ONE of the very pressing political issues that Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders would have to seriously address when they meet in Barbados next week for their annual summit is the recurring plight of thousands of Dominican nationals of Haitian descent currently facing imminent deportation from that Spanish-speaking nation of this Region.
This is the nightmare facing at least some 200,000 immigrants of Haitian origin in the Dominican Republic (DR) where they are being frustrated by the authorities to regularise their status under a new law. The problem requires a speedy and practical response by CARICOM.
This challenge has been engaging the attention of regional and international human rights agencies and organisations for more than a year but with both the Governments in the DR and Haiti seemingly incapable, or unwilling, to find a practical resolution within the framework of international law.
Indeed, both CARICOM and the DR -the latter has Observer status with the Community –have been accused by human rights groups of failing to demonstrate any consistency in collectively advancing initiatives to end the threatened stateless nightmare facing the thousands of immigrants of Haitian origin.
Neither CARICOM nor the wider hemispheric body, Organisation of American States (OAS) has managed to move, separately or together, to influence the DR authorities into ending this humiliating, race-based problem affecting the thousands of fellow nationals of our Caribbean Community.
Yesterday, an ‘Open Letter’, addressed to the outgoing chairman of CARICOM, Prime Minister Perry Christie, expressed “deep disappointment and outrage over the silence from CARICOM” on this most urgent matter involving thousands of Dominicans of Haitian origin in the DR.
The ‘Open Letter’ from the human rights group ‘Jouvay Ayiti’ recalled strong objections made since November 2013 to the ruling by the Dominican Republic’s courts to revoke the citizenship of Dominicans of Haitian descent as far back as 1929.
Further, that a few Heads of Government – among them the Prime Ministers of Trinidad and Tobago and St. Vincent and the Grenadines — had openly addressed the challenges to be overcome in the interest of justice and freedom.
The question of immediate relevance is what, if any, practical ACTION would now
be pursued by CARICOM Heads of Government at their summit meeting next week in Barbados?