International organizations such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and Amnesty International are asking the Dominican Republic to shoulder more of the acute crisis of its island neighbor.
Already, the Dominican Republic invests almost 40% of what is spent on births in public hospitals to assist Haitian-origin women. There are entire communities in the Dominican Republic such as Veron and Friusa in Punta Cana with mostly Haitian population, many of these undocumented. Every day, hundreds of Haitians cross the border seeking livelihood. On market days when Haitians thousands are allowed to enter. No one checks who goes back.
For the record, though, Migration Agency (DGM) director Venancio Alcantara, calls the recent report by Amnesty International on the Dominican policy of deporting illegal Haitian immigrants, an “abuse” for claiming the country is a “de facto racist” country. The director said that Dominican policy protects human rights, carries out defined processes for deportations, all according to Migration Law 275-04, and international agreements to which the Dominican Republic is a signatory.
Amnesty International has issued a statement that says that the country is racist because it deports “Haitians, Dominicans of Haitian descent, and black persons.”
A press release by the Dominican agency called the report “inconsiderate” and “removed from the truth” and denied any mistreatment of persons who are deported and returned to their country of origin.
Meanwhile, US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urged that Haitians seeking to flee gang violence engulfing the Caribbean nation should avoid journeying by sea to the United States. Mayorkas said that those intercepted will be returned to Haiti.
Haiti’s neighbor, the Bahamas continues to apply its policy “the Bahamas is for Bahamians”, as declared by its Prime Minister, apprehending Haitians and deporting them.
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Acento
Listin Diario
NBC News
Washington Post
ZNS Bahamas
8 April 2024