Dominican Republic urged to stop deportations of Haitians

Gang violence has spiralled out of control

A woman is comforted as the bodies of several people are removed in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Photo: Reuters

Martin Alcantara

Human rights activists are calling on the Dominican Republic’s government for a temporary reprieve in deportations as neighbouring Haiti’s crisis spirals and people attempt to flee over the closed border from a surge in deadly gang violence.

Small trucks with customised cages are ferrying dozens of Haitians every day from a detention centre in San Cristóbal to the border on the island of Hispaniola as the gang attacks paralyse parts of Haiti’s capital.