Dominican Republic: ‘the construction of the wall progresses very slowly’

First modification: 08/23/2022 – 12:00

The wall between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, whose purpose is to fight against illegal migration according to the Dominican authorities, will have 164 kilometers. According to the official announcement last Sunday, the first stage of the 54-kilometre wall, due to be completed in 2023, is ‘progressing’.

Neighbors on the border, confronted daily with the works, admit that they are moving forward, but are reserved about the pace of construction.

“According to what people from the communities surrounding the wall tell us, the construction is going quite slowly.

At the moment, what has been built does not allow for any control, since migrants continue to come to the Dominican Republic without any problem.”

Charpantier highlighted to RFI an additional problem.

“The residents of the border who were dispossessed of their land to build the wall are complaining that they have not yet been paid their money.”

William Charpantier, a member of the National Board for Migration and Refugees in the Dominican Republic, notes that the Dominican government is continuing to build the wall that will separate the two countries with the intention of controlling illegal migration and the mafias that operate on the border with Haiti. His organization, however, is opposed.

“The government continues with its wall construction project supported by groups that call themselves nationalists. Instead, we, a civil society organization, have a broader vision of the relationship between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. That is why we oppose it.” .

Migrant defense organizations consider this a scandal and denounce this initiative which, according to them, will cause more xenophobia and racism against the half million Haitians residing in the Dominican Republic. Until last June 22, 2022