WILLEMSTAD - Curaçao has no more options to deport Venezuelans, nevertheless, they remain in detention and there is no prospect of release. Human Rights Defense Curaçao is once again addressing the distressing situation now that the Dutch State Secretary is on a working visit to the islands.
Deportation is not possible now that the Venezuelan government has banned flights from the Kingdom since December 15. Deportation via third countries has also become impossible. The Dominican Republic refuses to serve as a transit point any longer.
Refugee women have been held in the SDKK's women's wing for months. According to the human rights organization, this is not allowed internationally because refugees are not convicted criminals and therefore cannot be detained with criminals without the intervention of the courts.
Human Rights Defense Curaçao is very pleased that both the Curaçao government and the Netherlands are now willing to improve the reception of refugees. But what that means in concrete terms is unknown.
The human rights organization wants both countries to shift the emphasis from new foreigners' barracks on a prison site, behind barbed wire, with bars everywhere and where a prison regime applies to humane reception, without bars. According to Human Rights Defence, funding from the Netherlands can be spent better and more effectively in this way.
After all, cosmetic renovations and expansion of facilities continue to represent an intolerable deprivation of liberty, where humiliation, atrocities, abuse of power and unsanitary conditions continue.
In addition, the human rights organization believes that there should be a transparent and fair migrant policy. With clear and transparent guidelines and procedures from the moment of interception, detention, deprivation of liberty and deportation.