Migration expert says deporting or abandoning Haitians is breach of UN human rights convention

There are striking similarities between the plight of 33 Haitians being kept in the basement of a house at Wanstead Gardens, St James and 15 Haitians who were duped out of thousands of dollars on a 2018 trip to Barbados in search of a better life.

The major difference on this occasion, however, is that over half a dozen children are said to be involved. And local activists want Government authorities to step in, especially for the sake of the under-aged visitors in the group.

Reverend David Durant, the pastor and social activist who rushed to the rescue of the young men three years ago when they were evicted from a Britton’s Hill apartment, declared that the involvement of children alone should prompt a swift response from authorities.

Migration expert Dr Olivia Smith has also warned that a decision to deport the CARICOM nationals or a failure to meet their basic needs is a breach of the United Nations’ human rights conventions.

Barbados TODAY last week revealed that the Haitians, who arrived on February 20 on a 15-day in-transit arrangement, were reportedly awaiting visas to travel to Guyana. But the group that includes young men, women and children, has received no definitive word from a travel agency called MPH, on the future of their voyage. MPH was reportedly acting on the behalf of the Haitians on the trip to Guyana.

When contacted, Guyana’s Consul General to Barbados Geneva Ross-Tyndall could shed no light on the plight of the group nor on the status of any travel documents as she said she was not aware of the circumstances under which the visas were being requested.

“Visa applications are usually done online, so I wouldn’t be able to say what is happening here. I don’t know the details,” she told Barbados TODAY.

Reverend Durant, however, identified a number of similarities with the 2018 scam.

“It was the same kind of thing. All of them were packed in one house. It was unsanitary, it was bad,” said Reverend Durant.

“They had nothing to eat, nowhere to sleep, it was terrible and now from reading your report, it seems as if this is the same thing all over again with another set of Haitians. I feel bad about it,” he added.

Reverend Durant said the last group of Haitians paid as much as US$4,000 in exchange for airline tickets, accommodation, work permits and job opportunities offered by an agency.

When they were evicted and fell under severe hardship, he facilitated assistance with food, shelter, and counselling, before raising funds to repatriate them to their homeland.

On Monday, he told Barbados TODAY he had already reached out through an intermediary who speaks Haitian creole and confirmed that “seven or eight” children are in fact living at the Wanstead address.

“I think the authorities, on a humanitarian basis, should ensure things are sorted out for them to be repatriated back home because there are children and they will need help,” said Reverend Durant.

“We need to take these children in, put them in a place where they can be better accommodated, spend a couple of days until everything is worked out and then make sure to see that they are accompanied back by a responsible adult,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Smith, who is Director of the Caribbean Anti Human-Trafficking Foundation, said the latest case is not a “clear cut” case of trafficking.

But she maintained that the 33 Haitians are “obvious victims” and ought to be treated by law enforcement and immigration officials as such. She also contended that as CARICOM citizens, the visitors were entitled to an automatic six-month stay.

“The world is watching how Barbados is treating this matter,” warned Dr Smith.

“As guided by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, in the case of the Haitians, Barbados should respect international law regarding the treatment of migrants under international human rights law,” she added.

Dr Smith declared that the Geneva Convention, under the principle of non-refoulement, states that no one should be returned to a country where they would face torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

“This principle applies to all migrants at all times, irrespective of migration status,” said the migration specialist.

“In the case of children, heightened consideration must also be given to children in the context of non-refoulement, whereby actions of Barbados must be taken in accordance with the best interests of the child. In particular, a child should not be returned if such return would result in the violation of their fundamental human rights, including if there is a risk of insufficient provision of food or health services,” she added.

While Reverend Durant believes the Haitians should be repatriated at the earliest opportunity, Dr Smith noted that this country’s leaders have expressed a desire to have more people in the country.

“Is it that we are not willing to accept our brothers or sisters who look like us? There is an unfounded and discriminatory fear of Haitians not only among communities, but officials in Barbados. Haitian people are just humans trying to escape terrible circumstances and should be treated with dignity and respect as they have suffered enough,” she added.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb