In September 2013 the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic adopted a decision depriving of their Dominican nationality anyone born in the Dominican Republic between 1929 and 2010 whose parents were «in transit» at the time of their birth. More than 200,000 people, the vast majority of them of Haitian descent, have been made stateless as a result.

This action is the fruit of an ultranationalist ideology tinged with anti-Haitianism, which sees Haitian migration to the Dominican Republic as a «peaceful invasion». Yet for a long time this migration was encouraged by the Dominican government because it provided a source of cheap labor, especially for the sugar industry. When that industry began to decline in the 1980s, the presence of these Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent was no longer seen in a positive light.

From June 2015, mass expulsions of Haitian nationals from Dominican territory were carried out on the pretext that these people were not in the country legally. Yet people with valid residence documents were also expelled, along with Dominicans of Haitian descent. Cases of violence, separation of families and destruction of migrants’ identity papers were also reported.

Eirene Suisse is an organization working to promote peace, which operates in the field of cooperation through personnel exchanges. For several years we have been supporting Haitian NGOs defending migrants’ rights, such as SJM/SFw-Haïti (Service Jésuite aux Migrants/Solidarite Fwontalye-Haïti) and GARR (Groupe d’appui aux Rapatriés et Réfugiés). Two Swiss volunteers are currently working to strengthen the communication sector and advocate for these two organizations, with the aim of helping those expelled from the Dominican Republic to access their rights.

GARR and SJM/SFw-Haïti are working in coordination with other civil society organizations in Haiti and the Dominican Republic to promote respect for human rights and harmonious relations between the two countries.