Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic— President Luis Abinader and former President Leonel Fernández agreed yesterday on the urgency of building a policy of national unity in the face of the growing crisis in Haiti, a country that remains mired in a spiral of violence and instability with direct effects in the Dominican Republic.
Abinader and Fernández held a meeting at the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development ( Funglode ) to continue the dialogue on the Haitian crisis and its implications for the country. The meeting lasted nearly two hours.
“We discussed again the complexity of the Haitian issue. It’s a constantly changing event and a very special situation,” Abinader stated in a joint press conference with the president of the Fuerza del Pueblo (People’s Force).
“I repeat, this is an ongoing event, constantly evolving, and we will therefore continue our conversations, both with former President Fernández and with the other presidents and within the Economic and Social Council (CES) , to discuss a national unity policy in this regard in each area and sector,” Abinader added.
Former President Fernández noted that the meeting covered the Haitian crisis in detail, emphasizing the role of the sectors represented in the CES, which addressed issues such as communications, security, international relations, border development, employment, and other aspects.
“It’s not enough to look solely at the issue of Haiti, but rather, within the framework of international relations, to see what forces can be counted on to restore stability and order in Haiti ,” Fernández said.
The political leader expressed deep concern about the escalating violence in the neighboring nation. He cited a recent United Nations report revealing that in just the first six months of this year, more than 4,000 people have died due to the actions of criminal gangs.
“This should draw global attention and motivate greater involvement or participation in the search for a solution to this problem that is causing terror in Haiti,” Fernández warned.
Later, in a post on his Instagram account, Fernández said: “We agree that urgent action by the international community is required to stabilize Haiti and avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.”
Contacts with China and Russia
President Abinader reported that the government has had direct contact with China and Russia, as well as UN Security Council member countries, regarding the Haitian crisis. The talks, he said, have also extended to the other permanent members of the Council.
“There are many bilateral meetings,” the head of state indicated, noting that Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez is in New York, United States, participating in meetings and negotiations on this issue.
“This is an ongoing negotiation, sometimes slow, but necessary to achieve unification and admission that can finally pacify this,” he said.
Labor and immigration order
Former President Fernández noted that it is essential for the government to establish order regarding the labor situation, given the large number of Haitian workers working in the country illegally, and also regarding immigration, given the high number of undocumented Haitians.
“It is essential that the Dominican State be aware of the presence of everyone in Dominican territory, and in what capacity,” he said.
Although he did not offer details, Fernández indicated that various committees of the Fuerza del Pueblo are working on proposals on these two aspects, which they will present to the CES.
International “Fed Up”
In President Abinader’s view, the international community is showing growing “weariness” over the prolonged Haitian crisis, and he lamented that many countries are showing signs of losing interest in assuming concrete responsibilities.
“In reality, every time we talk in multilateral or bilateral forums, we feel this fatigue with the Haitian issue. Some complain about the amount of aid they’ve been given for so long,” Abinader said.
He added: “We spoke with President Fernández about the fact that the international community is fed up with Haiti.”
The president warned that, although many countries are exhausted by the issue, the Dominican Republic cannot afford that luxury. “As ambassador and current deputy minister Rubén Silie said, all countries can get tired, except the Dominican Republic,” he added.
However, he reiterated that the country will continue to press ahead until true international responsibility is assumed for the situation in the neighboring nation, ravaged by gang violence.
The head of state also reiterated that if Haitian gangs enter the country, “things will go very badly for them,” while assuring that no armed groups are located near the Dominican-Haitian border.
