The political crisis that has shaken the country for several years coupled with a situation of unsustainable insecurity has not helped this year to improve the living conditions of Haitians. On the contrary, the country’s political and socio-economic crisis has greatly contributed to the departure or flight of thousands of Haitians to foreign lands. Most Haitians who flee the country, sometimes risking their lives, do so because of the appalling living conditions in Haiti.
Indeed, during this year, the number of homicides and kidnappings committed by gangs controlling strategic areas of the country have reached alarming levels. The situation remains aggravated by the persistent impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of human rights violations and crimes. All this against the background of a humanitarian crisis, persistent inflation and a resurgence of cholera with a government that is almost nil when it comes to public services.

Haitian citizens, more than 108,000 people in 2022 according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), forcibly repatriated to the Dominican Republic, and others from elsewhere (United States , Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Turks and Caicos Islands) received no support from the Haitian government. What’s worse, the government of Ariel HENRY has not even made use of its diplomacy to stop this wave of massive repatriations or collective deportations which goes against the international conventions ratified by the Dominican State and the treaties binational agreements signed with the Republic of Haiti, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Articles 13 and 14 and the Global Compact on Migration promoted by the UN in 2018
Vulnerable cases were not spared for deportations, whether pregnant women, nursing women, children. “For some, the detainees were taken in prison trucks and army and immigration buses to the reception center, where they were purged. It has been verified that their immigration status is irregular to be in the country, ”support the Dominican authorities. Once again, pregnant women seeking care have been repatriated to Haiti, despite calls to avoid this kind of scenario which is against the protection of human beings.

The Defenseurs Plus Collective, with the collaboration of other organizations working at the various border points, has received many cases of unaccompanied children and pregnant women about to give birth, sick people and even Dominican nationals from the black skin. This suggests that the Dominican Republic practices racial profiling and racial discrimination in violation of international human rights law. Cases of violation of the rights of Haitians are currently being recorded at the various border points with the Dominican Republic.

In terms of migration policy, the Haitian state should have intervened to stop these waves of mass deportations by reaching an agreement with the Dominican state with regional and international bodies. Supporting Haitian nationals who are victims of violence in the Dominican Republic and elsewhere is a duty of the government. Defenders Plus denounces this complicit silence of the authorities of the de facto government in place, led by Mr. Ariel HENRY. Similarly, the Collective Defenseurs Plus denounces the deportation procedure of the Dominican State which systematically violates the rights of Haitians on its territory. He asks once again, the international community to take note of this anti-Haitian behavior which violates the fundamental rights of people in the Dominican Republic.

And in order to reduce this massive number of Haitians fleeing the country each year, the Haitian authorities must combine their efforts to provide a better living environment in the country, far from these incessant crises and insecurity. current.

Done in Port-au-Prince, December 16, 2022

Chaina Etienne
Program Director
Tel: 509 38 92 7055