The detention of nearly 200 Haitian residents of North Eleuthera on Friday who were originally thought to be illegal immigrants has caught the attention of the human rights watchdog, Amnesty International (AI).

R. E. Barnes, the president of Amnesty’s Bahamas branch, told The Bahama Journal yesterday that he has forwarded reports of the incident to AI’s international office due to the human rights concerns the matter is raising.

This could mean that The Bahamas could face more bad international press over the treatment of immigrants as it did during the time two Cuban dentists were detained at the Detention Centre.

THE BAHAMAS - http://www.jonesbahamas.com/print.php?a=8439

Mr. Barnes said that Amnesty International respects the government’s right to protect its borders and fight the illegal immigration problem, but he said respecting human rights is also important.

"It is a difficult problem," he said of the immigration situation. "The Bahamas because of its geographical position has always been subject to people coming through, to smugglers, to traffickers and so on."

Amnesty International, let’s be very clear, has always said that the Bahamas or any country has the right to protect its sovereign borders, but in doing so, [it] also must respect the rights of those people who come to the country."

He said this is particularly the case when it comes to immigrants who have been granted legal status in The Bahamas.

"All people have rights," Mr. Barnes reminded. "But when you give legal standing to someone, in this case Haitians who have been here for a number of years and have status to work and reside here, then that should be respected."

He said while he did not know the particulars of each case, it would seem that the human rights of at least some of those immigrants were violated.

Minister of Immigration Shane Gibson said there was a concern that the documents that the Haitians had may have been fraudulent.

It turns out that they were not.

He said that there was nothing to apologize to anyone about and vowed that he will continue his aggressive efforts to get illegal immigrants out of the country.
Mr. Barnes, meanwhile, said that AI’s international secretariat is kept abreast of what is going on in the Bahamas by numerous sources.

The international attention that the Bahamas gets over these kinds of incidents is one of the reasons why the Free National Movement on Monday raised concerns over the handling of the situation involving the Eleuthera immigrants.

"This is an embarrassment to government and to the country and we can only hope that it will not do further damage to the reputation of the Bahamas abroad," the FNM said.

"The incompetent handling of sensitive matters by the PLP Government has already given the country enough bad publicity."

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ANSWER THE CALL: Join the FreeHaitiMovement
ANSWER THE CALL: Help protect the Feb. 7, 2006 Haitian vote
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To join our list of sponsors this year. Please send an e-mail to Erzilidanto@yahoo.com

To sponsor a FreeHaitiMovement event: The Free Haiti Movement: Dessalines Is Rising Worldwide http://www.margueritelaurent.com/solidarityday/infoforsponsors.html

ACTION REQUESTED: Sponsors are encouraged to endorse the Haiti Resolution, join HLLN's letter writing campaigns, (such as, our Media campaigns to stop the lies and fabrications and criminalizations of the poor majority in Haiti, "stop UN massacres in Site Soley" and the "free the political prisoners campaigns"). Endorsers are encouraged to sponsor a "To-Tell the truth about Haiti Forum", to sponsor teach-ins, rallies, vigils and lectures, throughout the year, but especially on May 18, Haiti's flag day, on August 14 -the anniversary of Bwa Kayiman, the ceremony that begun the great Haitian revolution, and, on October 17th - the anniversary of Dessaline's death, and Haiti's very first coup d'etat. Sponsors and endorsers of the Haiti Resolutions are encouraged to learn and teach their communities about Haiti's historical accomplishments. HLLN, shall provide, upon request, access to suggested written materials, audio and video streaming for internet and DVD distribution of testimony from victims and resisters of the coup d'etat; letter campaigns, media outreach campaigns; HLLN suggests the wearing and flying of the blue and red colors of Haiti; and, that each year, at least on May 18, August 14 and Oct. 17, sponsors and endorsers commit to fax, call-in and deliver to the French, Canadian and US Embassies and Consulates worldwide, the People of Haiti's demand that France, Canada, the US and the international community respect Haitian sovereignty, stop inflicting Haiti with their traditional "benevolence," racism, patriarchy and incessant corrupt intervention in Haiti's affairs, through foreign "aid" and debt. Sponsors are encouraged to support Haitian culture and artists. See Campaign 4: Art with soul.

* HLLN call for investigation of electoral fraud to dilute the People's Feb. 7th vote - Some of the factors to be investigated:

There were fewer than 800 polling stations for the 2006 election, with no stations in Site Soley and the poorest areas, where President Aristide and President Préval's supporters live, compared with 12,000 polling stations in 2000 when the International Community wasn't in charge of Haiti's government and Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) as they are with the imposed Boca Raton regime.

Even without campaigning because of the coup d'etat repression and for fear of being thrown in jail to join the other Lavalas political prisoners, President Preval won by a clear LANDSLIDE, garnering four/five times more votes than the Coup D'etat candidates supported by the International Community - the next highest per cent reported after Préval was 12.8%. And, that’s not taking into consideration the burnt dumpster ballots, and blank-ballot stuffing which, if these were not a factor, could only increase Renè Préval’s proportion and reduce his coup d'etat opponents percentages.

HLLN insists on a full investigation into the Internationally-run and financed 2006 Haiti election, including discovering exactly where the ballots found in the dumpster came from? Why was the truck carrying the ballots to the dumpster for burning HIRED by the UN/MINUSTHA forces in charge of keeping ballots safe and secure? If these sorts of allegations were made in any other country about the UN representatives, if thousands of ballots found in a dumpster while the ballot-counting process was still ongoing had happen in the US, France or Canada, you’d expect an investigation? Why not the double standard? Why not the same respect for an election in Haiti, especially given the totally illegal bi-centennial Coup d'etat that preceded the Feb. 7th elections, especially in light of the fact the UN Security Council which refused to send help to Haiti's elected government BEFORE to coup, sent help to uphold the coup detat regime after President Aristide was flown out of Haiti under military pressure from France, Canada and the US!

The world owes the innocent Haitian people more respect for their sovereignty and the international community which trivialized Haitian democracy and justice, at its whim, shares a grave responsibility for the more than 20,000 dead since the coup and for the current attempt, by Jacques Bernard, CEP executive director and, Reginald Boulos (OAS-financed printer of Haiti's ballots and key coup d'etat player), et al, to rig the 2006 parliamentary elections by summarily excluding the Lavalas and L'espwa candidates from the second rounds.

"When you make a choice, you mobilize vast human energies and resources which otherwise go untapped...........If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want and all that is left is a compromise." Robert Fritz

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The
Crucifiction of Emmanuel "Dread" Wilme,
a historical
perspective

Urge the Caribbean Community to stand firm in not recognizing the illegal Latortue regime: