Haitian minister condemns mass deportations by Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic's mass deportations violate human rights, says Haitian minister
Haiti’s foreign minister, Dominique Dupuy, criticised the Dominican Republic’s recent decision to deport tens of thousands of migrants back to Haiti, where gang violence and a humanitarian crisis are rampant. On Monday, she described the “brutal scenes of roundups and deportations” as “an affront to human dignity” on social media platform X. Dupuy condemned the actions and demanded justice and respect.
The Dominican Republic, sharing the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with Haiti, announced last week its plan to deport up to 10,000 migrants per week who are in the country illegally, a significant increase compared to the previous rate. Though it did not specify Haitians, they constitute the majority of those deported. The Dominican government attributes the crime and security issues at home to the chaotic situation in Haiti and has expressed frustration with the slow progress of an international security mission aimed at resolving Haiti’s crisis.
The United Nations has urged countries in the region to halt deportations of Haitians back to a dangerous situation. Meeting the Dominican target could result in up to 520,000 deportations in a year, more than double the over 200,000 Haitians forcibly returned last year. In the first week of October alone, over 4,900 Haitians were deported, according to a Dominican official who wished to remain anonymous.
🗣️¡Ofensa a la dignidad humana! 🇭🇹
La ministra de Relaciones Exteriores de #Haiti, Dominique Dupuy (@DominiqueAyiti), denunció este lunes que las deportaciones a sus ciudadanos desde #RD, diciendo que son una ofensa a la dignidad humana y que viola los estándares internacionales… pic.twitter.com/Pww15a8xyZ
— El Nuevo Diario (@elnuevodiariord) October 7, 2024
Dupuy stated that the Dominican policy violates international human rights standards and mentioned she had notified relevant international bodies. Her comments followed the spread of unverified social media footage showing a crowd fleeing from Dominican officials near Punta Cana, a well-known tourist destination.
Reports from Dominican media indicated that the highway was the site of a protest by Haitian construction workers demanding work permits from their employers to avoid deportation. The Dominican Republic’s migration agency did not respond to requests for comment.
William Charpentier, head of the Dominican Republic’s National Bureau for Migration and Refugees, noted on Sunday that deporting over 1,000 people daily would prevent individual cases from being considered. He acknowledged the government’s right to deport individuals without proper documentation but stressed that this right has limits.
In the United States, presidential candidate Donald Trump has also promised mass deportations and made false claims about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio.
What Other Media Are Saying
- Hindustan Times reports on Haiti’s foreign minister criticizing the Dominican Republic’s mass deportation plan targeting Haitian migrants amidst escalating violence and xenophobia.
The article emphasizes the Haitian government’s distress over the Dominican Republic’s plan to deport thousands of Haitian nationals, highlighting the historical anti-Haitian sentiment and the current human rights concerns. It underscores the dire situation for Haitian migrants seeking refuge and the contentious reception in the Dominican Republic. The foreign minister’s criticism comes amid a backdrop of intense xenophobia and racial profiling, with human rights organizations raising alarms over inhumane treatment during deportations. The article also touches on the recent surge in deportations and the lack of international intervention to protect these vulnerable individuals. The plight of Haitian migrants appears to be compounded by the Dominican Republic’s stringent immigration policies and the growing influence of right-wing groups advocating for stricter border controls. This situation has been exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Haiti, which has led to a significant increase in the number of migrants seeking asylum in the Dominican Republic. Despite international condemnation, the Dominican Republic’s intentions to continue mass deportations remain firm, with President Luis Abinader reaffirming his commitment to enforcing strict migration policies. The article concludes by highlighting the international community’s inaction and the urgent need for humanitarian intervention to protect the rights of Haitian migrants being forcibly deported.(read more)
- Reuters reports Haiti’s foreign minister criticizing the Dominican Republic’s mass deportation plan, highlighting concerns over the plan’s humanitarian implications and potential impact on migrants.(read more)
- AOL – Haiti’s foreign minister blasts Dominican Republic’s mass deportation plan, denouncing it as an affront to human dignity and contravening international human rights standards.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Why is the Dominican Republic deporting Haitians?
The Dominican government blames Haiti’s crisis for crime and security issues.
How many migrants does the Dominican Republic plan to deport weekly?
The Dominican Republic plans to deport up to 10,000 migrants per week.
What has Haiti’s foreign minister said about the deportations?
Haiti’s foreign minister called the deportations an affront to human dignity and condemned them.
What has the United Nations asked regarding the deportations?
The United Nations has asked countries to halt deportations of Haitians due to the dangerous situation in Haiti.
What concerns have been raised about the mass deportations?
Concerns include the inability to consider individual cases and the contravention of international human rights standards.
