Letter of the Day | Ja must take action to protect the rights of Haitian refugees
Published:Thursday | October 10, 2024 | 12:06 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
Stand Up for Jamaica (SUFJ) and Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) are once again urging the Government to take immediate action to protect the rights of Haitians and ensure they are treated with dignity, in accordance with international standards.
On Saturday October 5, 2024, a group of 20 Haitian refugees landed in Kensington, Portland. On Monday October 7, 2024, the media reported that the 20 refugees were repatriated on Sunday night of October 6. JFJ and SUFJ are strongly condemning this move by the authorities, as we are seeing once again where Haitians seeking refugee status are being denied this right, as well as to have their applications duly processed.
We also note with concern that attorney-at-law Malene Alleyne, head of Freedom Imaginaries, who has advocated for and supported the rights of Haitian refugees entering the island, was denied access to visit them. This is despite correspondence by Freedom Imaginaries to the Ministry of National Security requesting that the individual protection needs of each refugee is assessed.
PROPER ASSESSMENTS
These persons now join a pool of over 130 Haitians who have sought asylum since July 2023, most of whom have already been expelled from Jamaica without being granted access to asylum procedures or legal counsel. The continued undermining of Haitians’ legal right to an attorney and due process are flagrant violations. The lack of access to legal representation and immediate institution of criminal charges make it nearly impossible for persons to make known their intention to seek refugee status, as provided for under Jamaica’s refugee policy of 2009.
Local media reports highlight concerns about refugees, including children and pregnant women, being charged with illegal entry and held in poor conditions. They are treated as criminals without any evidence of wrongdoing, and despite fleeing violence, hunger, and instability. They deserve proper assessments to determine their refugee status, rather than automatic criminalisation by the Jamaican authorities.
The Government’s unempathetic response contrasts with the recognition, both locally and internationally, of Haiti’s severe human-rights crisis, which has prompted the deployment of national security resources to the region.
Therefore, we call on the Government to launch a full investigation into the treatment of Haitian migrants and asylum seekers in Jamaica, with a view to examining that processes to determine that their status are in line with those detailed in our refugee policy, as well as an examination of reports of abuse and unnecessary or arbitrary detention.
Furthermore, we remind the Government of its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 protocol, which prohibit deporting individuals to life-threatening conditions. We urge the Government to heed the call from the UN Refugee Agency to suspend the forced return of Haitians and uphold its duty to protect those seeking refuge from persecution and harm.
MARIA CARLA GULLOTTA
Executive Director, Stand Up for Jamaica
JADE WILLIAMS
Policy and Advocacy Specialist, Jamaicans For Justice