a1568: Rights group critical of Dominican deportations (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

    SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 3 (Reuters) - A human rights
group urged the Dominican Republic on Wednesday to revise its policies on
deporting illegal migrants to avoid race-based discrimination and protect
Dominicans of Haitian descent from expulsion.
     New York-based Human Rights Watch praised Dominican government efforts
on the issue but said people who appeared Haitian, because of their skin
color which is often darker, were targeted by authorities.
     They were "frequently deported to Haiti within hours of their
detention, causing families to be separated and children to be left
behind," the group said.
     "Suspected undocumented Haitians -- including Dominicans of Haitian
descent -- have no fair opportunity to challenge their expulsion," Human
Rights Watch said in a statement, noting that the country's constitution
gives citizenship by birth.
     The Dominican Republic and Haiti share the Caribbean island of
Hispaniola and both countries have populations of around 8 million.
     The Dominican Republic, far more prosperous than its impoverished
neighbor, is host to thousands of Haitians -- many without legal papers --
working in sugar, agriculture and construction.
     Human Rights Watch commended Dominican President Hipolito Mejia's
government for showing "unprecedented willingness" to bring its treatment
of Haitians and Dominico-Haitians in line with international human rights
standards.
     "The Dominican government needs to fully implement its own
constitution and laws," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, executive director of the
Americas Division of Human Rights Watch, who visited the country on
Wednesday. "It would make real human rights progress if its practice
conformed to its rules."
     Dominican Foreign Minister Hugo Tolentino Dipp said in response to the
report that his country would respect basic principles of human rights, but
would continue to exercise its sovereign right to repatriate illegal
migrants.
     Tolentino Dipp said Vivanco met the Dominican president during his
visit and the government was satisfied the group's report contained "no
type of accusation on the conduct of the Dominican government toward
Haitians."
     Tolentino Dipp said that while his country would fulfill its human
rights obligations, "it has to be understood that the Dominican Republic
has a very heavy burden," in dealing with the many Haitians crossing the
border illegally.
     Human Rights Watch said its report was based on research conducted
last year, including testimony from Haitian and Dominico-Haitian deportees,
families denied proof of citizenship, lawyers, government officials, and
human rights advocates.
     It said Dominico-Haitians faced great difficulties in proving their
entitlement to remain in their own country, "with the result that
generations of ethnic Haitians are denied recognition as citizens."
     The report said the impact of this included barring some children of
Haitian descent from the classroom, particularly beyond the primary school
level. Tolentino Dipp said this part of the report was not correct.
     While recognizing the Dominican Republic's right to control
immigration, Human Rights Watch called on the government to remedy abusive
practices. It called the issue of illegal immigration difficult and said it
hoped the government would continue to "make progress toward handling it in
a fair and nondiscriminatory way."