NewsWhore
01-26-2010, 05:00 PM
A contingent of 150 Dominican soldiers will work alongside the Minustah forces of the United Nations to reinforce the security of the humanitarian corridor open between Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince. United Nations Spokesman Martin Nesirky said that President Rene Preval had given the go-ahead for the Dominican army to provide support. The Dominicans will work closely with the Peruvian contingent of the Minustah force, as reported in Friday's Diario Libre. Along the route, Dominican forces have been patrolling in around 10 convoys a day with an average of 60 vehicles in each. The corridor is the main route being used to transport supplies from Jimani to Haiti. The Dominican Republic has also agreed to finance the reconstruction of the Jimani to Fond Parisien route. Dominican soldiers had not served in the Minustah force in the past to prevent conflicting situations given the proximity of the two countries. The measure has been controversial, nevertheless, as it could be interpreted as a desire to control Haiti on the part of the DR. Former President Hipolito Mejia has said that for historical reasons, DR troops should not patrol Haiti, regardless of the special circumstances. The DR earned its independence from Haiti in 1844.
UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon said that "From the beginning of this crisis, the Dominican Republic government has been providing very generously and swiftly all possible assistance to its neighboring country, Haiti, and we are very much grateful to them. I am also aware of the Dominican Republic's intention to dispatch troops there - that is also welcome. For the immigration issues, I am also aware that the Dominican Republic Government is trying to accommodate as many as possible, those people within the existing rules and regulations of their country, but they have been very generous."
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UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon said that "From the beginning of this crisis, the Dominican Republic government has been providing very generously and swiftly all possible assistance to its neighboring country, Haiti, and we are very much grateful to them. I am also aware of the Dominican Republic's intention to dispatch troops there - that is also welcome. For the immigration issues, I am also aware that the Dominican Republic Government is trying to accommodate as many as possible, those people within the existing rules and regulations of their country, but they have been very generous."
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)