ARTICLE - D.R. ARREST OF THIEVES

3 SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN THE ROBBERY OF THE MINISTER DANIEL SUPPLICE
(Haiti Libre) -

Following the robbery last Thursday in the Dominican Republic of Daniel Supplice, the Minister of Haitians Living Abroad, accompanied by his wife and several other passengers, Ruben Sile Valdez, Dominican Ambassador to Haiti, said that he's very concerned and "deeply regrets what happened with Minister Supplice..."

During 2011 more than two dozen tourists from Haiti including foreign diplomats, businessmen and senior Haitians were assaulted and robbed in the Dominican Republic, which could, if adequate measures are not taken immediately, significantly reduce the presence of international visitors to the Dominican Republic, which according to a recent study has generated economic benefits estimated at more than $100 million US$ for the first 6 months of the year 2011.

Ambassador Valdez, adds that "[...] it is a worrying situation for the government, since it does not just happen on the road to Santiago, but also on the southern route, to San Cristóbal. [...] I talked to the Chief of Police. At this moment they make a detailed investigation [...] it seems that they are bandits disguised as police officers [...] who attacked Minister Supplice. They are Dominicans but there are suspects. It could be a gang that is connected with others in Haiti, given that all the attacks that occurred on the road, were made on individuals of the upper class and never on poor people, or people who have no money [...] When the bandits attack on the Dominican territory, they have already identified the victims on the Haitian side [...]

The Haitian authorities have asked the Dominicans authorities last Friday to adopt security measures on the roads of their country. Haitiano-Dominican tourism could be affected by the growing criminality, if adequate provisions are not adopted. Foundation Zile says it's ready to prepare a text of measures to be submitted to the Dominicans authorities for immediate use after approval. It is understood, says the Foundation, that the Dominican authorities will have to make the announcement publicly and pass the necessary instructions to all the armed forces.

In a letter addressed to Fritz Cineas, the Ambassador in the Dominican Republic, the Foundation Zile requests that an urgent meeting be held in the Dominican Chancellery to discuss with all parties involved (CESFONT, DNI, J-2, G-2, Migration and Customs), and that it immediately adopt a system of protection for Haitian tourists.

UPDATE:

Police in the Dominican Republic have arrested three men, including a former policeman, who are linked to the assault against Daniel Supplice. Colonel Lorenzo Morillo, a spokesman for the Department of Central Cibao (north) of the Dominican National Police, declared that those arrested were moving in the same vehicle that was used to commit the robbery, on the Bonao-Santiago section of the Duarte Highway.

The three are Herodes Bautista Mato, a former police officer, José Alberto Toribio Hernández and Roberto Hernández Javier. The suspects, whose leader is the former police officer, were arrested at kilometer 13 of the Duarte highway, in the Dagger community Dagger [Province of Santiago]. According to Colonel Morillo, the three men had already assaulted several people on this important road connecting the capital with the North.

The Dominican Government, through its Foreign Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso, lamented the theft. "I regret that it is precisely Mr. Supplice, a personal friend of President Leonel Fernández, a friend of mine and of the Dominican Republic, who was the victim," declared the Dominican Chancellor.