December 19, 2024

Belladère, Haiti – The Belladère/Elias Piña border crossing, located in Haiti’s Centre department, has become one of the primary points of forced return for Haitian nationals deported from the Dominican Republic. According to data from the National Office for Migration (ONM), no fewer than 73,593 individuals have been deported through this corridor since October 5, 2024. Among them are a significant number of women and children now living in conditions of acute vulnerability.
Historically used as a transit zone, the Belladère crossing has seen its role transformed by a sharp deterioration in security across the Plateau Central, particularly in areas such as Saut-d’Eau and Mirebalais, which are now under the control of armed groups. As these strategic routes have become inaccessible, deported individuals are effectively stranded in Belladère, which has emerged as a humanitarian bottleneck.
Local reception centers, already overwhelmed and underfunded, struggle to cope with the continuous influx of new arrivals. The limited capacity to provide shelter and basic services is fueling increasing tensions,not only among deportees but also within host communities. If left unaddressed, the situation may escalate into a broader communal crisis, exacerbated by resource scarcity and the absence of sustainable solutions.
Given the gravity of the circumstances, this situation calls for an urgent, coordinated response involving national authorities, humanitarian agencies, and international partners. This must include expanding shelter capacity, ensuring access to essential services, and creating safe transit mechanisms for vulnerable populations. The fate of thousands now hinges on the speed and coherence of this mobilization effort.