The Dominican Republic has deported at least two ex-officials of the Haitian government of General Raoul Cedras (1991-1994). The ex-chief of police of the Cedras government, Michel Francois, and the former mayor of Port-Au-Prince, Franc Romain, were both given political asylum in Honduras. The deportations come after rumors of a plot among former officials of the Cedras government, living in the Dominican Republic and Miami, to “de-stabilize” the current Haitian government of President Rene Garcia Preval. Speculation has abounded that President Joaquín Balaguer agreed to deport the ex-Haitian military officials during meetings with Mr. Garcia Preval in March at the National Palace in Santo Domingo, and that he is doing so under pressure applied by the United States.
In addition to the deportation of prominent members of former governments, the D.R. has conducted several raids and dragnets in search of Haitians illegally residing in the country, mostly in the northern Cibao region. Sources from the Department of Migration told the Listin Diario that since 23 April, close to 3,000 Haitians have been repatriated, and that figure could rise in the days following the weekend of 26-28 April.
3-9 May 1996