THE HAGUE - Multiple political parties in the Dutch Parliament are urging State Secretary Van Huffelen to play a more proactive role in assisting Curaçao in safeguarding the human rights of Venezuelans who have sought refuge from the Maduro regime.
These calls come in response to the government's handling of a recent report by Amnesty International, which highlights persistent shortcomings in the treatment of Venezuelans despite some progress. While the government emphasizes Curaçao's autonomous responsibility, parties like GroenLinks argue that the protection of human rights is a collective responsibility of the Kingdom.
Members of the VVD party have acknowledged the government's response to Amnesty International's report titled "Curaçao: Limited Improvement in the Protection of Venezuelans" (dated February 7, 2023), expressing gratitude to the State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations. The steps taken by Curaçao to address this longstanding issue are commendable. However, there remains significant work to be done to further improve the situation.
The VVD members have posed specific questions to the State Secretary regarding the initiatives currently being undertaken by Curaçao to enhance the asylum process. They also seek a comparative analysis of Curaçao's approach to other countries in the region and inquire about potential agreements with neighboring nations in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to address any delays in the asylum process. These inquiries are especially pertinent given the limited capacity mentioned by the State Secretary in the letter. The VVD members eagerly await a response to these important matters.
Detention of Foreigners
A significant concern of various NGOs relates to the use of detention for foreigners. While members of the D66 party say that they are aware that detention is permitted and, in some cases, may be desirable, they also share concerns about its widespread application and the conditions of detention. They therefore request the government not only to proactively share Dutch experiences with alternatives to detention, such as reporting obligations, with their counterparts in other countries, but also to discuss these alternatives, including equal rights and essential safeguards, during the upcoming Kingdom Conference with the three Caribbean countries. The members of the D66 party ask whether the government will consider adding human rights and the report with recommendations to the agenda of the Kingdom Conference, in line with the Wuite motion.
Provided Assistance
The members of the D66 party note that the Netherlands can only provide assistance when requested by the countries. They observe that both Curaçao and Aruba have made such requests and that the remaining portion of the promised €23.8 million was disbursed in early 2023. The D66 MPs want to know from the Dutch government how these amounts have led to positive effects on the procedures and living conditions of Venezuelans. The members also inquire whether Article 43 of the Statute is applied in a manner that ensures guarantees can only be provided if a respective country in the Kingdom has made a request under Article 36 (provision of assistance). The members of the D66 party ask if there are any specific conditions attached to providing assistance, and if so, what those conditions are.
The members of the D66 party finally ask what steps the Dutch government has taken to support Curaçao in implementing the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and how it has made it clear that Curaçao can count on the support of the Dutch government.