Santo Domingo. – The former President of the Republic, Leonel Fernández, classified as unacceptable the demands made by the UN High Commissioner, Volker Türk, that the Dominican government stop the deportation of Haitian foreigners.
The also president of the People’s Force established a position on the statements of the representative of said international organization, through a statement sent to the press this Sunday afternoon.
“The statements of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, reiterating his direct demand to the Dominican Republic about the cessation of deportations of Haitian nationals to his country, are not only unacceptable, but exceed the mandate to which he is called. the High Commissioner to promote human rights, which must always be maintained within the framework of state sovereignty that corresponds to each State”, expresses the document sent.
In the words of the president of the FP, “The Dominican Republic retains absolute power in the elaboration and execution of its migratory policies, including deportation processes, as long as these are not contrary to public international law.”
He cited article 2.7 of the Charter of the United Nations, regarding the principles that govern the operation of the international organization, which establishes that: “No provision of this Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters that are essentially of the domestic jurisdiction of States”.
You can read: UN Proconsul
“In that sense, the High Commissioner’s call for our country to make a definitive cessation of the deportation process is simply inadmissible,” Fernández said.
He said that the United Nations official alleges that the situation in Haiti means that the conditions for a safe, dignified and sustainable return of its citizens do not exist. We recognize the alarming situation of violence that plagues our neighboring country, and we hope that it can overcome this current impasse with the help of the entire international community.
“However, this does not constitute, in international law, an element that limits our sovereign power to establish a migration policy that responds to the needs of our country. Nor is it the simple declaration of Mr. Volker Türk », he stated.
With this position established, the former president called on the Office of the High Commissioner to refrain from making statements that are excessive and out of place.
At the same time, he called on the Dominican government to guarantee that any deportation process respects human rights; but, above all, to strengthen the surveillance and control of our border area, as the best way to guarantee that the need for a large number of deportations decreases.
