The Border Network Jeannot Succès (RFJS) announced Thursday that between 350 and 500 workers of the Consortium Barahona Sugar Mill (Consorcio Central Azucarero Barahona), have been repatriated to Haiti by the border post of Jimani, after having spent 6 months working in the sugar cane plantations of the Consortium, in Dominican Republic.

Transported in 7 bus from various sugar plants to Malpasse, the repatriation was assisted by the Directorate General of Immigration, the Dominican National Army and the Haitian Consulate in Barahona.

The informants RFJS and Jesuit Service Jimani and Fond Parisien, have interviewed dozens of workers to check their immigration status as workers and found that none of the respondents were in possession of passports, visa or permit issued by the Directorate General of Immigration, condition "sine qua non" to have the immigration status of seasonal worker.

The RFJS wondered on this immigration status unknown and the lack of transparency in the hiring process of Consortium Barahona Sugar Mill and how, the General Directorate of Migration and the Haitian authorities are able to control the hiring quota of workers in such conditions...

Moreover, RFJS emphasizes that freedom of movement of workers was restricted on the Dominican territory, and they were not allowed to communicate with others outside the sugar plantations of the Consortium.

The RFJS ask the Dominican government, to the Unit of labor migration, within the guidelines of the Directorate General of Employment and the Directorate General of Immigration, to clarify the status of Haitian workers in sugar plants in the Dominican Republic, since the State must ensure the respect for human rights, immigration law and human dignity.

HL/ HaitiLibre