Haiti: 1) What is the status of human rights and the circumstances of the country; 2) number of refugees leaving the island
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 December 1989 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | HTI3190 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Haiti: 1) What is the status of human rights and the circumstances of the country; 2) number of refugees leaving the island, 1 December 1989, HTI3190, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ace533.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
1) To provide you with recent information on Haiti, please find a copy of the Information Request No. 2232, which discusses the recent political developments and the human rights situation in the country.
Also, find attached the latest country assessment found in the Amnesty International Report 1989. According to this report "Human rights violations continued throughout a year in which there were four changes of government. Widespread reports of torture, ill-treatment and deaths in detention were received from all parts of the country, particularly prior to a military coup... [Also] tonton macoutes, in many cases working with member of the security forces, were responsible for killings and attacks on known or alleged government opponents." [Amnesty International Report 1989, (Amnesty International Publications, London, U.K.: 1989), p.129.]
The violence and repression against workers, students, politicians and human rights activists in general has continued throughout 1989 [For a detailed account on the human rights situation of the country in the latter part of 1989 see for instance Haiti Insight, issues for June, July, August, September, October and November 1989. ]. As recently as november 1989, the Globe and Mail reported the arrests of 15 persons including three human rights activists and a former senatorial candidate. ["Haitian rights workers among 15 arrested", Globe and Mail, November 24, 1989, p.A12.] And Liberation informs of the killing of three persons purportedly by a group of seven armed civilians. ["Haiti: Meurtres", Liberation, November 21, 1989.]
2) The number of Haitians leaving their homeland to venture abroad has been rising since 1981 when the United States implemented its policy of interdicting boats coming out of Haiti. Since then, according to Refugee Reports, 21,369 Haitians have been interdicted, of which 4,551 were interdicted in fiscal years 1989.
In Canada, since January 1 to November 1989, 65 Haitians have claimed refugee status on the basis of Canada's new refugee determination system. ["News Release" (Immigration and Refugee Board, Ottawa, December 21, 1989), p. 4.]