14610: Miami Herald-Lawmakers, in Haiti, fault asylum policy (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Miami- Herald
Posted on Sat, Jan. 25, 2003

Lawmakers, in Haiti, fault asylum policy
BY MARIKA LYNCH
mlynch@herald.com

PORT-AU-PRINCE -- Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek,
D-Miami, arrived in the Haitian capital Friday to raise questions about the
Bush administrations policy of detaining Haitian immigrants while they apply
for asylum in the United States.

''Were calling attention to the double standard of the administration,''
Nelson said. ``As long as there is going to be migration, Haitians ought to
be treated like everybody else.''

The Bush administration says the policy is needed to stop Haitians from
migrating to Florida. But the Florida lawmakers want to examine whether the
policy really is a deterrent, and whether there are signs of a future mass
exodus that might warrant it.

ISOLATED FROM FAMILY

Under the policy, Haitians who enter the country illegally are held at
processing centers. Their advocates say they have little access to lawyers,
which limits their ability to fill out asylum applications. Until recently,
Haitian immigrants were allowed to stay with families or friends during that
time.

Nelson also said he wanted to find ways to relieve Haiti's economic misery.

''If we can cut out the root cause -- which is the political and economic
diminution of the human condition -- we can stop the root causes for all of
the migration,'' Nelson said.

The Florida lawmakers were joined by Republican senators Dick Durbin of
Illinois and Mike DeWine of Ohio. DeWine said his focus is to promote a
trade bill that will boost Haiti's manufacturing industry. The delegation
was scheduled to tour a factory today.

The legislators arrived during a general strike that almost paralyzed
business across the country. The strike was part of an ongoing political
stalemate that stems from Haiti's flawed 2000 legislative elections.

The significance was not lost on DeWine.

Haiti's government and opposition need to move toward a solution, DeWine
said. But he also criticized Aristides government, which he said lost a
historic opportunity to bring democracy to the country. He cited the Haitian
National Police, which was established with U.S. funds and high hopes after
Aristide was restored to power in 1995.

DeWine said the force had become corrupt, and human rights groups have
accused it of carrying out executions.

''I think it has been a real tragedy that Haiti has not been able to move
forward under Aristides presidency,'' DeWine said. ``In fact, it has moved
backward, both economically and politically.''

The legislators will stay through Sunday, and are scheduled to meet with
Aristide and other leaders.

ELECTIONS PROMISED

Aristide, who says his government is strangled without millions of dollars
in loans and who blames the unrest on the lack of money, has pledged to call
new elections for this year.

Aristide also met Friday with a delegation led by Ethel Kennedy and the
Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights, and Massachusetts-based Partners
in Health. That group wanted to highlight the lack of aid to Haitis poor.

''It was an important visit to help the Haitian people come out from under
the economic embargo,'' Aristide told reporters after the meeting. The
delegation is looking into how the withholding of foreign aid -- prompted by
Haiti's 2000 legislative elections, which the opposition denounced as rigged
-- has deepened poverty in the nation.

The general strike was called by more than 200 civic groups representing
teachers, business leaders, peasants, doctors and artists. They want
Aristide to ensure free political expression and a secure climate for
elections.



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