Dominican Republic Continues Haitian Deportations

February 20, 1997 -- The Dominican government's massive deportation of Haitians (and Dominicans of Haitian descent) continues into its eighth week with no end in sight. The head of the Dominican armed forces and the Office of Migration announced this week that approximately 15,000 have been repatriated since the end of 1996.

Press reports suggest that the timidity of the Haitian government in the light of the brutal expulsions may be changing. A Haitian consul in the Dominican Republic, Edwin Paraison, stated this week that bilateral discussions about the repatriations, including the border meeting two weeks ago between the foreign ministers of the two states, have led nowhere. No coordination or cooperation exists between the two governments on the repatriations, and the Dominican government has not changed the arbitrary way it rounds up "Haitian-looking" individuals on the streets or in private homes, often separating family members. Paraison also stated that Haitian officials had confirmed that many individuals deported by the Dominican government arrived in Haiti with valid Dominican passports or visas.

The Haitian government has apparently threatened to formally complain before regional and international intergovernmental organizations such as the Organization of American States and the United Nations. In response, the Dominican foreign minister said that "each country does what it believes necessary to preserve its sovereignty."