American Anthropological Association Statement on Interdiction of Haitian Refugees

(adopted January 1994)

WHEREAS the democratically elected government of Haiti was overthrown by a military coup in October 1991; and

WHEREAS over the past two years there have been hundreds of documented politically motivated assassination, rapes, and

WHEREAS the U.S. Government has developed a special interdiction policy by which the U.S. Coast Guard patrols international waters near Haiti to prevent Haitian citizens from escaping from their country, and Haiti is the only country in the world to receive such treatment by the United States; and

WHEREAS Haitian refugees who try to flee face a racially discriminatory policy that denies the legitimacy to their right to political asylum,

Be it moved that the American Anthropological Association requests that the U.S. Government end its interdiction of Haitian refugees and recognize the right of Haitians to flee their country because of political persecution, and recognize the legitimacy of their claims to political asylum in the United States.

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updated 9/15/00

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