GCOB REACTS TO HUMAN RIGHTS CRITICISM

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000152 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2019 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KPAO BF SUBJECT: GCOB REACTS TO HUMAN RIGHTS CRITICISM REF: A. NASSAU 139 ¶B. 08 NASSAU 863 Classified By: Charge Zuniga-Brown for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Press reports, some of them citing the Embassy's Human Rights Report, decried abuses by immigration officers and poor conditions at the Nassau immigration detention center, prompting a call by Amnesty International for an investigation of the facility. Though GCOB officials initially dismissed the reports, the minister responsible for immigration soon promised to investigate the abuse claims. Outside observers subsequently toured the facility and met senior staff, reportedly leading to minor improvements. Increased transparency should lead to (slow) improvement of conditions at the detention facility. END SUMMARY. -------------- PRESS HIGHLIGHTS POOR TREATMENT, CONDITIONS -------------- ¶2. (C) A series of front-page reports in February alleged abuses by immigration officers, both in Nassau and elsewhere, and highlighted complaints of poor conditions at the immigration detention center in New Providence. The investigative reports culminated with a story February 24 claiming that Cuban detainees were beginning a hunger-strike in protest. Immigration officials quickly denied the reports of abuse citing an internal investigation. This met with a derisive editorial commentary and a call for independent investigation by the local Amnesty International (AI) representative. The AI representative informed Post that the International Secretariat of AI would likely issue a public "urgent action" notice on March 6. ¶3. (SBU) Complaints of poor detention conditions, such as insufficient food, sleeping quarters, and limited recreation options, at the immigration detention center are longstanding and recur periodically in media. The potential for overcrowding was exacerbated after a possibly psychologically unstable American detainee allegedly set fire to a dormitory in December 2008 and caused considerable damage. All illegal migrants apprehended in The Bahamas are detained at the Nassau center until repatriation to their home countries. Haitians are the most commonly interdicted migrants (ref A). They are usually repatriated quickly (in a matter of weeks), whereas Cuban detainees, in particular, may endure long periods of detention (many months) due to lengthy official procedures prescribed by the Castro regime. -------------- WHERE THERE,S SMOKE, THERE,S NOT ALWAYS FIRE -------------- ¶4. (C) No new incidents precipitated the recent spate of reports. Rather, it appears that old and unconfirmed accusations were rehashed after a Spanish-speaking newspaper editor visited the detention center to speak with detainees directly. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and other USG law enforcement personnel toured the detention center in October 2008 and saw reasonable conditions with no irregularities, but did not interact with detainees. USCG personnel interviewed 28 Cuban migrants during a visit in January 2009 and none raised concerns regarding their conditions or treatment. Non-governmental organizations have not asked to tour the facility in the last two years, despite encouragement from Post to request access. -------------- AFTER QUICK ABOUT-FACE, GCOB PROMISES INQUIRY -------------- ¶6. (C) On February 27, a high-ranking government official dismissed initial reports of a hunger strike by Cuban detainees, saying the incident was exaggerated. Soon after, in response to negative press and calls for an independent probe, Minister of Immigration Branville McCartney promised to investigate abuse claims and offered to institute training programs for detention center personnel. The Immigration Department reportedly invited outside observers including church officials to tour the facility March 2. Detention center management reportedly instituted several minor and apparently cosmetic improvements immediately. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) Increased transparency should shed even more light on detainees' persistent complaints about treatment, including abuse allegations, and conditions. It might also help reduce speculation about other alleged activities at the Immigration Department, which were part of the rationale for the GCOB's restructuring move last year (ref B). Post will continue to monitor the situation and raise concerns with the GCOB. ZUNIGA-BROWN