Dominican authorities repatriate 3,000 Haitians

Dajabón.- At least 3,000 undocumentedHaitians have been repatriated in the last 24 hours from the Dominican Republicafter being arrested in communities and towns in the north west of the country,according to military sources in the province of Dajabón.

Army chief General Carlos RiveraPortes told reporters that the deportees had been detained in themunicipalities of Restauración, Mao, Guayubín, Santiago Rodríguez, Montecristi,Loma de Cabrera and Dajabón, all near the Haitian border.

The military chief said that theirhuman rights would be respected during the process of repatriation.

He took the opportunity to stress thatthe Armed Forces would take drastic measures against their personnel found tobe taking bribes in return for allowing illegal migrants across the border.

As an example he mentioned the case of a soldier, MichaelGermosén, who was serving in the Border Defense Corps (Cesfront) and wasremoved from the ranks after being found to be taking bribes while posted in Dajabón.

The Jesuit Refugee Service has accusedthe authorities of racial profiling in the detention process.

The Migration authorities haveconfiscated some 25 Dominican public transport buses said to be involved intransporting illegal migrants, and imposed fines on the drivers.