Haiti accuses Dominican Republic of «inhumane» treatment of migrants

he Haitian government has reproached the Dominican Republic for its "inhuman and degrading treatment" of Haitian migrants, after the wave of deportations has raised doubts even in the United Nations, which last week also expressed its concern about this context. 

A military patrol guards the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. - JOSE A. IGLESIAS / ZUMA PRESS / CONTACTOPHOTO© Provided by News 360

"The general indignation generated by this situation does not leave the Government of the Republic of Haiti indifferent", said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement in which, although it recognized the right of the Dominican authorities to "regulate migratory flows", it established certain limits.

Port-au-Prince has echoed "shocking images" reported by the media to urge Santo Domingo to give "a respectful treatment with human dignity" to those who cross to the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola, shared by both countries.

In this sense, he urged the neighboring country to respect the repatriation protocols agreed in 1999 and advanced that the Haitian Embassy will transfer the "concerns" about the latest incidents to the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which so far has shown no signs of changing its policies.

The President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, already warned last week that his government "will continue to repatriate Haitian citizens who are illegally in the country", arguing that migration management is the exclusive responsibility of the national authorities.

Under this premise, Abinader dismissed as "unacceptable and irresponsible" the criticisms of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, who demanded the cessation of "forced returns" due to the political, economic and social crisis in which Haiti is immersed.

According to the UN High Representative, Haiti does not currently meet the adequate security conditions for the "safe, dignified and sustainable" return of migrants given the "incessant armed violence and systematic human rights violations".