JAMAICA | Advocates Network decry heartless treatment of Haitian Refugees by Gov't

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Saturday, July 22, 2023. The Advocates Network says it is deeply disappointed at the heartless, dishonourable decision by the government of Jamaica (GOJ) to charge and fine 37 Haitians for illegal entry to Jamaica, and for making arrangements to have them deportated back to Haiti.

In a statement today, the Advocates Network says "this deplorable decision adds another layer of suffering to the dire condition they are in. It is cruel and inhumane to send the Haitians back to Haiti at the height of the rampant civil war currently being waged there and knowing that their deportation is effectively a death sentence for these Haitians including their eight children (three girls and five boys)."

The  Advocates Network believes that this is a crucial moment for Jamaica to lead in the mobilization of the entire CARICOM community to put action to words and jointly help in the amelioration of this present crisis. That would be the surest representation of the integration that we have been seeking for decades.

"We fully support the request by Human Rights lawyer, Marlene Alleyne to "allow time for due process and to work with us to assess the protection needs of the Haitians in line with international refugee and human rights law."

If the Haitians are not eligible for refugee protection, we urge the government to follow the 2022 UNCHR's guidance to grant "complementary protection, temporary protection, humanitarian admission or other legal stay arrangements until the security situation in Haiti permits safe returns."

Jamaica has had a long and historic bond with the Haitian people dating back to Dutty Boukman and his role in feeding the Haitian revolution so based on this and in light of our CARICOM membership we have a historical obligation to these sisters and brothers.

The Haitians need our help! The Advocate’s Network is willing to help and we encourage the GOJ as well as our fellow Jamaicans, at home and abroad, to lend a helping hand.

The human rights group, Freedom Imaginaries,  this week wrote  to Jamaica's  ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security seeking asylum on behalf of  the 37 Haitians, including eight children  now facing deportation. The Haitins arrived by boat at Boston Beach Portland on July 10. They are being held at a shelter at Robin's Bay St. Mary, which is being supervised by the Jamaica Red Cross.

Jamaica's Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency started making arrangements to have them returned to Haiti, after the 29 adults were taken to court without legal representation, where they pleaded guilty to illegally entering Jamaica, and were each fined J$7000 or three days of hard labour for illegal entry.

In a letter dated July 20, international human rights lawyer and founder of Freedom Imaginaries, Malene Alleyne; urged 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.

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