JAMAICA, AS a neighbouring territory to the beleaguered nation of Haiti, finds itself facing the challenge of accommodating refugees who have braved the rough seas which lie between our country and theirs, hoping to find safety here, from the civil unrest in their homeland. While the numbers have not reached the flood anticipated by some sources, to date, the responsibility for the refugees remains a serious challenge to Government and people.No one can tell what the final numbers will be or for how long the refugees will have to be clothed, housed and fed. This seems to be causing anxiety in the minds of some of our people who feel that with Jamaica's own economic challenges, it should not be saddled with such responsibility. There are even suggestions at home and from abroad that the refugees should be returned post-haste to their homeland. Apart from the moral obligation which is demanded of us as human beings, to respond to others in distress, were Jamaica to return the refugees arbitrarily, the nation would be in breach of the International Convention which obliges States "not to return a refugee in any manner whatsoever, to a country where his or her life or freedom is threatened." This lies at the core of the 1951 Refugee Convention Act (Article 33) and the 1967 protocol, to which Jamaica is a signatory.
The tragedy of this, however, is that there are States which flout the Convention by intercepting asylum-seekers at sea or intransit and turn them away from their shores. Some are denied access to full and fair determination procedures (known in the language of diplomacy as "refoulement"). Most surprisingly this has been done by some of the world's major countries the United States, the United Kingdom and some other member states of the European Union, among others.
That this happens at that level should not provide justification for Jamaica to take such a retrograde step. We have always been a people whose heritage celebrates our capacity to show kindness to strangers within our gates. There was a time when, in even the poorest homes, it was taken for granted that some form of hospitality, no matter how simple, would be shown to visitors. So, despite whatever difficulties we currently face, it would be a sad day for us if we were to even contemplate turning away from extending a helping hand to others rendered less fortunate, for whatever reason.
In the current situation, respect must be paid to the citizens of East Portland who, even in their limited sufficiency, have generously shared their resources with the men, women and children delivered by the sea into their community and by so doing, have set an example worthy of emulating.
The relief agencies Red Cross, Salvation Army, Seventh Day Adventists, Food for the Poor and others have been leading the way, working alongside the Portland Parish Council and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management to alleviate the suffering of the unexpected visitors. The task of the Government is larger and more challenging but if the example of the "average citizens" of Manchioneal and surrounding areas is anything to go by, then all is not lost with us.
Everyone will wish for a speedy end to the brutish and frustrating conflict in Haiti. All persons of goodwill would like to see normality returned as soon as possible. Until that is achieved, Jamaica is honour-bound to treat the refugees humanely. We are not expected to go it alone. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) have indicated their willingness to assist the Jamaican Government in alleviating even some of the costs.
As Jamaicans, we have been the beneficiaries of the kindness of others overseas when we have been afflicted by natural disasters. Despite the sacrifices which may have to be made now, as a nation, we are challenged to "do unto others as we would be done by". We make so much of our Christian principles when it suits us, that it should not be difficult to understand this.
