The Canadian-based organization ImmiGrand is deeply concerned about the systematic violation of the rights of Haitian nationals in the Dominican Republic, who have been subjected to a wave of mass deportations by the Dominican authorities in recent weeks.
“In recent months, deportation operations of Haitian nationals have multiplied throughout the Dominican Republic. These deportations are often accompanied by police brutality or acts of repression perpetrated by agents of the General Directorate of Migration Services (DGM). Shocking images of Haitians being beaten and sometimes tied up by Dominican law enforcement officers during their arrest have gone viral on social networks. Members of the Dominican population are witnessing these horrific scenes in complicity,” said ImmiGrand.
The organization promoting and defending the rights of immigrants in Canada emphasizes that “among those deported are pregnant women who have been torn from their delivery beds and young children. These migrants, hunted down like wild animals, are being driven back to Haiti in trucks that resemble animal or goods transport vehicles”.
According to figures released by the Dominican presidency, 60,204 Haitians were deported by the Directorate General of Migration, from August 1 to October 31, 2022. 19,441 Haitians were sent back to their country during August, 18,107 in September and 22,656 in October.
While the United Nations has called on the Dominican Republic to halt the return of Haitian migrants to their country, Dominican President Luis Abinader said last week that the deportations will continue and even intensify. He called the request by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, unacceptable and irresponsible.
ImmiGrand says it is closely following this situation of violation of the rights of migrants in the Dominican Republic at a time when Haiti is facing a multifaceted crisis characterized by political unrest and armed violence orchestrated by territorial gangs.
“While it is true that each country is sovereign over its territory, the rights of foreign nationals must be respected. The massive deportations of Haitian men and women, accompanied by physical violence and inhumane treatment, are part of the migration policy of the Dominican authorities who have decided to ignore the request of the United Nations to temporarily suspend these operations,” said ImmiGrand.
The organization promoting and defending the rights of immigrants in Canada recalls that human rights are universal and it is important and even mandatory that human rights be respected and that human beings be treated with respect and dignity.
ImmiGrand finally calls on national and international public opinion, including Canada, to address these acts of violation of the rights of Haitian migrants and encourages the Haitian authorities to find lasting solutions to this multi-faceted crisis in order to allow Haitians to live peacefully in their country.
While more and more voices in Haiti and abroad are raised to denounce the hunting of Haitians on Dominican territory, the Haitian provisional government, led by the de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry, is locked in total silence.