Citing precarious conditions, UN urges governments not to return Haitians

A boat load of Haitian refugees

GENEVA, Switzerland — The United Nations is appealing to governments to suspend all involuntary returns to Haiti, given the precarious conditions that continue to persist in the Caribbean nation 18 months after the devastating January 2010 earthquake.

“Despite the recent elections and ongoing reconstruction efforts, Haiti, weakened by the earthquake, cannot yet ensure adequate protection or care especially for some vulnerable groups in case of return,” Adrian Edwards, the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters in Geneva.

An estimated 680,000 people are still displaced within Haiti, living in over 1,000 tented camps in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and other earthquake-affected areas. An unknown number remains outside the country.

Given the current situation in Haiti, UNHCR and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) are urging governments to renew, on humanitarian grounds, residence permits and other mechanisms that have allowed Haitians to remain outside their country.

“The appeal calls on governments to assess Haitian cases on an individual basis and to pay special consideration and refrain from returning to Haiti persons with special protection needs, and to prevent situations where returns can lead to family separation,” said Edwards.

Michel Martelly was sworn in as the new president of Haiti in May after he won the run-off round of polls earlier this year. The UN peacekeeping mission in the country (MINUSTAH) said at the time that his inauguration carried with it “all the hopes of change for the people of Haiti: hopes for reconstruction, progress, stability, social peace, rule of law [and] development.”

The mission called on Martelly, his government, Haiti’s politicians, civil society groups and wider citizenry to “make this historic moment their rallying point for sealing a new political, economic and social pact to rebuild together a new Haiti.”

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13 Comments

  1. June 22, 2011

    it is not that we do not want Haitians to come to dominica,when ever one travel they should have the proper ducuments to travel.when we travel we must have the proper ducuments why should it be different for others the same rule should apply to all Haitians or not you cant have a bunch of people flocking in any country,they are not regester any where?there will be too much strif so people think before you write.

  2. Small Boss
    June 22, 2011

    What wrong with them far away rich people? Where they live is too far for the Haitians to really journey illegally by sea. If it was there country, they would b singing different songs. So the rest of the Caribbean have to take in all the criminals, the sickly and anything else that comes with it? Look at Dominica, how d Haitians just claiming to be doing things (gardening/cooking/house-keeping) and is other things (wives/husbands/valuables)they looking at. They cry in your face, give me job. Poor u feeling sorry and help but little do know is they just want to secure things for themselves and their family. Generally, they are not nice people. People don’t forget people who have been and done good for them, but Haitians do. Try telling a Haitian national you are not pleased with something. Police u go get or their favourite slang—- I.T. mweh sorti (meaning they go fix u up).

  3. Homeboy
    June 22, 2011

    To the Dotish saying send the Haitians back, I would like to know whether they are using any of your resources at your home. Are you contributing to Dominica’s developmen and if so how. I am sure you are one of those people sitting by the road blaming the govt and doing nothing.

    Secondly, eagle 125 you mention your G.O.D in your statement and you talk crap out of your mouth. People remember we are mere visitors on this earth and we should get away of that peception that Dominica is for Dominicans. We are all citizens of the earth and it would behoove us to act that way. Dominica is a volcano waiting to erupt and She shall need help when that happens.

    Also the PM talks so much shyte.. What he needs to do is to petition the UN for funds as Dca seems to be a safe h en for them.

    • Homeboy
      June 22, 2011

      Safe haven

    • eagles125
      June 23, 2011

      All I am saying is what happened to the billions they received in aid? Did they burn the money in their voodoo practices?

  4. June 22, 2011

    JUST WONDERING, JUST LIKE TELLING HAITIAN NOW LEAVE AND THEY WILL NOT SEND YOU ALL BACK, WELL LOOKOUT CARIBBEAN ISLANDS NOW THEY COMING IN THIS HEARD TIME WE FACING, AMERICA STILL SENDING THEM BACK SO WE MUST KEEP THEM, NO WAY, BACK THEY GO!!

  5. just a thought
    June 22, 2011

    finally a voice for the Haitians. and they all know what the conditions are like over there..

  6. eagles125
    June 22, 2011

    What happened to the billions they gave Haiti. Should we in Dominica keep them when no one gave us billions? There is widespread corruption in Haiti. The Bible say that God will help those that help them selves

  7. Papa Way
    June 22, 2011

    SEND THE HAITIANS BACK they bring bad vibes wherever they go and voodoo and all that Obeah shyte. Have you ever wondered why that country is still the poorest in the Southern Hemisphere??? You have to ask if GOD has well and truly departed that sorry place.

    • mouth of the south
      June 22, 2011

      in the southern hemisphere???????? tsk tsk tsk wow!!!! and u even put it in capital letters again,,,

    • history lesson
      June 22, 2011

      they are the poorest because they were the first to rebel against slavery and win independance against france. as a result the people of france wre charged millions to pay france reparation. Learn your history Haiti use to be a top trading spot . stop your ignorance.

      • possie blast
        June 22, 2011

        tell all dam haitian go back. nofing not pleasing dem. dey jus dam conflicting an like to threaten people wif obeah. put all of dem on a pweepwee an let it go out to sea.

    • man with a plan
      June 22, 2011

      you cant spell nor do you know which part of the earth the caribbean is. go back to school and learn and maybe some sense will come out in your mouth, leave them haitians alone. allu doing like allu doesn’t go and overcrowd other people country and allu there all over the world. allu leaving the good land in dominica to become forest and thank god them haitians come and work the land for some of allu when allu leave it and run in other people country

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