Monday, Rothchild François Jr. Minister of Communications said it will be necessary to “renegotiate the 1999 repatriation protocol” signed between the two countries December 2, 1999, stating that “The terms are not respected…”

Recall that in this protocol the Haitian government recognizes the legitimate right of the Dominican Republic to repatriate Haitians living in an irregular migratory situation in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican government undertakes that these repatriations are performed in the respects human rights under certain conditions, which include, the respect for family unity, property of returnees, days, hours and the crossing-points at the borders.

The Minister François stated that the Haitian Government remained open to dialogue “to better plan for the repatriation of our compatriots,” stressing that about 400 Haitian nationals were repatriated every day…

While there is no doubt that in past years the Dominican Republic has violated on numerous occasions, the 1999 Protocol, it is utopian to believe that the Dominican Republic will renegotiate the agreement. The Chancellor Andrés Navaro, had already spoken on this subject several times, claiming that the 1999 Protocol, will be respected as well as international conventions signed by both countries when repatriations will begin http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14234-haiti-flash-dominican-details-of-the-repatriation-process.html

This accusation of non-compliance of the clauses by Dominican, comes from the fact that Haiti, assimilates voluntary return of our compatriots to repatriation (therefore falling within the scope of the Protocol of 1999), while the Dominican authorities continue to assert, that repatriations, following the National Plan of Regularisation of Foreigners have yet to begin. http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14392-haiti-dominican-republic-still-no-date-for-the-beginning-of-repatriations.html

Accordingly, these voluntary returns, are at the discretion of the persons concerned, at any time, any day and through the 5 official posts or one of the 140 points of unofficial crossings, what undoubtedly poses a problem to the Haitian authorities, for the welcome of families. The Dominican Republic is limited to say it has no control over the illegal Haitians who decide to return home… A case which is not provided for in the Protocol of 1999.

Remember also that in this protocol, the government of Haiti had committed to establish among other migratory checkpoints along the Haitian border to prevent the entry of illegal into neighboring territory…

S/ HaitiLibre