Rights group seeks to halt deportation of Haitians

Human rights group, Freedom Imaginaries, is making a last-ditch effort to stop the deportation of 29 Haitians from Jamaica.

It has written to the Government urging it to comply with UN Refugee Agency and Inter-American Commission on Human Rights directives to suspend the forced return of Haitians.

The 24 men and five women were on Tuesday each fined $7,000 or three days of hard labour in the Portland Parish Court.

The Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency is now making arrangements to have them returned to Haiti.

However, in a letter, dated July 20, Freedom Imaginaries said the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has warned that “conditions in Haiti continue to be dire, and not conducive to forced returns.”

"The UNHCR has therefore called upon States in the region to “suspend the forced return of Haitians to their country,” warning that Haitians who are returned to Haiti may face “life-threatening security and health risks, and further displacement inside the country," the group further stated in its letter.

It said the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has also issued a resolution that calls upon members of the Organization of American States to ensure Haitians have access to “efficient procedures that guarantee an individualised evaluation of the differentiated protection needs for asylum seekers, refugees,” and other groups.

Freedom Imaginaries wants the Government to refrain from deporting the Haitians and to work with it to provide them with information on their rights. It also wants the Government to assess their protection needs in line with international refugee and human rights law.

The group had requested a response by 2:30 p.m. Friday, however, up to that time, the Government had not replied.

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