By akademiotoelektronik, 24/12/2022

The Dominican Republic wants to build a "wall" of separation with Haiti

The Dominican Republic has announced the construction of a border fence to reduce illegal immigration from its neighbor Haiti, a controversial project whose effectiveness raises doubts if it is not accompanied by development plans , point out several experts.

"Within two years we want to put an end to the serious problems of illegal immigration, drug trafficking and the transit of stolen vehicles that we have known for years", declared President Luis Abinader, elected in July 2020, announcing on Saturday the launch in the second half of the construction works of a 380 kilometer border fence.

An Israeli arms company, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, is designing a pilot project. This should include "a double fence in the most sensitive parts and a simple fence for the rest, in addition to motion detectors, facial recognition cameras and radar and infrared systems", added the head of the State without disclosing the cost.

Four official crossing points separate the two countries that share the island of Hispaniola, 64% of whose territory is occupied by the Dominican Republic (10 million inhabitants), to the west, and the rest by Haiti (11 million inhabitants).

Relations between the two countries are historically difficult and each new Dominican government makes the sensitive issue of migration a priority.

About 500,000 Haitians live illegally on the other side of the border and Domingo soldiers patrol the areas through which illegal immigrants and contraband pass.

This “wall” project follows an agreement reached on January 14 between Luis Abinader and his Haitian counterpart, Jovenel Moise, to reduce “irregular migratory flows” and “strengthen border security and surveillance”.

But Juan Del Rosario, professor at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, believes that "this wall has no reason to exist" because "as long as extreme poverty and political instability persist in Haiti, there will be migratory pressure”.

"You can build a wall 100 meters high, people will always look for ways to pass", explains the researcher to AFP, citing the wall wanted by ex-president Donald Trump between the United States and Mexico.

“With more financial and technological resources, however, this proved impossible” to achieve, he notes.

“Useless expenses”

Although not unanimous, this physical border project is well received in the streets of Santo Domingo.

“There are Haitians everywhere, you can't even make an appointment with the doctor because it's full of Haitians. So for me the wall is a good idea, ”said AFP Lucia, a 23-year-old student, who did not wish to give her last name.

“It will reduce the problems,” adds Antonio Mejia, 62, unemployed. “It would make it possible to control migration from one country to another”.

William Charpentier, coordinator of the Dominican National Office for Migration and Refugees, regrets that each time, the idea of ​​erecting a border wall exacerbates "xenophobia and racism".

He points to the massive expulsions of illegal immigrants and the obstacles encountered by legal migrants in renewing their papers or renting accommodation: "it's permanent persecution", he laments.

Experts also point to the many commercial exchanges at the borders.

"Contrary to what one might think, on the Haitian side there is the money and on the Dominican side the product," explains Professor Juan Del Rosario.

“There is a constant informal exchange that cannot be considered smuggling (...). If it is blocked, this will lead to internal migration flows” from border towns to urban areas, he warns.

In addition, sectors such as agriculture and construction need foreign labor, explains Josué Gastelbondo, head of the mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Santo Domingo.

“Measures such as the strengthening of border controls should ideally be complemented by measures to promote regular and orderly migration,” he stresses.

For William Charpentier, building this long separation represents "useless expenses". According to him, it would be more appropriate to "multiply development projects" in the border area that would benefit both Dominicans and Haitians.