US embassy cable - 05NASSAU158

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NASSAU 000158 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR WBENT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SMIG, PHUM, HA, CU, BF, Migration 
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS: MIGRANT INTERDICTION STATISTICS FOR 2004 
 
REF: 03 NASSAU 2321 
 
SUMMARY 
- - - - - 
 
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 
------------------------------ 
 
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