Ja: Take back your nationals, mon!

Jamaica, angered by the foot-dragging of Haiti's interim government in taking back 130 refugees who want to return home, yesterday told the Latortue administration to get its act together and warned that it may take the issue to the United Nations.

"We can talk to the UN (and) Haiti can be sanctioned in the international forum," said Donovan Nelson, the spokesman for the national security ministry which coordinates matters relating to the nearly 600 Haitian boat people who have landed here since February.

"We recognise that Haiti is also a signatory to international laws and conventions and therefore we continue to dialogue with them in the hope that they will honour their international obligations and accept their nationals," Nelson added.

Earlier in the day, the security ministry had issued a statement calling on Haiti "to conclude without delay the arrangements for the reception of their nationals". That statement also stressed the obligation of states to allow their nationals the right to return to their home country.
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...[A]ccording to the security ministry, Jamaica, which has been working through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has been unable to move because of the approach of the Haitian authorities.
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According to Nelson, among the frustrations faced by Jamaica is that despite its notification to Port au Prince of the intended arrival date of the refugees, nothing was done.Instead, Jamaica was in a sense being asked to prove that it was Haitian nationals that were being sent back.

"The Haitian authorities did nothing on the ground," Nelson said. "They have asked us to verify the nationality (of those asking to be repatriated)."

The Haitian authorities must be kidding! If they imagine that other Caribbean nationals will move to Haiti in its present condition, they need their heads examined because they badly misunderstand their Caribbean brethren.