The DR's Shameful Complicity

[Meemselle]

There is a lot of moaning and howling about Haiti. Many of the most normally tolerant, accepting, laid-back Dominicans I know turn into rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth racists when it comes to Haiti. I understand there is an enormous problem with illegal entry and illegal stays by Haitians in the DR.

However, when it comes to Haiti's own unique problem, e.g., gangs, guns, murder of its citizens, the Dominican Republic cannot claim innocence. Haiti's homicide rate last year was 5,600 persons, a rise of 1,000 from the previous year. I'm no great fan of the United Nations, but the UN estimates that between 270,000 and 500,000 firearms are circulating illegally in Haiti, with most weapons in the hands of gangs.

Haiti doesn't make guns. It's illegal to import guns or ammunition. So they come in illegally. And guess who is the biggest enabler?

You guessed it: the DR.

Contraband shipments leave FL ports, especially Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and come into Haina, in particular. So far this year, according to a report in today's New York Times,
Dominican officials have made two large seizures of smuggled firearms at Haina.

In February, Dominican Customs agents made what they described as the country’s largest seizure of weapons destined for Haiti. Nearly two dozen firearms, semiautomatics and
AK-47-style assault rifles, as well as 36,000 rounds were inside a container inside a 35-year-old freighter that runs a regular route between Miami and the Dominican Republic.
In the Dominican Republic, the United States supports a special unit of 30 local Customs agents, with 20 others currently being vetted to work on U.S.-related cases.

I'd like to see a little more accountability and energy expended on this crisis than on screeds about pregnant women giving birth with one foot over the border.

 

[windeguy]

Prohibition never works. If people want guns they will get them.
Putting part of the blame on the DR? Oh well, I guess that has some validity when it comes to guns.
But the real issue is those who want and use them, at the end of the day.

 

[Manuel01]

I have my own personal Philosophy on this one; "Every Country gets the Leadership it deserves.
This applies also to the DR but specially to Haiti.
And i have even worse news for you;
Nobody cares anymore about Haiti.
It's a lost Cause !
It bears more fruits to teach a dolphin to speak than wasting any thoughts or energy on Haiti.

 

[NanSanPedro]

Contraband shipments leave FL ports, especially Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and come into Haina, in particular. So far this year, according to a report in today's New York Times,

Sounds like the US and the DR share that part equally. Hopefully there are some tactics being used to trace to the recipients. Then execute them.

 

[jaguar86]

It is mostly Haitians in south Florida shipping these weapons. The ports can help but it is impossible to search all the containers that pass through. Xray machines help but not all containers go through xray's.

 

[windeguy]

Once can hope those at fault are executed, but they will get their products if they want them.
One way or another.

 

[bob saunders]

There is a lot of moaning and howling about Haiti. Many of the most normally tolerant, accepting, laid-back Dominicans I know turn into rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth racists when it comes to Haiti. I understand there is an enormous problem with illegal entry and illegal stays by Haitians in the DR.

However, when it comes to Haiti's own unique problem, e.g., gangs, guns, murder of its citizens, the Dominican Republic cannot claim innocence. Haiti's homicide rate last year was 5,600 persons, a rise of 1,000 from the previous year. I'm no great fan of the United Nations, but the UN estimates that between 270,000 and 500,000 firearms are circulating illegally in Haiti, with most weapons in the hands of gangs.

Haiti doesn't make guns. It's illegal to import guns or ammunition. So they come in illegally. And guess who is the biggest enabler?

You guessed it: the DR.

Contraband shipments leave FL ports, especially Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and come into Haina, in particular. So far this year, according to a report in today's New York Times,
Dominican officials have made two large seizures of smuggled firearms at Haina.

In February, Dominican Customs agents made what they described as the country’s largest seizure of weapons destined for Haiti. Nearly two dozen firearms, semiautomatics and
AK-47-style assaThe Uittle more accountability and energy expended on this crisis than on screeds about pregnant women giving birth with one foot over the border.

The United Nations imposed an arms embargo on Haiti three years ago, yet most weapons on Haiti’s streets are from the United States, where they are purchased by straw buyers and smuggled into the country by sea or sometimes by land through the Dominican Republic, according to the United Nations. So that indicates that most are smuggled into Haiti by sea, directly into Haiti, and that some come through the DR. MAJORITY DON'T. https://maryknollogc.org/2023/09/01/haiti-illegal-flow-guns-united-states/

 

[drstock]

Once can hope those at fault are executed, but they will get their products if they want them.
One way or another.

I never believe in "executions" but certainly they should be very severely punished.

Really, Mr Windeguy, you are a terrible pessimist (you will reply that you are a realist, as usual). In my view, if the authorities must do everything they can to at least reduce the number of arms entering Haiti.

As for prohibition never working, in the UK and most of Europe it is very difficult to obtain a gun, while in the USA it is very easy. Guess where there is more gun crime?

 

[Big]

Haiti's problem is of their own making. I would want a gun if I lived there as well.

 

[CristoRey]

Haitians in Ft Lauderdale and Miami shipping weapons to Haitians in the Dominican Republic who then smuggle them into Haiti where they are being used to kill other Haitians?
Sounds like a Haitian problem to me.
Stop blaming others.

 

[Meemselle]

You can't tell me there aren't many Dominicans making mucho dinero off of this.

Haitians in Ft Lauderdale and Miami shipping weapons to Haitians in the Dominican Republic who then smuggle them into Haiti where they are being used to kill other Haitians?
Sounds like a Haitian problem to me.
Stop blaming others.

 

[CristoRey]

You can't tell me there aren't many Dominicans making mucho dinero off of this.

Nor can you prove to me they are.

 

[NanSanPedro]

As far as complicity goes, this is analogous to the illegal alien problem, both here and elsewhere. If there is money to be made, some people will try to make it.

 

[CristoRey]

As far as complicity goes, this is analogous to the illegal alien problem, both here and elsewhere. If there is money to be made, some people will try to make it.

We have a lot of Haitian criminals operating here in the DR. Immigration needs to be working 5pm - 5am not 5am to 5pm rounding up the ones who are here to work, if they really want to fix this problem.

 

[NanSanPedro]

We have a lot of Haitian criminals operating here in the DR. Immigration needs to be working 5pm - 5am not 5am to 5pm rounding up the ones who are here to work, if they really want to fix this problem.

Therein is the problem. I'm not convinced they want to.

 

[PJP]

It is mostly Haitians in south Florida shipping these weapons. The ports can help but it is impossible to search all the containers that pass through. Xray machines help but not all containers go through xray's.

Are you sure? I'd love to read more about it if you would share your links and sources

 

[PJP]

Therein is the problem. I'm not convinced they want to.

That's to getting to the core of the issue. They want to be seen trying to selectively do things. Not to really have an affect but to appear so when in reality many sectors would be hard pressed in the short term to succeed without the cheap and exploitable Haitian labor.

If they were truly serious they would round up all of them, hopefully vetting those who are legal and not disturbing them and deporting the lot. After securing the border but that's mostly empty rhetoric so far, even if some improvements may have been made.

 

[keepcoming]

Are you sure? I'd love to read more about it if you would share your links and sources

This is an interesting article in the NY Times (paywall though). However, a quick google search, you will find numerous articles.

Haiti Doesn’t Make Guns. So How Are Gangs Awash in Them?

Federal authorities in several countries have recently nabbed several caches of weapons headed to Haiti, but armed violence continues to rise there, with gangs increasingly obtaining high-caliber firearms and ammunition.

www.nytimes.com

 

[PJP]

Gracias but that's not the point. I keep reading that we must post like but so few do. If people would whether voluntarily or forcibly then we could all discuss the same link or article instead of being send to do the work of the poster.

That is the rule here right? Let's please set this straight once and for all.

This is an interesting article in the NY Times (paywall though). However, a quick google search, you will find numerous articles.

Haiti Doesn’t Make Guns. So How Are Gangs Awash in Them?

Federal authorities in several countries have recently nabbed several caches of weapons headed to Haiti, but armed violence continues to rise there, with gangs increasingly obtaining high-caliber firearms and ammunition.

www.nytimes.com

Thanks, paywall or no it should be posted. There are many work around and many people do subscribe.

 

[keepcoming]

PJP, the comment seems to me to be more of an opinion, really no link you could post for that.