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MARIO J. TORRES
Migration III
(9 ) Middle of the 90's --
Guantanamo Base Rafters Crisis.
(The most outstanding event of the 90's with the massive raft men migration
of Cubans to Guantanamo Bay Base.)
The events happened when a group of Cubans stole government boats to leave
the country. There were similar repeated incidents in those days, and they
brought about deaths of Cubans from both sides. There were beginnings of
violent actions to leave the country and once again as already usual similar
manifestations organized by the government to condemn those facts. Then
Castro once more urged those who wanted to leave, to do it freely in rafts
or boats because he would not take any actions against them or control the
shores and seas as he did in the past. So, a really amazing incredible and
massive migration wave like never before began to take place all over the
island.
The American Government, fearing more deaths in the sea and at the same
allowing Castro to have once more his way (because if these people stayed in
the island instead of leaving, they might constitute a strong opposition to
the system and Castro knew it, so whenever his “pressure pot” got too full
of steam, he wisely found ways to let it off and the Americans, either
underestimating him or for maybe humanitarian reasons have always let him
proceed) launched ships in the area near the island to rescue the wrecked.
The ships were waiting to pick up rafters and take them to Guantanamo Bay
Base, which became the home and shelter of those Cubans for long months. The
base then became packed with Cubans who were later taken to the United
States when the exodus was over.
It was astonishing and frightening to see how whole families went to the
seashore, boarded the fragile homemade boats or rafts, said good-bye to
those who stayed, and set sail on the open sea. The relatives who remained
on land waved at them, crying for fear they would drown. Many indeed did or
were eaten by sharks, died of sunburns or perished for lack of water and
were also added to the list of Cubans who have drowned in the Strait of
Florida. These happenings took place thousands of times on Cuban beaches.
There were some who even built their own rafts at the very beach in front of
a big audience that witnessed. Children, men, women, and elderly people
without exception, joined this massive race of risky migration. Many
arrived, but many did not because of the endless dangerous obstacles on the
way to the ships. Others were rescued as they were about to collapse.
Some others intended to get to Guantanamo Base by land, and they were almost
all killed or suffered mutilation by the mines the Cuban government had
buried in the area.
(10) Other Facts About Migration
People who left the country before the 90's were punished in different ways:
<> By humiliating them
<> By firing them from their jobs
<> By giving them the worst jobs to do (cut cane, clean coffee grain or rice
etc.)
<> By retaining their departure
<> By having rallies of people throw stones or eggs (if available) at their
houses
<> By insulting them orally
<> By physical aggression
Many people with money offered and still offer large amounts of money to
lottery winners to marry them and leave the country together, and winners
with no money do the contrary.
Many others (basically women) chase foreigners and try to marry them to
leave the country legally. This happens mostly with Italians and Germans and
black women.
Castro has shown to have a very hard face knowing that if everyone is ready
to risk his life to run away from him, it is because of his fault and he has
never wanted to recognize that .If he had a tiny piece of honor, he would
either kill himself, resign his position as dictator or leave the country as
any truthful person would have already done, but instead what he does is put
the blame on the US and invent excuses and slogans.
The regime receives a so far somehow mild opposition from small internal
groups of Human Rights Activists who report violations of these rights.
These activists are strongly repressed and they are either sent to jail or
forced to leave the country.
His system is judged yearly for human rights violation and whenever he has
had a visit from any official coming to check that, he covers up any
compromising evidence, says yes to everything, makes false promises and when
the person leaves, all comes back to normal.
In the case of Cuban artists who decide to remain in the US after a tour and
become prosperous here. the government misinforms the people and confuses
them by telling them that have all !! fallen into disgrace or died
The cases of singers Carlos Manuel, Mirta Medina, Vanessa Formell, Annia
Linares and actor Ramoncito Veloz are clear examples of Cuban artists who
had died in the US????????
At the moment, the American Government keeps the wet feet/dry feet agreement
that means that if the boat or raft is able to reach American shores on its
own, people in it have the right to stay but if they are rescued or stopped
(most of the time they are) by coastguards, they are sent back the island
and we have recently had the cases of a "truck-boat" and a "car-boat" which
managed to sail the 90 miles escaping from the Caribbean hell but
unfortunately were sent back to their punishment cage. Millions of Cubans
keep the inner desire of making the same journey only if they could.
In conclusion, migration during Castro’s regime has been a shame that he has
not wanted to accept.
Has this ever happened in the history of your country or of any other
country that you remember?
MARIO J TORRES
FEBRUARY 2004
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