Activists write PM on Venezuelan issues

SEAN DOUGLAS

HUMAN rights activists on Wednesday urged the Government to register more Venezuelan migrants and to deport no more illegal entrants from TT. The activists condemned the deportation of 98 illegal immigrants on September 18 back to Venezuela whose authorities stand accused of gross human violations by a recent UN report.

The Caribbean Centre for Human Rights, founded by former senator Diana Mahabir-Wyatt, led 25 groups in writing to the Prime Minister.

While aware of the challenges to the Government of the covid19 pandemic, the activists said migrants were deported to the same grave human rights and humanitarian emergency they had fled.

“The deportation of asylum seekers runs counter to the basic international law principle of non-refoulment,” said the statement. This principle says no one should be returned to a country where they would face torture; cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; punishment or other irreparable harm.

“As your Government may be aware, just two days before this most recent deportation, a UN appointed Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela found reasonable grounds to believe that authorities under the command of Nicolás Maduro have committed grave human rights violations that could amount to crimes against humanity,” said the statement.

It said the UN report noted unlawful executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and torture in Venezuela since 2014, as done by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Top Venezuelan officials knew of these crimes, alleged the UN, amid calls for the International Criminal Court to act against offenders.

“We are deeply concerned that just weeks ago your government also reportedly deported 165 Venezuelans, in violation of TT’s obligations under international law, and following statements by the Minister of National Security that people who helped migrants and refugees could face criminalisation.”

The activists said most people who returned to or were deported to Venezuela were placed in quarantine centres, often under the control of the police or military, which have had a policy of repression since 2014 with some leaders responsible for crimes against humanity.

“Prime Minister, it remains the responsibility of leaders such as yourself to ensure that the rights of all people are protected, even during a public health emergency. Venezuelans are no exception,” they wrote.