BAHAMAS DENIES ASYLUM AND REPATRIATES 29 CUBANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000504

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR WBENT, PRM/ECA KPERKINS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2015
TAGS: PHUM SMIG PHSA PREF PREL CU BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS DENIES ASYLUM AND REPATRIATES 29 CUBANS

REF: A. 04 NASSAU 2335


B. 04 NASSAU 2355

C. 04 NASSAU 2407

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Robert M. Witajewski for reasons 1.4 (
b) and (d)


1. (C) The Bahamian Department of Immigration repatriated 29
Cubans on March 15, 2005, including nine Cuban men who had
claimed to be members of the "November 30 Frank Pais Party."
Bahamian Immigration, upon the recommendation of the United
Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR),denied the nine
Cubans political refugee status. The Government of Nicaragua
had offered asylum to these nine in particular, but the
Bahamians refused the transfer as it would set a bad
precedent -- that those who are denied asylum in The Bahamas
could still bring pressure to bear to be transferred to third
countries.


2. (U) The nine Cubans were taken to Her Majesty's Prison at
Fox Hill on potential arson charges following the December 9,
2004, fire and uprising at the Carmichael Road Detention
Center (see reftels). Minister of Labour and Immigration
Vincent Peet decided to drop the charges in order to expedite
the Cubans' repatriation to their homeland. In a media
interview Peet said, "We thought that the expense that the
country would incur made it not worth pursuing charges, and
it is in everyone's interest to have them out of here."


3. (C) Despite public concerns from Florida-based
Cuban-American groups regarding the safety of the alleged
members of the "November 30 Frank Pais group" if returned to
Cuba, Cuban Consul-General to The Bahamas Felix Wilson said
"They arrive in Cuba and they are taken to their homes, and
that is it... Many people claim that they are political
refugees just to get to the U.S." In a private conversation
with the DCM in mid-January, Director of Immigration Vernon
Burrows said that during the interviews for asylum, the nine
Cubans claiming to be political refugees could not even
remember the full name of the party, or provide any details
of their participation in the party in support of their claim.

WITAJEWSKI