Haiti-Exodus Halted
7-23-1994
^Flow of Boat People Bound For U.S. Tapers Off, Lowers Pressure For Invasion AP Photo PAP106 of July 22
^By ANDREW SELSKY
^Associated Press Writer
LULY, Haiti (AP) _ The boat builder stood amid the ribs of a half-dozen boats in various stages of construction and gazed out at the sea to which thousands of his countrymen have taken to flee to the United States.
But now the exodus has become a trickle, largely due to Washington's new policy of refusing Haitian refugees entry into the United States. The boat people picked up are given a choice of staying at a tent city at a U.S. base in Cuba or returning to Haiti.
"No one is leaving anymore," said the builder, who spoke Friday on condition of anonymity. If the trend holds, that means President Clinton will feel less pressure to invade Haiti and restore its elected government.
Some of the reasons the White House has given for considering an invasion are to rid this impoverished nation of its repressive military regime and avert a flood of refugees attempting to escape to the United States.
Earlier this month, U.S. Coast Guard cutters plucked thousands of refugees from rickety boats every day. Only 216 Haitians have been intercepted this past week, U.S. Embassy spokesman Stanley Schrager said.
The U.S. government has been broadcasting messages daily on local radio telling Haitians their attempts to sail to the United States will be fruitless. Instead, Haitians can apply for political asylum in offices the U.S. Embassy has set up in Haiti, a slow and uncertain process.
"I think the message is finally getting out that if you take a boat you're not getting to the United States," Schrager said in an interview. "On July 4, we intercepted 3,000 refugees. Two weeks later there's nobody. That's significant."
The builder said his sales have plummeted.
"People have learned that every time they leave, the Coast Guard is going to get them and bring them back," he said.
As the bearded, lanky carpenter spoke, two workmen sawed and hammered. The 16-foot crafts they build line the beach in Luly, located 30 miles northeast of Port-au-Prince.
A boat twice that size he and his partner built, named "Jesus is King," swayed at anchor off the beach. Painted on its sign in red letters: "For Sale." Naked children frolicked aboard and leaped off the side into the surf.
Both the U.S. and Haitian governments are trying to stem the refugee flow, a rare convergence of policy. The Haitian government wants to stop the migration to remove a reason for a U.S. invasion.
Schrager said the embassy had reports of Haitian security forces burning boats being built on Haiti's beaches. The reports could not be immediately confirmed.
The boat builder said he was afraid of a police raid on his vessels, which he also sells to fishermen.
"If they come here and burn my boats, I won't be able to do a thing about it," he said.
^Flow of Boat People Bound For U.S. Tapers Off, Lowers Pressure For Invasion AP Photo PAP106 of July 22
^By ANDREW SELSKY
^Associated Press Writer
LULY, Haiti (AP) _ The boat builder stood amid the ribs of a half-dozen boats in various stages of construction and gazed out at the sea to which thousands of his countrymen have taken to flee to the United States.
But now the exodus has become a trickle, largely due to Washington's new policy of refusing Haitian refugees entry into the United States. The boat people picked up are given a choice of staying at a tent city at a U.S. base in Cuba or returning to Haiti.
"No one is leaving anymore," said the builder, who spoke Friday on condition of anonymity. If the trend holds, that means President Clinton will feel less pressure to invade Haiti and restore its elected government.
Some of the reasons the White House has given for considering an invasion are to rid this impoverished nation of its repressive military regime and avert a flood of refugees attempting to escape to the United States.
Earlier this month, U.S. Coast Guard cutters plucked thousands of refugees from rickety boats every day. Only 216 Haitians have been intercepted this past week, U.S. Embassy spokesman Stanley Schrager said.
The U.S. government has been broadcasting messages daily on local radio telling Haitians their attempts to sail to the United States will be fruitless. Instead, Haitians can apply for political asylum in offices the U.S. Embassy has set up in Haiti, a slow and uncertain process.
"I think the message is finally getting out that if you take a boat you're not getting to the United States," Schrager said in an interview. "On July 4, we intercepted 3,000 refugees. Two weeks later there's nobody. That's significant."
The builder said his sales have plummeted.
"People have learned that every time they leave, the Coast Guard is going to get them and bring them back," he said.
As the bearded, lanky carpenter spoke, two workmen sawed and hammered. The 16-foot crafts they build line the beach in Luly, located 30 miles northeast of Port-au-Prince.
A boat twice that size he and his partner built, named "Jesus is King," swayed at anchor off the beach. Painted on its sign in red letters: "For Sale." Naked children frolicked aboard and leaped off the side into the surf.
Both the U.S. and Haitian governments are trying to stem the refugee flow, a rare convergence of policy. The Haitian government wants to stop the migration to remove a reason for a U.S. invasion.
Schrager said the embassy had reports of Haitian security forces burning boats being built on Haiti's beaches. The reports could not be immediately confirmed.
The boat builder said he was afraid of a police raid on his vessels, which he also sells to fishermen.
"If they come here and burn my boats, I won't be able to do a thing about it," he said.
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