60 Chapter 2
MID#1112
Dispute Number: 1112
Date(s): December 19, 1949 to April 8, 1950
Participants: 42 Dominican Republic/41 Haiti
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: The year 1949 started with a Haitian charge that the Dominicans were
conspiring with a former Haitian official to overthrow the Haitian government. Haiti
asked to invoke the provisions of the Rio treaty, for assistance from the other Orga-
nization of American States members, but were rebuffed by the OAS. A note to the
Inter-American Peace Committee on March 21 led to a March 24 meeting, resulting
in an agreement on June 9. Both sides pledged nonintervention and mutual respect.
Cooperation was short-lived. The Haitians accused the Dominicans of violating the
territorial integrity of Haiti and compromising its sovereignty. The specifics entailed
accusations that the Dominicans were not upholding to the June 9 agreement, had
violated border integrity and airspace and had concocted a plan to assassinate the
Haitian president. Further proof was given in the form of a December declaration by
Trujillo to declare war against those that would meddle with the Dominicans. Though
this was principally directed at Cuba and Guatemala, the Haitians cited this, and Dean
Acheson’s condemnation of it, as evidence. In light of this turn of events, the OAS
agreed to invoke the terms of the Rio treaty on January 6, 1950. This called for the
foreign ministers of the 21 OAS states to convene, ultimately aiming for a fact-finding
commission to determine the extent of the matter.
The committee convened to deal with not only Haiti and the Dominican Republic,
but also the Dominican charges against Cuba and Guatemala. The commission began
work on January 22, 1950, returned to Washington, DC, on February 15 and filed its
report on March 13. Six resolutions were approved on April 8, but sanctions were not
possible. An additional committee was convened to check for compliance, and on
June 30 reported that the resolutions were being followed by both sides.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from September 25, 1949. End day changed
from Missing.
MID#1002
Dispute Number: 1002
Date(s): April 26, 1963 to June 3, 1963
Participants: 41 Haiti/2 United States of America, 20 Canada, 200 United Kingdom,
42 Dominican Republic
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: On April 26, 1963, the Haitian President Francois Duvalier sent troops to
attack the Dominican chancery in Port-au-Prince looking for an innocent suspect in
a political crime that had taken place earlier that day. The troops were in a rage and
covered the chancery with bullet holes. On April 28, Dominican President Juan Bosch
put the armed forces on alert, sent his navy to sea, massed 3,000 troops at Dajabon,
Elias, Pina, and Jimani, and sent Duvalier an ultimatum demanding the withdrawal of