Ti grenn fè gwo pyebwa

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Massive flood of Haitians seek to enter Dominican Republic for food, water, candles

Translated by Brian Schwarz

Originally published Wednesday, January 13, 2010, in "El Nacional" of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (elnacional.com.do) under the heading Haitianos buscan llegar RD en masiva avalancha

DAJABON, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – Hundreds of Haitians congregated today before the gate that divides Haiti and the Dominican Republic in an attempt to cross over to Dominican soil to buy food, water and candles to provide light during the night, this following the crash of the country’s power system and potable water supply.

Meanwhile, others challenged military security as they tried to enter the border city of Dajabón seeking call centers in order to reach their families who live in Port-au-Prince.

Troops in charge of the customs border crossing, located in Dajabón, only allowed passage for Haitians with passports stamped with Dominican visas.

According to Haitian eyewitnesses, the earthquake was felt with great intensity in Ouanaminthe, Cap-Haïtien, Fort Liberté, Trou-du-Nord, Milot and other towns in North Haiti, although damage was minimal.

They reported that road bridges that link Cap-Haïtien and Port-au-Prince suffered serious damage affecting transit between these two key cities.

Still, transit between Cap-Haïtien and the rest of the towns in North and Northeast Haiti, including Dajabón, is normal. But the transport of goods from the Dominican Republic to the neighboring nation was paralyzed by the prevailing confusion on the day of the earthquake.

Trucks filled with food, construction materials and other goods began making their way Wednesday toward Ouanaminthe, Cap-Haïtien, Fort Liberté and other North Haiti towns.

The Border Security Specialized Body (CESFRONT) and the northern border national guard have strengthened strategic points in the zone to prevent a massive flood of undocumented Haitians in Dominican territory.

While the situation in Ouanaminthe and other towns in the North and Northeast Haiti is normal, Haitians who reside in this area recount with great horror the earthquake that has devastated Haiti.