Tit-for-tat protest snarls Haiti-Dominican border market

Dajabón, Dominican Republic.-Union leaders of the Haitian town Ouanaminthe and other northeast Haiti localitieson Monday shut their border gate with chains, roiling several the binational market for several hours.

The Haitians protestedin the country when ?? Dominican Customs officials in Dajabón retained a tractortrailer loaded with sugar and other goods, owned by a Haitian business leader.

Quoted by localmedia, Alonso Paul spokesman for the Haitian demonstrators said they decided tokeep out their compatriots from the market, because Dominican customs hasretained the truck for several days.

“Since Dominican truckersdon’t allow commercial vehicles to cross into their country, we´ve decided to dothe same,” Paul said.

Several Haitians who startedto cross the Masacre river and others who tried to climb over the fence into Dajabónwere beaten back by their countrymen with clubs.

Fernando Diaz, headof the Dajabón market vendors association said the unannounced protest has ledto losses in the millions.

He noted however that,Haitian authorities decided to partially open the door after several hours, butsince most buyers Haitians had left back into Haiti, vendors from bothcountries were affected.