By MEGAN REYNOLDS
Tribune Staff Reporter
mreynolds@tribunemedia.net:
HAITIAN community leaders have criticised Government for repatriating Haitian migrants last week, claiming they will face deplorable conditions and "certain death."
Although the repatriation of illegal Haitian migrants was suspended when Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince was devastated by the magnitude 7.0 earthquake on January 12, Haitian migrants who have been apprehended in the Bahamas since then were returned to Haiti on Monday, March 29.
Deputy Prime Minister and Immigration Minister Brent Symonette maintains Haiti is now ready for repatriation to resume as normal, while members of the Haitian community say those seeking refuge from the devastated nation should not be returned until conditions improve.
"They are sending people to certain death," said a Haitian Bahamian community leader who did not want to be named.
"Now Haiti is coming into the rainy season they are talking about the mud; people are walking in three inches of mud and they have to sleep in that, in tents, and it is going to get worse.
"To me it is really unfortunate to send people to a situation where their livelihood and their lives are at stake.
"We are just sending people to more misery."
An estimated 200,000 people were killed in the earthquake, and aid agencies have struggled to provide food and shelter for around one million left homeless.
Homeless
The Haitian government is now appealing for 40,000 dwellings for the 200,000 homeless living in the worst flooding and mudslide-prone areas.
By returning migrants now, the community leader fears the Bahamas will gain a poor humanitarian reputation internationally.
Antoine St Louis, president of the United Haitian Bahamian Association, added: "We applaud what the Government did for the Haitian people after the earthquake, but we would hope they would give them some more time.
"Haiti is not ready to take anyone as yet.
"They still have a million homeless people sleeping on the street, they still have no food.
"There has not been any improvement to the situation.
"If they gave them some more time that would really help because it is still in dire need."
Mr Symonette maintains there has been no change to the Bahamian Immigration policy, although exceptions were made in the aftermath of the earthquake.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham approved the release of 102 Haitian men, women and children held at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre days after the quake hit and they were granted temporary status to remain in the Bahamas for up to six months.
Meanwhile the United States government extended 18 months Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to an estimated 200,000 Haitians already in the US when the earthquake struck.
However, both the US and Bahamas continued to apprehend all those illegally landing within their borders after January 12 to be repatriated when the Haitian government was ready to accept them.
A total of 62 Haitian migrants found on a boat in Exuma two weeks after the earthquake were immediately repatriated by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force with assistance from the United States Coast Guard.
Earthquake
While dozens of others apprehended since the earthquake were charged in court to extend the period of their detention until they could be repatriated on Monday, March 29.
The 86 illegal migrants apprehended in Long Island on March 27 were then returned to Haiti on Wednesday.
In response to criticism from the PLP Opposition, the Immigration Minister released a statement on Monday to clarify how government's policy regarding repatriation has remained constant despite exceptions being made in the aftermath of the quake.
"Now that it is possible to resume the orderly repatriation of illegal Haitian immigrants, those who have been incarcerated are being repatriated," Mr Symonette said.
"Any new illegal immigrants are being apprehended and repatriated as promptly as possible."
April 07, 2010
tribune242
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