Editorial | Addressing migration

Hurricane Melissa’s cruel displacement of tens of thousands of people in Jamaica’s western parishes will probably give Jamaicans a sense of the plight of people in other countries who are forced to flee their homes because of political and other calamities.

If at all there is an upside to Hurricane Melissa calamity, it’s that the people affected weren’t the victims of organised political violence or a near collapsed State. They knew they could depend on support from an organised and functioning government and its agencies.

Citizens of Haiti, where the State barely functions, who flee gang and political violence, can count on no such cushion. It is on this basis that this newspaper is perturbed by Jamaica’s apparently reflexive approach to Haitians who arrive in the island by boat seeking refugee status. They are usually hurriedly sent back, seemingly in violation of Jamaica’s own policies, as well as international best-practices, on the treatment of asylum-seekers.

It is in that context that we urge the government –the crisis unleashed by Hurricane Melissa notwithstanding – to seriously review its treatment of Haitians, and for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to develop harmonised policies on the refugee question and the broader issue of migration.

According to the United Nations International Office for Migration (IOM), there are 1.3 million displaced people in Haiti. But, as Hurricane Melissa has rudely demonstrated, it is not only violence or political dysfunction that causes displacement. Increasingly, environmental challenges, associated with climate change, are factors.

“Recent disasters have shown us that mobility is not always a choice, but often a matter of survival,” Natasha Greaves, head of office ( ad interim) of IOM in Jamaica wrote in a commentary in this newspaper.

CLIMATE MOBILITY

Migration linked to climate impacts – which she referred to as climate mobility – must be integrated into national and regional planning. Ms Greaves said that millions have been internally displaced by disasters over the last decade and called for policies that support recovery, resilience and social cohesion in the face of adversity. She urged that Jamaica and the wider Caribbean recognise that mobility is often a matter of survival, not choice.

“The combination of sea surge, swollen rivers, and powerful winds left entire towns demolished. Across the western parishes, homes, businesses, and even officially designated hurricane shelters were torn apart. Ninety thousand families found themselves seeking shelter wherever possible,” Ms Greaves wrote.

It bears repeating in the circumstances that Jamaica must make its refugee policies clear and accessible, and ensure that those who wish to seek refuge are afforded due process in line with humanitarian obligations.

CARICOM urgently needs a regional strategy for dealing with Haitian displacement, and that domestic approaches must meet international norms on asylum and protection.

These express two essential truths. First, migration in the region is no longer a matter of voluntary movement alone. It is often forced and fraught with danger. Second, lawful, humane approaches to migration are obligations that reflect the values and legal commitments of the CARICOM members.

There can’t be, though, any piecemeal response, which will not achieve any desired results. There are concerns about Haitians being returned without meaningful access to asylum procedures, suggesting a gap between policy and practice that undermines Jamaican credibility and humanitarian standards.

REGIONAL FRAMEWORK

Migration policy must be part of a comprehensive regional framework that balances security with humanity, that acknowledges the realities described by IOM, and that provides pathways for protection, support and orderly movement.

There needs to be transparency on refugee and asylum systems, anyone who arrives on the island with evidence of credible fear of persecution or violence understands their rights and is eligible to request protection. Due process needs to be followed, wherein the people who land on Jamaican shores, presumably trying to flee persecution, should not be deported without proper assessments of their cases.

Further, it is critical that climate mobility is integrated into disaster planning. These policies must recognise displacement from storms, droughts and flooding, which is the new normal for the Caribbean.

In that regard, CARICOM should, as this newspaper has previously proposed, develop a coordinated migration framework, including shared reception centres, mechanisms for temporary protection, and procedures that are consistent with international humanitarian law. Resources of the member states should be pooled for effective humanitarian response, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation to ensure that one state is not left to bear the burden alone.

Further, protection protocols must be standardised, so that people fleeing violence or climate catastrophe are treated with dignity and their human rights are upheld across CARICOM member states.

CARICOM should prioritise a regional migration framework that balances security with protection, aligns with international humanitarian norms, and is backed by robust data collection, so policymakers can make informed decisions.