Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PORTAUPRINCE235
2008-02-15 18:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:
FEBRUARY 11 REPATRIATION OF 90 HAITIAN MIGRANTS
how-toVZCZCXRO9954 PP RUEHQU DE RUEHPU #0235 0461834 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 151834Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7688 INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 1801 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 1606 RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC PRIORITY 1029 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1428
UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000235
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA
WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM HA
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY 11 REPATRIATION OF 90 HAITIAN MIGRANTS
UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000235
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA
WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM HA
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY 11 REPATRIATION OF 90 HAITIAN MIGRANTS
1. On February 11, the US Coast Guard (USCG) transferred 90
Haitian migrants into the custody of the GoH in
Port-au-Prince, Haiti. On February 4, the USCG intercepted a
fast boat carrying 17 Haitian, 1 Chinese and 3 Jamaican
migrants 11.5 nautical miles east of Jupiter Inlet, Florida.
Three Bahamians, who were operating the boat, were taken into
custody. On February 6, the USCG intercepted a sail
freighter carrying 73 migrants 27 nautical miles southwest of
Acklins Island, Bahamas.
2. The majority of migrants on the fast boat denied paying a
fee for their journey, claiming instead to have boarded the
vessel right before its departure. One migrant, however,
told Poloff that he paid $4,000 for the trip. A friend, he
claimed, notified him via telephone about the journey, after
which the migrant, with financial support from relatives in
the U.S., paid the fee. Another migrant, who denied having
paid for the clandestine trip, told Poloff that a friend on
Ile de la Tortue, a Haitian island off the northwest coast,
informed him about the trip via telephone. This migrant and
two others were in the Bahamas for only six months before
making this trip. Many others claimed to have been in the
Bahamas illegally for 3 to 4, or over 10 years.
3. The migrants on the sail freighter, who said that Nassau,
Bahamas was their destination, claimed that they collectively
stole the sail freighter. They reported that they had
relatives in Nassau as well as in the U.S.
4. For calendar year 2008, the USCG has repatriated 464
migrants to Haiti.
SANDERSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA
WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM HA
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY 11 REPATRIATION OF 90 HAITIAN MIGRANTS
1. On February 11, the US Coast Guard (USCG) transferred 90
Haitian migrants into the custody of the GoH in
Port-au-Prince, Haiti. On February 4, the USCG intercepted a
fast boat carrying 17 Haitian, 1 Chinese and 3 Jamaican
migrants 11.5 nautical miles east of Jupiter Inlet, Florida.
Three Bahamians, who were operating the boat, were taken into
custody. On February 6, the USCG intercepted a sail
freighter carrying 73 migrants 27 nautical miles southwest of
Acklins Island, Bahamas.
2. The majority of migrants on the fast boat denied paying a
fee for their journey, claiming instead to have boarded the
vessel right before its departure. One migrant, however,
told Poloff that he paid $4,000 for the trip. A friend, he
claimed, notified him via telephone about the journey, after
which the migrant, with financial support from relatives in
the U.S., paid the fee. Another migrant, who denied having
paid for the clandestine trip, told Poloff that a friend on
Ile de la Tortue, a Haitian island off the northwest coast,
informed him about the trip via telephone. This migrant and
two others were in the Bahamas for only six months before
making this trip. Many others claimed to have been in the
Bahamas illegally for 3 to 4, or over 10 years.
3. The migrants on the sail freighter, who said that Nassau,
Bahamas was their destination, claimed that they collectively
stole the sail freighter. They reported that they had
relatives in Nassau as well as in the U.S.
4. For calendar year 2008, the USCG has repatriated 464
migrants to Haiti.
SANDERSON