July 10, 2006
Gracias, Hank.
I'm referring to Hank Tester of NBC6 for the following:
July 10, 2006: Fair Treatment For Cuban Refugees And Their Families By Hank TesterPOSTED: 7:57 am EDT July 10, 2006
UPDATED: 8:59 am EDT July 10, 2006This is not a discussion of the wet-foot, dry-foot policy, nor is it a critique of the U.S. Coast Guard for using high-powered rifles to stop human smugglers. This is a discussion about doing what is right.
The latest incident involved a Coast Guard intercept of a go-fast boat with 31 refugees on board intercepted on Saturday, July 8, 2006. Arrested were three alleged smugglers. The Coast Guard shot out the engines of the three-motored boat with a shotgun. One woman died, according to NBC 6’s Tom Llamas, because during the pursuit, she suffered head and facial injuries. Despite efforts by Coast Guard officials, she could not be saved.
What needs to be addressed is what many in the exile community deem common decency.Why is it that U.S. government agencies stonewall the relatives of those interdicted at sea and refuse to rapidly communicate their condition, well-being and status to family members? Simply put, why can't the Coast Guard or officials from Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) quickly provide a simple assurance to family members that the refugees are OK? In the case of injury or death, why can't they provide confirmation?
We have seen the plight of refugee families over and over again on local television and in newspapers -- families here in Miami huddled near their cell phones waiting for days to receive calls from their loved ones. Relatives often go to Coast Guard station Miami looking for answers. The usually compassionate Coast Guard remains zip lipped. It's days, sometimes weeks later -- often only after refugees are sent back to Cuba -- that relatives in Miami learn of their family member’s fate for sure.
At the time of this writing, Alex Conde and Rebecca Croes are going through the agony of this black hole of information. They both believe they have relatives that were taken off the go fast boat by the Coast Guard or worse, that the dead woman may possibly be their relative. However, it was impossible for them to confirm this information because it is being withheld.
It would seem simple that the Coast Guard and/or immigration officials on board the Coast Guard cutter could take the names of the passengers and either fax or radio the information to a public affairs person. That person could then take the family inquiries and pass on the information. A procedure like that could certainly ease the pain and the concerns that Alex Conde and Rebecca Croes have experienced over the last few days.
Recently the Bush administration agreed to meet with exile leaders and politicians to discuss modification of the wet foot/dry foot policy. There was a meeting of sorts but not much materialized.
A reversal or a modification of the wet-foot, dry-foot policy is probably too big a pill to swallow for the Bush administration at this juncture. But also on the table was a request to develop a reasonable process of notifying the families of interdicted Cuban refugees. Like the major issue of the wet-foot, dry-foot, notification of relatives issue has also fallen off the radar
Do not be surprised that due to this recent incident, the family notification issue, as well as the entire wet-foot, dry-foot policy issue, will re-surface over the summer. The exiles feel duped. Although the majority is totally against the human smugglers, they do not have a real beef with the U.S. Coast Guard and have been patient with the Bush administration.
Cuban exiles do want a change in the wet-foot, dry-foot policy and some basic decency from the Bush administration with respect to the treatment and notification of family members. That would be the right thing to do, they reason, and a welcomed start in policy reversal.
Copyright 2006 by NBC6.net
Posted by Val Prieto at July 10, 2006 06:17 PM
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Comments
Thanks Hank. You are a voice of reason in the media.
Posted by: George L. Moneo ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.babalublog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at July 10, 2006 10:48 PM
At long last, a cogent message from the media regarding the plight of fleeing Cubans. The Administration must address this inane policy and "do the right thing." Thank you, Hank.
Posted by: Grammy in Phila. at July 11, 2006 12:07 AM
Hank Tester is by far the best when it comes to local news journalists, especially Cuban issues.
Posted by: Robert at July 11, 2006 08:46 AM
as me as concerned the greatest culprit in this
sadly often events,are FCMisgovernment and the
smugglers,As a cuban I understand to the fullest
the plight of my fellows,Nobody could be more supportive with the cuban people predicament,than
I do,However it is very naive or in some way "castroite"" who demonizes just the coastguard actions which are not a good example,without taking into account all the other
factors,namely Castro and the smuggler,get this
fact straight:the rafts,the boats just come from
one direction.
Posted by: RALPH at July 11, 2006 11:05 AM
So whats the solution? No Embargo,No Problem? She died because their own kind cared less about them..She died because of money for someone elses pocket..Her own kind put them at risk..She died because of another Anti Castro Industry...human cargo...And the Ironic thing is that because Miami urges them on,she died looking for the freedom they talked about..Its a sad day..we can make this the last day or...continue with chapter 48.
Posted by: M26 at July 12, 2006 03:42 AM
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