 United Methodists Ask the United States To Shift Position on Haitian Asylum Seekers |
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by Elliott Wright |
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The United Methodist Church, meeting here in legislative session, asked the government of the United States to change its policy on Haitians seeking political asylum. A resolution passed by the denomination’s General Conference said that the U.S. should end the practices of blocking and detaining Haitian asylum seekers in light of the unstable and often violent conditions in the Caribbean nation. Washington was encouraged to extend to Haitian asylum seekers full access to the process for seeking asylum and to increase resettlement opportunities in the U.S. United Methodists also asked the U.S. to assist Haitian asylum seekers who have fled into the Dominican Republic, which shares an island with the long troubled nation of Haiti. “The U.S. by its own admission is detaining Haitian asylum seekers in order to deter a mass exodus from Haiti and has a policy that is contrary to international law and applies it in a discriminatory fashion,” the resolution charged. The action came as the United Nations struggled to put together an international force to replace some 3,500 troops from the U.S., France, Canada, and Chile that have been trying to keep the peace since the Haitian government was ousted by rebels in February, 2004. “We welcome the General Conference resolution,” said the Rev. R. Randy Day, general secretary of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, which has a long history of service ministries in Haiti by working with the autonomous Methodist Church of Haiti. “Knowing that the denomination is behind us strengthens our determination work for justice and peace for the Haitian people.” Prior to the recent political upheaval, some 700 United Methodists from the U.S. went to Haiti each year as parts of mission volunteer teams. The teams work with Haitians in building churches, clinics, and schools. The Haitian Church has a network of day schools that offer hot lunches funded through gifts from U.S. churches, primarily in Michigan. Members of a General Conference legislative committee rewrote much of a Haiti draft resolution to reflect the current political and economic realities in Haiti. Resolutions to the General Conference must be submitted months in advance of their consideration and often become outdated in the interim period. According to the United Methodist resolution, Haitian families attempting to enter the U.S. are separated with women and men held in jails “in deplorable conditions” alongside criminals. Haitians denied entry into the U.S. and deported are put at “great risk” when they return to their homeland. The Haitian resolution was considered and revised in a legislative session and reported to the General Conference as part of a consent calendar, which is not debated on the floor.
Date posted: May 05, 2004 |
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