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WORLD NEWS Friday 25 March 2022

Human rights group decries deportation to ‘chaos’ in Haiti

By DÁNICA COTO and gienic conditions. “Port-
EVENS SANON au-Prince is now hell,” said
Associated Press Cassandra Petit, a 39-year-
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) old mother of two whose
— Human Rights Watch partner was killed last year
released a report Thurs- when he went back to the
day demanding the U.S. home they had fled amid
and other countries stop ongoing gang violence to
deporting Haitians to their retrieve clothes and school
homeland, calling it “un- backpacks for their chil-
conscionable” and warn- dren. “He never returned.”
ing that they are putting “When I come back, I don’t
people’s lives in danger. know what the kids will eat
More than 25,700 people in the evening,” she said. “I
have been deported to start to cry before I make it
Haiti from January 2021 to to the house.”
February 2022, with 79% of The U.N.’s Food and Ag-
them alone expelled by riculture Organization re-
the U.S., according to the cently reported that some
International Organization 4.5 million people across
for Migration. Haiti require urgent assis-
“Haitians and their children, tance given a severe lack
many born abroad, are be- Haitians who were deported from the United States deplane at the Toussaint Louverture International of food.
ing returned to a country in Airport, in Port au Prince, Haiti, Sunday, Sep. 19, 2021. Muñoz said no one should
chaos,” said César Muñoz, Associated Press be deporting people to
senior Americas researcher Haiti given those condi-
with Human Rights Watch, tion of President Jovenel try of more than 11 million micides by 17% in the past tions.
a nonprofit organization Moïse and a 7.2 magnitude people where 60% of the year, according to a re- “It is unconscionable that
based in New York. earthquake that struck in population makes less than port by the United Nations any government would
Haiti’s turmoil deepened mid-August, killing more $2 a day. Security Council. An esti- send people to Haiti while
significantly in the past year than 2,200 people and de- In addition, gangs have mated 19,000 people have it experiences such a de-
with inflation, kidnappings stroying or damaging tens grown more powerful amid lost their homes due to terioration in security and
and violence spiking as of thousands of homes. ongoing political instability, gang violence, and many a heightened risk to every-
the country tries to recover Jobs also have become with reported kidnappings are still living in temporary one’s life and physical in-
from the July 7 assassina- even scarcer in a coun- soaring by 180% and ho- shelters in extremely unhy- tegrity,” he said.q

Prince William expresses sorrow for

slavery in Jamaica visit

By DANICA KIRKA scribed the slave trade as Queen Elizabeth II marks
Associated Press an “appalling atrocity” dur- 70 years on the throne. Ja-
LONDON (AP) — Prince Wil- ing a visit to Barbados last maican Prime Minister An-
liam has expressed his “pro- year, when that Caribbean drew Holness said earlier
found sorrow” for slavery nation severed its ties to the Wednesday that his coun-
during a visit to Jamaica, British crown and became try intends to sever its ties
though he stopped short a republic. to the monarchy and be-
of offering the apology de- “I want to express my pro- come fully independent. Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge attend
manded by protesters who found sorrow,’’ William The queen, William’s grand- the 1st Battalion Irish Guards’ St. Patrick’s Day Parade at Mons
are also seeking repara- said. “Slavery was abhor- mother, remains the head Barracks, March 17, 2022 in Aldershot, England.
tions for Britain’s role in the rent, and it should never of state for Jamaica and 13 Associated Press
slave trade. have happened.’’ other countries that were still controversial. The prince flection.”
William, second in line to The prince and his wife, the once British colonies. said anniversaries such as The Advocates Network,
the throne, made the com- Duchess of Cambridge, William’s comments under- the International Day of Re- a Jamaican alliance of
ments while addressing a are on a weeklong trip to score the sensitivity of the membrance of the Victims human rights activists, re-
dinner in Kingston, Jamai- Belize, Jamaica and the trip in a country where Brit- of Slavery and the Transat- jected William’s comments
ca’s capital. He echoed Bahamas designed to ain’s legacy as Jamaica’s lantic Slave Trade, which and said it did not consti-
the words of his father, the strengthen Britain’s ties with colonial ruler during the era will be marked on Friday, tute the apology they’re
Prince of Wales, who de- Commonwealth nations as of enslaved African labor is provide a moment for “re- seeking. q