30191: Karshan (news) Bishop links army to Haitian immigration (DR1News) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

DR1News March 12, 2007

9. Bishop links army to Haitian  immigration
The Bishop of the Mao-Montecristi dioceses, Diomedes  Espinal de Leon,
complained over the weekend that the north west of the country  was a forgotten 
area
and that the army units in the frontier zone encourage the  passage of
undocumented Haitians, charging RD$50.00 for every illegal migrant  who passes
through their checkpoints. Espinal said that those responsible for  human
trafficking do not control the checkpoints and these have become virtual 
"tollbooths"
for the military. Most of the trafficking occurs during the early  evening and
night. Bishop Espinal pointed out that the Haitians have to make as  many as
eight payments at the checkpoints on the route between the frontier town  of
Dajabon and Mao. The illegals are often returned to Haiti if they do not have
enough money for the last "toll." A lot depends on the route chosen, according
 to the prelate. If they travel from Dajabon via Santiago Rodriguez to Mao,
then  there are five or six "toll stations", and if the migrants choose the
route from  Dajabon to Montecristi to Mao along the Duarte Highway, there are
eight  checkpoints. The bishop was also very vocal in his complaints about the
illegal  commercial traffic across the border, something that is well known, 
but
about  which little is done.
<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free
email to everyone.  Find out more about what's free from AOL at
http://www.aol.com.