(5 Feb 1997) Spanish/Nat
The Dominican Republic and Haiti have agreed to co-ordinate efforts to stop the increasing flow of illegal Haitian immigrants into the Dominican Republic.
Hundreds of Haitian illegal immigrants are being repatriated daily as part of the Dominican government's plan to crack down on illegal immigration.
Haitian authorities have promised to co-operate as long as their Dominican counterparts respect the rights of the immigrants.
A new group of illegal Haitian immigrants are sent back to Haiti.
These are just a few of the thousands of Haitians who crossed the border into the Dominican Republic illegally to escape from Haiti's social, political and economic instability.
But the Dominican Republic - which shares the other half of the island - has had enough and has launched a new repatriation programme aimed at cutting down on illegal immigration.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"There are hundreds of thousands of illegal Haitians immigrants who come into the country, as we say 'jumping the fence' and that's it.
Q: How many Haitians are being repatriated per day lately?
I would say an average of one thousand a day, more or less."
SUPER CAPTION: Ricardo Rodriguez, Dominican Immigration Officer
While the Haitian immigrants wait for a bus to take them back home, Dominican authorities insist the immigrants are being treated well.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"Repatriation is being carried out in a very just and humane way. We've received specific instruction from the Director General of Immigration that they should not be mistreated, they shouldn't be pushed around, that is they should be treated in a fair and humanitarian way and all commanders from the different battalions have specific instructions."
SUPER CAPTION: Ricardo Rodriguez, Dominican Immigration Officer
Haitian repatriates however, have a different story to tell.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"The guards told me that Haitians have no right to talk in Santo Domingo, that all Haitians would be sent back to Haiti, that Haitians are dogs."
SUPER CAPTION: Jose Manelio, Haitian repatriate
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"I told him, look at my passport, I have a visa and he said, 'no', that Haitians have no right to talk, Haitians are being taken away. They (Haitians) have no right to talk."
SUPER CAPTION: Octavio Cout, Haitian repatriate
Haitian Foreign Minister, Fritz Longchamp, and his Dominican counterpart, Eduardo Latorre, met Monday in the border village of Jimani.
After a five-hour meeting, they agreed to cooperate to solve the immigration problem between the two countries.
Haitian authorities will cooperate as long as their Dominican counterparts respect the rights of the immigrants.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"The Republic of Haiti is committed to stop the influx of illegal immigrants into the Dominican Republic and that's in the text."
SUPER CAPTION: Fritz Longchamp's Translator
The Dominican's reciprocated.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"The Dominican government is willing to investigate specific accusations of human rights violations and would there be any, we would take the those responsible to justice."
SUPER CAPTION: Eduardo Latorre, Dominican FM
But Latorre made it clear that the repatriation of Haitians will continue for as long as necessary.
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