BAHAMAS: MIGRANT INTERDICTION STATISTICS FOR 2004

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NASSAU 000158

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR WBENT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SMIG PHUM HA CU BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS: MIGRANT INTERDICTION STATISTICS FOR 2004

REF: 03 NASSAU 2321

SUMMARY
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1. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force
cooperatively worked to interdict over 5,000 illegal migrants
in the waters in and around The Bahamas in 2004. The two
largest nationality groups interdicted were Haitians (the
overwhelming majority with just under 4800) and Cubans (less
than 250). The Coast Guard's relative share of interdictions
rose substantially from 2003, indicating that more illegal
migrants now are being interdicted in the international
waters that it patrols -- mainly at the southern end of The
Bahamas furthest from the U.S. -- than in Bahamian
territorial waters.
END SUMMARY.


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2004 Migrant Interdiction Data
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By U.S. Coast Guard 3905
By Royal Bahamas Defense Force 1161
Total 5066

Haitians 4795
Cubans 248
Other 23
Total 5066


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Interdictions Increase, Coast Guard Share Rises
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2. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force
(RBDF) combined to interdict 5066 illegal migrants in the
waters in and around The Bahamas in 2004, an increase of
approximately 40 percent over the 2003 level of 3592
interdictions. The Coast Guard took in 3905, more than
double the 1731 migrants it interdicted in 2003. The RBDF's
numbers dropped from 1862 in 2003 to 1161 in 2004. The Coast
Guard was responsible for 77 percent of the total number of
migrants interdicted in 2004, up from 48 percent last year.


3. There were approximately 200 separate interdiction events
during the year.


4. Haitians remained by far the most common nationality
interdicted. Most are encountered aboard overloaded sloops
in the Windward Passage between Haiti and Cuba, roughly fifty
miles south of the Bahamian island of Great Inagua, a
location likely several days into their journey from Haiti.
The use of "trickle migration" also appears to be increasing:
a small commercial vessel will return to Haiti missing a few
of its original "crew" who were left behind in The Bahamas.
The Coast Guard encountered more than 70 trickle events in

2004.

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Interdiction and Repatriation Process
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5. The U.S Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force
share the burden of patroling the waters in and around The
Bahamas, a cooperative relationship most recently codified by
the Comprehensive Maritime Agreement (CMA) signed in June

2004. The CMA establishes the ground rules for bilateral
operations to combat the illicit traffic of narcotics and
migrants, and authorizes the boarding of vessels in foreign
waters. Typically a representative of the Bahamian
Government, known as a "shiprider", accompanies a U.S. Coast
Guard cutter on its patrols and provides authorization to
board vessels in Bahamian waters.

6. If a migrant vessel is interdicted in international
waters, the U.S. Coast Guard will process the migrants at sea
and screen for asylum seekers. If no migrants are found to
be under a credible threat of persecution if they are
returned, the Coast Guard repatriates the migrants directly
to their home country. Alternatively, if a migrant vessel is
found in Bahamian waters, i.e. within 12 nautical miles of
Bahamian territory, the Bahamian authorities are responsible
for processing. These migrants are taken to the Carmichael
Road Detention Center in Nassau for asylum screening and
possible repatriation.


7. Few Haitians taken into custody by Bahamian officials
apply for political asylum The Department of Immigration
simply waits until it has a sufficient number of migrants in
detention (usually several days),then charters a flight to
return them to Haiti. The process of return interdicted
Cuban citizens, on the other hand, often takes several
months. The asylum procedure goes through multiple stages
involving the Bahamian Department of Immigration, the United
Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR),the Bahamian
Cabinet, and, if the request for asylum is denied and the
migrants are to be returned, the Government of Cuba. A group
of detained Cubans sparked a riot at the Detention Center in
December 2004 (reftel).


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COMMENT
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8. The U.S. Coast Guard interdicted far more Haitian migrants
in 2004 than it did in 2003. Since the RBDF's Haitian
numbers declined, however, part of the Coast Guard's increase
is likely due to more effective monitoring of the area around
the Windward Passage: relatively fewer migrants got past the
Coast Guard to be intercepted by the RBDF further north.
Other possible factors behind the increase include the
political and economic difficulties in Haiti and the severe
hurricane season. The Embassy is currenty working with the
RBDF to increase its presence in the Windward Passage. The
Coast Guard hopes to coordinate operations with the RBDF, and
increase the flexibility of the Coast Guard, while avoiding a
duplication of efforts. END COMMENT.

ROOD