Security strengthened as Haitian crossings increase at the Dominican Republic border
Dominican Republic strengthens security as Haitians rely on crossing the border for essentials.
DAJABÓN, Dominican Republic — As the crisis in Haiti spirals deeper into chaos, the neighboring Dominican Republic is bracing for more migrants arriving amid ongoing tensions between the two countries.
The border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic has been closed for days as violence in Haiti dramatically escalated following a mass prison break in Port-au-Prince. But on Thursday and Friday, Haitians were allowed into a farmer’s market in the border town of Dajabón, which has a population of 25,000 and is about 120 miles from the Haitian capital.
Under the watchful eye of border guards, hundreds of Haitians rushed into the market to buy whatever food they could carry with what little money they had, as temperatures exceeded 95 degrees. Men hurriedly pushed wheelbarrows full of corn, eggs and drinking water. Women carried buckets of supplies on their heads.
It was so crowded that on Friday one woman was badly injured when she fell off a bridge into the brush below. Bystanders said she lost her balance in the stampede to get food.
Meanwhile, a robust security presence is visible, with troops manning checkpoints and razor wire topping border fences. And each day, bus after bus is seen deporting Haitians who were in the Dominican Republic illegally.
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