Nearly 170 Haitians are helped to return voluntarily: Haitilibre

Santo Domingo.- Nearly 170 Haitians living in the DominicanRepublic in irregular migratory status, especially in the area of Santiago,have returned voluntarily to Haiti, outlet haitilibre.com reports.

It said the International Organization for Migration (IOM),in coordination with the Dominican Government, helped vulnerable Haitianmigrants to return to their home communities in the north of Haiti.

“Our compatriots in several buses and trucks carrying theirbelongings, crossed the bridge of Dajabón between the two countries at 10am,day of the binational market in the municipality,” the outlet reports.

"We are satisfied with the work that IOM done becauseit is making a great contribution to solving a problem that is becomingincreasingly difficult due to the mass migration of undocumented Haitians inthe neighboring republic," said the Director Lorenzo Paul of the relieforganization and human rights in Haiti.

It said 129,000 Haitians in irregular migratory situationhave already returned to Haiti between June 2015 and December 2015, either repatriatedby authorities or voluntarily. “On average, for each Haitian repatriated byDominican authorities, nearly 8 Haitians have chosen to return voluntarily toHaiti during that period.”