#1765: Dominicans Aim To Keep Out Haitians (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:nozier@tradewind.net

Dominicans Aim To Keep Out Haitians_________  The Associated Press     
Friday, Jan. 7, 2000; 11:39 p.m. EST

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic –– Dominican soldiers on Friday began
a 15-day mission on the border with Haiti to guard against the illegal
entry of Haitians and repatriate immigrants without documents.  The
issue of Haitians repatriated from the Dominican Republic has caused
friction between the two countries, which share the Caribbean island of
Hispaniola. Haiti accused the Dominican Republic of expelling as many as
 5,000 undocumented Haitians without allowing them to collect their  
belongings, but Dominican officials claimed that they followed proper  
procedures.  Gen. Manuel de Jesus Florentino, secretary of the armed
forces, said the   mission began early Friday morning for training
purposes and to guard the  border from illegal immigrants. Last month,
the Dominican government promised to be more careful to protect human
rights when repatriating undocumented Haitian nationals. In turn, Haiti
promised to step up its own border patrols.