extraordinarily alarmed” on the determination of the Dominican Republic to utterly shut the land, air and sea borders with Haiti.
“I urge the federal government to rethink its determination which can have critical impacts on folks on each side of the border. I additional urge each governments to return to the negotiating desk and observe the method outlined by the Joint Declaration of 27 Could 2021 to succeed in a peaceable decision of this dispute,” O’Neill stated.