President Abinader defines as irresponsible some multilateral organizations that want the DR to take over Haiti’s multidimensional crisis.
President Luis Abinader said on Saturday, 1 July 2023 when speaking in Imbert, Puerto Plata that the country’s migration policies are only executed by the Dominican Republic. He criticized the international multilateral organizations for their laissez faire approach to the crisis in Haiti.
“If they are so concerned about human rights, they should be concerned about all the problems that the poor citizens of Haiti are suffering in Haiti, whose human rights are affected every day there,” said President Abinader.
The President made these declarations during the inauguration of the General Juan Nouesit detachment of the second infantry brigade of the Army, located in the municipality of Imbert, province of Puerto Plata.
In his speech, the head of state added that “the irresponsibility of those who have not acted cannot be asked to be assumed by the Dominican Republic.”
Furthermore, he indicated that concerning the migratory issue, the international community cannot ask the Dominican Republic to renounce its right to apply its Constitution.
“Let it be clear that the migratory policy is only made by the Dominicans and in the interest of the Dominicans,” concluded the governor.
Recently, the UN expert on human rights in Haiti, William O’Neill, has called for a halt to deportations from the Dominican Republic. Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez responded that the request was “disproportionate and irrational.” Then President Luis Abinader noted that “Dominican immigration policies are made by Dominicans.” Alvarez too, said that the UN should try and solve the issues in Haiti, and not expect the Dominican Republic to take on the social welfare of its neighbor.
The Migration Agency (DGM) of the Dominican Republic reported that in 2022, nearly 121,000 foreigners, mostly Haitians, had been repatriated. Recently the National Health Service (SNS) revealed that some 35,000 Haitian women come to the Dominican Republic to give birth each year, fully one-third of all births in the nation’s public hospitals. All free of charge.
In addition, the entry of undocumented Haitians is further complicated by their unidentified civil status. In Haiti, most of the people do not have legal identification. Residents of the border provinces complain that Haitians commit crimes and later return to Haiti. As reported in Diario Libre, many of these crimes are committed by Haitians against Haitians.
In reality, the border with Haiti and the Dominican Republic is open. On market days, Haitians queue up to freely enter through the border gates and there is no one checking to see who returns. Likewise, the border with Haiti is around 300 km and is loosely patrolled. Moreso, travel agencies in Haiti sell visas to those who want to pay to enter legally.
Minister of Foreign Relations Roberto Alvarez responded to William O’Neill:
“The independent expert on human rights for Haiti of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, William O’Neill, has called to discontinue the repatriation of Haitians due to the state of insecurity in that country.
“Given this statement, the Dominican government issued the following clarification:
“The Dominican Republic is the only country with a land border with Haiti. Being also a developing country and not responsible for the Haitian situation, it is disproportionate and unreasonable to expect our country to bear the responsibility of ensuring the social welfare of Haitians. This is an unrenounceable obligation of the Haitian state, and failing that, a shared responsibility of the international community. The Dominican government’s duty is, first and foremost, to its citizens.
“The massive Haitian migratory influx in recent years is unsustainable. To give you an idea, in 2022 alone, the Dominican Republic deported 120,900 irregular foreigners, almost all of Haitian origin. This number of irregular immigrants is impossible to accommodate for a country of our size without generating serious social conflicts and unacceptable pressure on the national budget.
“Statistics from the National Health Service (SNS) reliably show the substantial impact on public spending of social services provided to irregular migrants. For example in 2018, 12.5% of births in the entire public network corresponded to Haitian mothers. This proportion increased dramatically to 23.7% in 2019, 27.2% in 2020, 30.5% in 2021, 33.1% in 2022 and 34% in 2023 (based on data through May). In the last three years, we are averaging more than 35,000 deliveries by Haitian mothers in public hospitals. The cost of these services is assumed by the government, with money from the Dominican taxpayer.
“The political, security and humanitarian crisis that Haiti is experiencing requires an immediate response to the repeated request of the Haitian Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, to send an international security force to support the Haitian police, to stop the control that the gangs have over most of the Haitian capital. This is a necessary step to open a reconstruction process in Haiti.
“After 19 years under a United Nations mandate, the various spokespersons of that organization must be careful in their statements to avoid promoting irregular Haitian emigration as a solution to the suffering of that people. The United Nations should redouble its efforts to contribute to the restoration of peace, security and democratic institutions in that country.
“We recognize the interest of all actors concerned about Haiti, but we wish to emphasize that the internal situation of that country will never be an impediment to the full application of Dominican legislation.
“The Dominican Republic, as a social and democratic state governed by the rule of law, will always sovereignly make the decisions that best correspond to the national interest.”
Read more in Spanish:
Ministry of Foreign Relations
OHCHR
Presidency
Listin Diario
El Caribe
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
3 July 2023