DAJABON, Dominican Republic (AP) 鈥 Human rights activists are calling on the Dominican Republic's government for a temporary reprieve in deportations as neighboring Haiti鈥檚 crisis spirals and people attempt to flee over the closed border from a surge in deadly gang violence.
Small trucks with customized cages are ferrying dozens of Haitians every day from a detention center in San Crist贸bal to the border on the island of Hispaniola as the gang attacks paralyze parts of Haiti鈥檚 capital.
鈥淚f the government could postpone or diminish the push for deportations, it would be an achievement鈥n important contribution to the Haitian population,鈥 said William Charpentier, coordinator for the Dominican-based 春色直播 Coalition for Migrations and Refugees.
Charpentier said his organization has received complaints about Dominican authorities allegedly bursting into homes to arrest people believed to be Haitians, breaking belongings and extorting them at times.
The United Nations also has called on the Dominican Republic and other countries to halt deportations, noting that Haiti is extremely unsafe.
Roberto 脕lvarez, the Dominican Republic鈥檚 foreign minister, told reporters that the deportations are a result of a national security policy and that there is no choice but to continue them.
鈥淲e do it respecting international conventions and human rights treaties. We are not perfect. From time to time, situations occur. We try to correct them immediately,鈥 he responded when asked about allegations of abuse.
More than 23,900 people have been deported so far this year, according to the Dominican government. More than 4,500 have been deported this month.
Scores of people have been killed since the , with gangs targeting police stations, the main international airport that remains closed and Haiti鈥檚 two biggest prisons, released.
The attacks have left homeless about 17,000 people who have fled their neighborhoods, according to the U.N.
鈥淭here is a lot of calamity to eat, a lot of fights. There is no life,鈥 said Suson Chalas, a 32-year-old street vendor who lives in the Haitian border town of Ouanaminthe.
Alexis Yard, a 45-year-old Haitian who was recently at a bilateral market along the border, said he supports the presence of a foreign military force to help quell gang violence in his country.
鈥淲hat we want is a change, to live well, to eliminate crime and be able to move freely about the country,鈥 he said.
Plans for a U.N.-backed deployment of a Kenyan police force to fights gangs in Haiti , with the East African nation saying the force would be deployed once a transitional presidential council is in place to lead Haiti.
The council, , would be responsible for selecting an interim prime minister and a council of ministers. Last week, once the council is established.
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