UN urges region not to deport Cubans or Haitians
(CNS): The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is urging Caribbean countries such as the Cayman Islands, Jamaica and the Bahamas not to deport Haitian and Cuban refugees without proper screening. The agency has said it is concerned that people in need of international protection are being intercepted in Caribbean waters and being deported. In the first two months of 2013, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of boats transporting individuals in region and the UNHCR said governments should screen all individuals intercepted at sea to determine if they have a fear of persecution or other protection concerns before they are returned to their countries of origin.
Since the beginning of the year, at least 217 Haitian and Cuban nationals have been intercepted in Caribbean waters, the UNHCR said in a press release. There have been interception reports off the coasts of Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands.
"Elementary considerations of humanity and the fact that many countries in the region are granting asylum to Haitian and Cuban nationals when applying on land, demonstrates the absolute need for these basic procedural safeguards to be applied at sea," said Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR's Regional Representative in Washington.
UNHCR has repeatedly urged all countries involved in interdiction and rescue at sea operations to put in place screening procedures to ensure protection for refugees and asylum-seekers of all nationalities caught in mixed migration flows.
The agency stands ready to provide support to the states confronted by these maritime movements to ensure that all individuals intercepted or rescued at sea are properly screened in accordance with international human rights principles.
Category: World News
Well Mr. UN, where will we get the money and personnel from to "assist" these refugees? Will you send assistance or reimburse us the costs? DOnt be naive and think that it will not cost us anything. We have our own problems and social issues that we are trying to conquer. Taking on somebody else's troubles right now is just too much for our little island country.
Addendum to my earlier posting on Tue, 02/12/2013 @ 13:16 – No one is confusing the UN with the US of A. However, I do believe we are all intelligent enough people to understand that the US of A has a LOT of political and social power within the UN, being a member state. Every refugee you meet want/desire/wish is to go to America. So what is wrong with Cayman helping them to achieve their wish by repairing the vessels, replenishing supplies and providing them with 'accurate' directions to their desired destination? Bon Voyage!!!
Cayman has always tried to assist the refugees that come across our waters, but most of them don't want the assitance that is given to them they want a right to stay because of the problems back home, America is not pleasing to their eyes because they would have to end up paying taxes and they don't want that. every other caribbean has it own problems and mind you it is not just 5 people on one boat it's like 15 people. so after immigration has supplied them with gas, food, water and clothing what happens next they go on a long voyage.
why dosen't the UN step in and fight for them in their country take down their presidents and help the peoples. it is especially sad when children are onboard the UN can do more for them, just giving them supplies is not enough. the UN is asking us not to deport them this is diffrent from just giving them supplies and making sure that they are ok. do you know how bad it would be for us, and guess what it's bad now.
What?! What if they eat all our food?
Listen or read people, if we start to take everyone with a sad story then i (Caymanian) will have no choice but to sail theseas in a boat because my island is overly popluated. if you want to help them then go their country and give to the people. stop demanding that we take everyone that cross our seas because sooner or later you won't like it. please use some common sense and try to picture what Cayman would look like.
If Cubans want our way of life, tell them to change their own country to a free one. Afterall, did not the majority of them fight to have it the way it is? UN, I sugest you use your clout to tell Castro to FREE his people and country. Why should everyone else have to take them in? Enough of them spill over as it is, you want to create a flood?
that's why the United Nation can't take care of it own people always want to be the land of the free but yet their are so many homless people on the streets. There are hardships in this world, and i watch the news almost everyday and i see what is going on and don't get me wrong my heart surley goes out to them, but we can't take everybody that is on a boat that cross our Island and say that they are from cuba or hatti that would be suicide. The crime in the Cayman Islands is getting bad, the financial state that we are in is not good. Social services is way over their heads with paying out food vouchers, paying rent for some of these little girls (by the way some of them are just lazy to get a job i know this for a fact they use the babies speech ). so if we take them we just as well drill a hole in George Town so we can finally sink and no longer be on the map.
You have confused the United Nations with the United States.
14.13..well said.
My solution to at least part of this problem is that we must take some of these unfortunate people, but then put the boat back out to sea with all our current politicians on it. Lets see what country wants to take them!! North Korea possibly? Iran? Would be fair exchange I feel, we would get a lot of hard working and grateful refugees and a lot quieter Cayman. Bliss.
"that's why the United Nation can't take care of it own people always want to be the land of the free but yet their are so many homless people on the streets."
Are you possibly confusing the United Nations with the United States?
Could you please tell me when the United Nations became a country?!?! Learn something new every day…
You complete and utter uneducated moron, the point was made by the UNITED NATIONS not the UNITED STATES.
Most of the crime committed on Cayman is by Caymanians on Caymanians, as the population of Northwood will testify.
And finally, you build a secure immigration holding centre, then humanely screen the subjects before repatriation to ensure that you're not sending someone back to torture or their death because of their thoughts, religion, gender or colour. The numbers who would require temporary leave to stay would be minimal as most would only use Cayman as the nearest point of escape and landing.
That's what human rights mean, the rights of humans and not just Caymanians.
That's simple enough even for a pea brained, self serving, backward looking Caymanian like you to work out, surely.
now that was not nice at all to call me a moron, i do know the diffrence between UN and USA just a miserror should have spoken more clearly. let me ask you something where else are they going to go when they get here are they going to continue to sail the seas hopping from country to country, after immigration screen them then what happens what else is there to do everyone has a story and i am sure they will be using human rights. so after this person comes then stay then more come and stay then those that stay make a phone call to their families and tell them to come to cayman in a shack up boat the island will take you. as for crime you need to visit Northward prision i am sure you will find mixed and caymanians in there, i didn't say that caymanians did not commit crime. now take that IDIOT.
I am not the original poster but there is no need to be so abusive.
First, the name of the prison is "Northward", not "Northwood".
Second, the composition of the population of Northward does not "testify" that most of the crime committed on Cayman is committed by Caymanians at all for the simple reason that most of the crime here is unsolved and by definition the culprits are not in Northward.
As I understand it the Cubans are screened as to whether they are seeking political asylum on the basis of political persecution. Back in the early 1990s we had a really problem on our hands when literally thousands of Cuban boat people descended on us and had to be processed.
Is it just me or all of the people commenting so far confusing the United Nations with the United States Of America? Not the same ya know!
Well said. While we all sympathize we cant afford to have them, soon all cuba will be here. Maybe they will make arrangements to take them. ajaust send them on from Cayman to the UN.
"that's why the United Nation can't take care of it own people always want to be the land of the free but yet their are so many homless people on the streets."
I think you are getting the United Nations mixed up with the United States
Brethren@14:15 before you put your pen to paper go learn some current events. The United Nation is not a country. It is different fom the United States. And Hati Spells "H A T I" ,not "hatti". United Nations is A supra national body consist of the representatives of the member states. not a country.
let me just say that i know the UN is not located in the United States of America, the offices are located all over the world but we all know that USA mostly backs them up. as for my spelling just a mispelled word nothing to string your pants on. try and see the other point now.
consisting
The United Nations have been pushing their "one beige world" agenda for years now (except for the elite) and if someone does not stand up to them, we will be overrun with undesirables all under the guise of human rights.
Tell you what, Mr. Big Shot UN People, how about YOU give them a home? Don't foist your opinion on us! It's all fine and dandy pontificating about what we should do in response to situations that YOU have engineered while you are schmoozing in your cocktail parties.
Haitian and Cuban refugees cannot be welcomed here because we cannot sustain the influx. What the UN should do is put an embassy in Haiti and Cuba and listen to these people's grievances. Then they can do something about it instead of bullying little countries like us.
How about we get some of the wannabee politicians tackle this one? They won't because most of them are Lodge and they all have the same agenda – A new world order under one government.
Don't worry, perhaps Dart will buy Fairbanks, refurbish it, and we'll get the Haitians integrated in a heartbeat.
Did the UN also suggest this same edict to the US? As I do recall reading the following:
Homeland Security spokesman Sean Smith said Monday that orphans who have ties to the U.S. — such as family members already living here — and Haitians evacuated for medical reasons are among those who can gain special permission to remain in the U.S.
The mass migration plan, known as Operation Vigilant Sentry, was put into place in 2003 because of experiences with Caribbean migrations, said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Chris O’Neil, a spokesman for the Homeland Security Task Force Southeast, which would manage any Haitian influx.
“There is no new incentive for anyone to try to enter the United States illegally by sea,” Cmdr. O’Neil said. “The goal is to interdict them at sea and repatriate them.”
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano underscored the message during a weekend appearance at Homestead Air Reserve Base south of Miami, a key staging area for Haiti relief flights.
“This is a very dangerous crossing. Lives are lost every time people try to make this crossing,” Ms. Napolitano said, addressing Haitians directly. “Please do not have us divert our necessary rescue and relief efforts that are going into Haiti by trying to leave at this point.”
We have enough residents who are claiming some form of welfare assistance as it is, to now be tasked with taking on several thousand more. Besides didn't the Americans engrave on a bronze plaque mounted inside the lower level of the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, the following [excerpt]:
“…A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command the air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she with silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
We gladly send them on to your shores.