Ieteke recalls: ‘Refugees had nowhere to go in Curaçao’

Why did you co-found Human Rights Defense Curaçao?

‘Many refugees from Venezuela were coming to Curaçao as early as 2015.  But after the forced departure of UNHCR in July 2017, there was no organisation they could go to with requests for protection or information. That's when I and other concerned citizens decided to take action.’

‘As an anthropologist, I had spent years researching the historical ties between Venezuela and Curaçao. Suddenly, Venezuelans I knew were literally on my doorstep, fleeing violence and the political and humanitarian crisis in their country. We started writing letters to the government here and in The Hague to draw attention to their plight.  Eventually – on the advice of our current chairperson Lucita Moenir Alam – we decided to establish HRDC. Our goal was to advocate for all human rights in Curaçao, starting with the most vulnerable. They arrive on the island with no rights and are often unjustly detained. The Dutch Council for Refugees (DCR) helped us to start up and establish the organisation, in the initial phase and in the years that followed.’

What have you achieved in the past few years?

‘There are still many gaps in the protection and procedures for refugees and migrants on the island, but thanks to HRDC, there is much more awareness of their situation. We have been able to do a lot for them.’ 
‘For example, we gained access to refugees and migrants in detention through summary proceedings, so we could offer them humanitarian and legal support. With the help of DCR and UNHCR, we managed to set up a pool of ten lawyers and share knowledge with them so they could conduct procedures to apply for protection. In this way, we got many refugees and migrants released from detention, and they are now awaiting their proceedings in freedom. We also worked with DCR to organise courses for judges about the European Convention on Human Rights and human smuggling. You can see that reflected in the cases being adjudicated now.’

‘Thanks to our lobbying efforts, undocumented people can now get medical insurance through two insurance companies. And school children without papers can get a diploma if they successfully complete their studies.’ 

‘We have also succeeded in establishing an effective and independent human rights organisation on Curaçao. More people are now aware of the importance of human rights and ask for information. And more and more people – refugees, as well as officials and members of parliament – are finding their way to our organisation.’

What do you see as the biggest challenge for the future?

‘Unfortunately, Curaçao still does not have a functioning migration policy, let alone a refugee policy. I am genuinely concerned that the same human rights do not seem to apply in Curaçao as in other countries that are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.’ 

‘Let’s not forget that here on the island, nearly a quarter of the population is undocumented. Yet almost all of them work and most make a valuable contribution to our society. I truly hope that we will succeed in changing this situation and that, in addition to protection procedures, people will also be given access to work permits. We are actively lobbying for this. The Dutch government cannot turn a blind eye to this either, while we acknowledge the enormous challenges faced by the European part of the Kingdom. Curaçao still has not signed the Refugee Convention. Unfortunately, this means that different human rights standards apply within the Kingdom.’

Which stories have moved you most in recent years?

‘Mostly they are cases involving children. For example, two underage boys arrived on a boat hoping to be reunited with their mother. Instead, they were placed in a hostel and mercilessly sent back to Venezuela. That was heartbreaking. Even now, mothers are being placed in detention while their children are placed elsewhere. In recent months, we managed to reunite children with their parents a few times. Unfortunately, the authorities are not particularly happy with that, and sometimes we are accused of complicity in human smuggling.’

How do you look back on the collaboration with the Dutch Council for Refugees?

‘Well, in one word: positively. DCR has supported us from the very beginning in setting up and establishing the organisation, and it has continued to support us with legal expertise and capacity building. It's also great that we were able to work together on a motion that got adopted by the Dutch Parliament calling on all governments within the Kingdom of the Netherlands to engage in dialogue with civil society and human rights organisations.’

How do you see the future of the organisation?

‘Curaçao needs an independent human rights organisation, and HRDC can and must fulfil that role. We have already achieved a lot. HRDC would benefit from receiving multi-year funding so we could more easily retain staff. I believe the prospects are good. We have a solid board and some young Curaçaoans who are really committed – and there is still so much to do, especially in terms of education and raising awareness. I see a lot of opportunities and energy there!’

‘It’s time for me to go now, but I pass the baton with great confidence. I will always remain involved as a “concerned citizen”.’