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NEWS
Net for Cuba International condemns the Bahamian Government for the
latest forced repatriations to Cuba
Last Friday, December 16, Board members of Net For Cuba International
established direct contact with Mr. Ruppert Missick, Jr., a Senior
Journalist the Bahamas Tribune in an effort to obtain confirmation on
the number of Cuban Nationals that were returned to Cuba. He was able to
confirm that Immigration Authorities repatriated 28 of the 62 Cubans
detained in the Carmichael Road Detention Center in Nassau, Bahamas.
Later in the day, we spoke to the CAHRA delegate in Nassau, who visited
the center and was able to confirm for us that 3 of the 6 women were
sent back to Cuba, among those returned was Eida Year Caballero and her
two small children, Yanelys Acosta González, an activist with the Cuban
Pro Human Rights Party affiliated to the Andrei Sajarov Foundation is
one of the women that remain in the center along with three men, among
them her husband Jesús Montes de Oca Martija, an activist with the same
organization.
Net For Cuba International strongly repudiates the Government of the
Bahamas for repatriating these 28 Cubans without properly processing
their claims and for ignoring the pleas of the Cuban Exile Community who
begged them not to do so. These repatriations took place when Amnesty
International and other International Human Rights Organizations are
demanding an urgent and exhaustive investigation as to the events that
transpired at the detention center last December 9th.
On the same note, we are urgently calling for the High Commissioner for
Refugees of the United Nations to order an immediate halt to all
repatriations of Cuban Nationals presently retained in Nassau for the
Bahamian Government is returning to Cuba the victims and direct
witnesses of the investigation as is the case of Mrs. Yera Caballero and
her two small children; Lianet 7 years of age and Randy 2 years old, and
in doing so the government is openly demonstrating its degree of
responsibility and complicity in these events. The Bahamian Government
knows full well that once the victims and witnesses are sent back, the
Cuban Government will not allow them to be interviewed by any
international human rights organism.
After the incident broke out, The Bahamas Tribune has been in contact
with our organization on a regular basis and time and time again we
pointed out the anger and consternation of the Cuban Exile Community
regarding the wave of unjustified violations unleashed against our
countrymen retained in Nassau. Moreover, we advised them of the call for
a massive boycott to all tourism to the Bahamas. The Bahamian Government
in an open challenge to our community went ahead and repatriated 28 of
the 62 Cubans, thereby giving us the go ahead to massively boycott all
tourism to their territory.
As additional information, we are sending a copy of the latest article
published by the Bahamas Tribune where a group of Cuban Americans
refused to set foot in Nassau when the Cruise ship in which they were
traveling to Mexico was forced to make a stop at said port due to a
medical emergency. This action constitutes the first response of the
Cuban American community in solidarity with our countrymen retained in
Bahamas.
"THE TRIBUNE
Cuban Cruise Passengers Refuse To Set Foot In Bahamas
The latest incident follows demonstrations outside a Bahamian consulate
in Miami where protesters urged Cubans and Americans to boycott the
Bahamas due to its alleged human rights violations. The anger over the
treatment of detainees at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre
intensified yesterday when Cuban passengers on board a cruise ship from
Miami refused to set foot in the Bahamas.
The Carnival cruise ship on route to Cozumel in Mexico was forced to
make an unscheduled stop in Nassau due to a medical emergency on board,
a spokesman for the firm said. Scores of Cubans refused to leave the
ship and spend their time and money in the Bahamas.
The latest incident follows demonstrations outside a Bahamian Consulate
in Miami where protesters urged Cubans and Americans to boycott the
Bahamas due to its alleged human rights violations."
This declaration was given in Miami, Florida on the 20th day of
December of 2004.
Signed by:
Lourdes Pagani
Daisy Gil Ortiz
Ahmed Y. Martel
Robert Ortiz
Karel Roberto
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