MIAMI – Due to bureaucratic red tape at the Organization of American States (OAS), regional leaders may have missed an opportunity to discuss and take action on a proposed draft resolution of the Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition (HAGC) submitted to the OAS Permanent Council on April 20th, 2009 regarding Haitian migration in countries of the region.
Avoiding debate on the Haitian migration problematic in the region will not serve the best interest of the Haitian people despite multi million dollars commitment made to Haiti recently at the donors conference last April in Washington DC, said Jean-Robert Lafortune, Chairman of the Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition in Miami.
As President Rene Preval Stated last October in Miami, his government was in no condition to accept deportees from the United States due to the catastrophe caused by the four major tropical storms last year. If the International community is sincere in helping in Haiti’s stabilization effort, regional leaders need not be reluctant in assisting Haiti tackle its migration problem.
HAGC’s proposal would have allowed OAS to serve as the bridge facilatating bilateral and multilateral negotiations among all parties involved, including the United States consideration for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Haitian Nationals.
For a copy of HAGC’s draft resolution, log-in at
www.TPSNOW.org
US Federal Authorities have already issued removal orders to more than 30,000 Haitian Nationals in the United States.
In addition, countries such as the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic have implemented a Haitian repatriation program which more often than not denies the rights of due process to Haitian migrants or refugees, a blatant violation of the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights. The HAGC draft resolution calls for a moratorium on repatriation from these two countries.
HAGC will coordinate a press conference on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 at 1:00 pm at Jean-Jacques Dessalines Community Center 8325 NE 2 Avenue, Miami, Florida 33138
