Haitians Displaced by Political Reprisals

Political violence and a culture of reprisals have forced the internal displacement of politically active members of Haitian society. Haitians fleeing persecution must hide in their own country because the U.S. and the Dominican Republic are making it difficult for them to receive asylum,  -or even protection. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares that "everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution," yet the U.S. is working hard to block refugees and asylum seekers.  In February, with violence rising in Haiti and the government collapsing, President Bush said, "We will turn back any refugee that attempts to reach our shore, and that message needs to be very clear as well to the Haitian people." U.S. Coast Guard vessels intercept Haitian boats headed to Florida. Haitians whom U.S. immigration authorities believe have a credible fear of persecution and have not yet reached the United States are held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, pending resettlement in another country.  The vast majority of almost 2,000 Haitians who were interdicted at sea in the first quarter of the year were returned summarily to Haitian ports with little or no support from local authorities. [more]

• Brooklyn Congressman Condemns Slow Processing Of Haitian Refugee Cases [more]