Haitian Refugees Spotted In The Brazilian And Peruvian Amazon - None Heading North To The U.s

June 28, 2011 - PRLog -- In a rare move, last week, United Nations Officials sent out a communique warning the Governments of the Bahamas, Brazil,  Jamaica, and Turks and Caicos Islands not forcibly repatriate Haitian Nationals to their homeland, citing that current country conditions as a result of earthquake that rocked the Island in January 2010.  In the meantime, Haitian Refugees have opted for different strategies as they continue fleeing their devastated homeland.  Haitian Refugees are now looking south in their attempt to find a more clement and friendly environment.  The Obama Administration Haitian Immigration Policy of containment appears to bear fruit as more Haitians are setting sail to the Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon where some of them are resigned to live in the no man's land deep into the amazon.  

In a meeting earlier this month with officials from the Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition (HAGC) with Brazilian Officials in Miami, it has been determined a little over 1,000 Haitian Nationals have been apprehended by local authorities for questioning.  All have claimed to be refugees seeking safe haven according to the Brazilian Consulate in Miami.  The fact that Haiti is a democratic country, therefore Brazil which has deployed over 2,000 military personnel in the MINUSTAH mission in Haiti, consider Haiti a democratic country nevertheless the Refugees were processed to determine their eligibility for political asylum.  According to CONARE, the institution that is assisting the refugees with their political asylum request, none of the 400 or so that have applied  met the political asylum requirements.  However Brazil has not forcibly returning any of those refugees to their homeland.  Immigration Officials provided them with a two-year permit to reside legally in the country and work permit for two years on humanitarian ground.  CONARE is still processing the remaining 600 or so refugees.  It is anticipated that it will take another three (3) months to complete the process..  Most of the Haitian Refugees are living in the Department of Madre de Dios.  Brazil wich shares border with Peru, has strict immigration policy not allowing foreigners to get in without proper documentation.  

In April this year, HAGC was alerted about the presence of over 100 Haitian Refugees found between the border of the two countries.  HAGC Officials immediately intervened with Peruvian and Brazilian Officials to inquire about the conditions and the status of those Haitian Nationals.  HAGC urged government officials to abide by treaties protecting refugees in the context of United Nations 1967 Protocol forbidding refoulement/repatriation of refugees to their homeland.  Brazilians and Peruvian Officials ensure that those refugees will not be forcibly repatriated.   The Peruvian Embassy  in Washington DC has indicated that Government Agencies in Lima have already granted political asylum status to six Haitian Nationals who have requested political asylum in that country.  

On the aftermath of the Haiti Quake, African countries such as Senegal had offered Haitians Refugees to settle in that country but bureaucratic red tapes between both governments turned this initiative into a failure.  Only a handful of Haitians, about 100 of them, were transported to Senegal to study.

Although President Sweet Micky Joseph Martelly has vowed to end the boat people phenomenon heading to the UNited States or the Bahamas, hope is still lingering.  The government has failed to implement any program to put people back to work.  Those who are tired of waiting are using other means top survive.   Heading South seems to be the new route chosen by Haitian Nationals in order to escape the reality of the their homeland.  In a recent communication with the United States Coast Guard regarding interception of Haitian Refugees in high seas, the trend is satisfactory according to U.S coast Guard Captain Robert C. Grant.  The last interception took place in December 2010, explained the Captain.  HAGC continues to challenge the Obama Administration Immigration misguided policy consisting in summary repatriation of Haitian Refugees caught at sea.  When Cuban Refugees are intercepted at sea, U.S Coast Guard Officials are under Administrative Directives to ask if they want to apply for polical asylum.  In the case of the Haitian Refugees, they themselves must initiate the discussion about applying for political asylum.   This policy dates from the  President Ronald Reagan and Baby Doc Jean Claude Duvalier era whereby the Haitian Government granted to the United States the rights to intercept and repatriate its citizens caught at sea by the U.S Coast Guard.  

HAGC will continue to monitor the situation of those Haitian Refugees living near the border of Brazil and Peru.  Brazilian authorities have expressed concerns that they believe that this group of Haitians could be  victims of "Coyotes", people dealing with human trafficking and express concerns that this experience could turn ugly at any time.  When Brazilian authorities asked if there were reports of casualties among the refugees in their odysse through the jungle, the response was no, said Jean-Robert Lafortune.  The route leading to the Amazon begins in Santo-Domingo then via airplane to either to Venezuela or Equator.  From either one of these points, the refugees travel by bus or boat to reach the Amazon.  HAGC urged the concerned parties to put in place an immigration policy that would provide to those wanting to leave Haiti with the proper outlet or mechanism in order to do so, said Lafortune who have been involved with Haitian Refugee issues in the United States, and the Caribbean for over a decade.

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The Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition is a leading Human Rights and Civil Rights Group advocating for the rights of Haitian Nationals seeking safe haven in countries such as the United States and the Caribbean. It pursues fair and equal treatment.