Thursday, June 20, 2013
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Staff Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
TWO Florida state district representatives are calling on the United Nations to investigate allegations of abuse of Cuban nationals at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.
Despite the Bahamas government’s denial of recent claims, Republican congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart charged that harassment and beatings of Cuban detainees in the Bahamas was a long standing human rights issue that has gone “unabated”.
The press statement by Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen read: “These human rights violations cannot be ignored and these individuals deserve an opportunity to live in freedom. The latest abuse by a guard who is brutally taunting and kicking Cuban detainees has been caught on a video that was provided to my office by a local Miami TV station but we insist that similar abuses have been talked about for years.”
It added: “These Cuban migrants only want to reach shores of freedom and democracy and for this they are harassed, beaten, and incarcerated at Bahamian Detention Centres. This is unacceptable and must end now.”
The video aired by America Teve, which purported to show Cuban nationals being abused by a Bahamian guard, was debunked by Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell on Monday. Based on observations made by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Mr Mitchell said that the accent of alleged abusers was not Bahamian; the rooms shown did not match the Detention Centre; and no faces were shown.
The video entitled “Exclusiva: golpiza contra cubanos en centro de detención de Bahamas” – translated as “Exclusive: Cuban beating at detention centre in Bahamas” - was also posted to YouTube.
In an interview with The Tribune, an America Teve spokesperson said that the alleged detainees depicted in the video were still in Bahamian custody.
According to The Miami Herald, supporters were asked to honk their car and truck horns as they drove past the Bahamian consulate in downtown Miami yesterday. It is unclear whether or not supporters demonstrated outside the consulate as calls placed to the office were not returned.
However, protests were acknowledged by Prime Minister Perry Christie, who advised that the government plans to rebuild the centre to address issues of overcrowding. He added that the government would continue to protect the country’s borders.
Yesterday, FNM chairman Darron Cash accused the Florida representatives of political posturing, pointing out that the officials had direct access to the Bahamas government’s formal position.
In an interview with The Tribune, Mr Cash said he supported the government’s diplomatic approach.
“While I’m not surprised that they would take this position, I am disappointed at the actions taken by the congressmen,” Mr Cash said.
“What (US representatives) are doing is typical pandering, headline grabbing approach to the demonstrations in order to strengthen base in constituencies.”
“The suggestion that the Bahamas is so inhumane, that our policies are so crude, crass and dehumanizing,” he added, “it would hurt if it were true, but it is not true and we are satisfied that it is not true. This is a hoax.”
Mr Mitchell yesterday denied to comment further on the matter.
He said: “The video is a complete fiction and an utter fabrication. I have no comment on the views of US congress people.”
Comments
B_I_D___ says...
I like how they pinpoint Cuban nationals. 'IF' this is happening, and knowing the culture, it likely is happening, whether the video itself is a fabrication or not, but if abuse is happening, I am sure it is across all the various nationalities, Haitian, Jamaicain, and whoever else they have out there, so maybe investigate that...not just the Cuban aspect. Mind you, they could rename South Florida, North Cuba, so I guess they are just looking after their own.
Posted 20 June 2013, 11:31 a.m. Suggest removal
BoopaDoop says...
We kill our own in police custody so it is possible that the claims are true.
Posted 20 June 2013, 1:04 p.m. Suggest removal
positiveinput says...
A video of such is a bunch of bull sh!t. No part of that video showed any guard face to be identified as a Bahamian much more gave any supporting fact that it was indeed film within The Bahamas or even our Detention Center. For me to believe that film is genuine, I might as well believe that the big Hollywood pictures deplicting the U. S. White House was actually taken in the actual White House.
Posted 20 June 2013, 1:29 p.m. Suggest removal
banker says...
It doesn't matter whether the film is genuine or not. Amnesty International has already said that we do not treat our prisoners according to humanitarian principals. And the ex-prison chief Rahming is being turned down as ambassador to the United States. Until we try the police constables for murder (as well as the prison guard who shot a prisoner in the back on the bus), people will believe anything about the Bahamas, and it has a better than 50-50 chance of being true.
Posted 20 June 2013, 2:59 p.m. Suggest removal
aloethree says...
The detention center is not a prison facility and we do our best to house these illegal immigrants that plague our country. These people are trying to stir controversy.
Im not saying its not authentic because cell phones are prohibited, it is simply not authentic the video is fabricated.
Is this a propaganda stunt by this group who are trying to tarnish the image of the Bahamas so that their community would not travel here and invest? Do they want to end the embargo and compete with the Bahamas?
Cuban Americans have infiltrated South Florida and the senate and the house of Reps.
Sadly Cuba is far behind in technology, finances etc. the world won't wait on them and the investment from That Cuban Americans will have to be astronomical to change the culture and people of Cuba who believe in Castro's philosophy.
Posted 20 June 2013, 8:58 p.m. Suggest removal
Faraon001 says...
I Just have one question for you. On what do you base your statement to say that this video is fabricated? Why are you making this forum about how much you hate Cubans? I believe that the majority of us the "Plague" like you call us who live in South Florida visit Bahamas and contribute a lot to the economy of that country.
Posted 26 June 2013, 8:48 a.m. Suggest removal
concernedcitizen says...
cuba did 3 million stopover tourist last year w/ out the U/S market ..we did just over a million and a third stopover w/ the U/S,market,,the cuban american senators do not want to end the embargo ...but when it does end it will hurt us economically...we can look to 3 things for our prospeierity the last 60 yrs ,,S Sands for the tourist model and banking ,,Pindling for independance ,and Castro for taking Cuba out of the compitition for U/S tourist ..offshore banking is in its waning days and cuba will open ,,,,,so hang on
Posted 26 June 2013, 9:44 a.m. Suggest removal
Faraon001 says...
Whether it is Haitians, Cubans, or any other culture that have been mistreated in these prisons, they are all humans to me. If this video is not real, that would be amazing. However, the truth is that something is going on, otherwise all this wouldn’t be happening. I don’t care what race you are as long as abuse and injustice is taking place I wont agree with it. I believe there is been people abused, mistreated, and humiliated. Those people are Humans just like us, not a plague; it is ultimately your choice to take side on this issue. Just think, it could be you or your family.
Posted 26 June 2013, 8:43 a.m. Suggest removal
xtreme2x says...
I agree with the stance this our government is taking.I would also try to send them back to Cuba, if Cuba do not want to take them back, then I would contact those two congress persons in Florida and ask them to except them in Florida. we will be willing to send them by boat or plane all expense paid.
Now If this government is going to build a new detention center for the migrants, then you better build a larger Fox Hill prison for the criminals.
Posted 3 August 2013, 6:22 p.m. Suggest removal
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