# Massacre River Canal Crisis (2023)

URL: https://allhistories.com/dominican-republic/timeline/2023-massacre-river-canal-crisis
Location: Dajabón, Dominican Republic
Themes: main-event

The Massacre River (Dajabón River) forms part of the northern border between the two countries, and a 1929 treaty governs the use of shared waters. In 2023 Haitian farmers and private backers, frustrated by drought in the Maribaroux plain, resumed construction of a canal to divert water from the river near Ouanaminthe, opposite Dajabón. The Dominican government said the work violated the treaty and would harm Dominican farmers and wetlands. After talks failed, President Luis Abinader suspended visas for Haitians and, on 15 September 2023, closed all land, sea and air borders with Haiti, halting the binational markets of Dajabón and other border towns that were vital to both economies. Troops were deployed along the frontier, and the Dominican government revived an old canal to capture water upstream. Haiti's government called the measures hostile and refused to halt the work. On 11 October 2023 the Dominican Republic partially reopened the border for limited trade in food and medicine, while keeping the visa ban. The crisis showed the fragility of relations with a Haitian state in collapse and became an episode of strong nationalist mobilisation in the Dominican Republic. At this point in the timeline (15 September 2023), the President of the Dominican Republic was Luis Abinader (16 August 2020 – 16 August 2024).

## Why it matters
The canal dispute and border closure were the worst crisis in Dominican–Haitian relations in years.

Ruler at the Time: [Luis Abinader](https://allhistories.com/dominican-republic/rulers/luis-abinader-2020)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Dajabón River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dajabón_River)
- [Wikipedia — Dominican Republic–Haiti relations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Republic–Haiti_relations)
- [AP News via Jamaica Observer — Partial reopening of the border](https://jamaicaobserver.com/2023/10/12/dominican-republic-partially-reopened-its-border-with-haiti-diplomatic-crisis-persists)
- [Wikipedia — The Contemporary Republic (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Republic)