UN regrets Dominican Republic’s refusal to verify repatriations: EFE

Geneva.- United Nations High Commissioner for Human RightsZeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said he regrets the Dominican Republic has yet toauthorize his staff to verify the repatriation process of undocumentedimmigrants in the country, EFE reports.

"I regret the Dominican Republic’s inability torespond to the offer of my office to support and verify the forced movements ofpeople to Haiti," said Zeid in his speech before the 33rd HumanRights Council, which started Monday in Geneva.

He said much of the population being expelled are people ofHaitian descent who were stripped of their Dominican nationality following achange in legislation in 2013.

"My office continues concerned with thesedeportations, which officially began a year ago, and wants to ensure that anyforced movement of people comply with international law," Zeid said.

More than 40,000 people including several hundredunaccompanied minors have been repatriated from the Dominican Republic to Haitibetween August 2015 and May 2016, according to the International Organizationfor Migration (IOM) and Haiti civil society organizations.

At least another 68,000 returned to Haiti "spontaneously,"said sources quoted by EFE.