Human rights body urges Jamaican Government not to deport Haitians

 

 

The human rights group, Freedom Imaginaires, has written to Jamaica's  ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security seeking asylum on behalf of 37 Haitians, including eight children facing deportation.

 

The Haitins arrived by boat at Boston Beach Portland on July 10. 

 

The Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency is making arrangements to have them returned to Haiti after the adults appeared in court and were each fined J$7000 or three days of hard labour for illegal entry.

 

But Marlene Alleyne, international human rights lawyer and founder of Freedom Imaginaires, is urging the Jamaican Government to halt the process and comply with UN Refugee Agency and Inter-American Commission on Human Rights directives to suspend the forced return of Haitians.

 

In a letter dated July 20, Freedom Imaginaires said the UN Refugee Agency has warned that conditions in Haiti continue to be dire, and not conducive to forced returns.

 

She also said she met with the Haitian refugees, "and they indicated that they have a fear of persecution in Haiti and that they wish to see asylum in Jamaica."

 

As a consequence of that exchange, she said her organization wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, as well as the Ministry of National Security "requesting asylum on behalf of the group of 37 Haitians, and reminding the Government that the removal of people and the forcible return of people to country where they would face persecution... is explicitly prohibited under international law."

 

Information Minister, Robert Morgan, addressing the matter earlier this week, claimed that Jamaica's decision to fine and deport the Haitians will not negatively affect its international campaign to shore up support for the French-speaking CARICOM nation.

 

Mr Morgan said the Haitians were advised of the possibility of applying for asylum, but none took up the offer.

 

But Ms Alleyne said she was informed that the Haitians were unrepresented in court.