18646: Esser: Haitian police seeking refugee in Jamaica (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

The Jamaica Observer
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com
8 armed cops arrive here among 10 Haitian refugees

Sunday, February 15, 2004

Eight armed policemen clad in their uniforms are among 10 Haitians
now at the Port Antonio Police Station after residents of Manchioneal
in Portland spotted them stranded on a 15-foot boat near that eastern
Jamaica town early yesterday morning.

"They were carried here at around 7:00 am by fishermen who saw their
help signals and towed them in," Corporal Louis Blackwood at the
Manchioneal Police Station told the Sunday Observer.

According to Blackwood, the Haitians, who apparently fled their
turmoiled country at around 2:00 pm Thursday, were transferred to the
Port Antonio Police Station for processing.

An immigration officer at the Port Antonio Police Station told the
Sunday Observer that the men, two of whom are civilians, did not give
their desired destination and have only said that they "got into
trouble" in Jamaican waters.

Yesterday, Jamaican police said the eight Haitian cops gave their
names as Joseph Collin, 34; Jean Millery Lagrenade, 34; Jean Nezias
Honore, 32; Daniel Lauren, 28; Azard Lene, 38; Eddie Heraux, 30;
Melinard Brenvile, 35; and Jean Prerre Marie, 33.

No ages were ascertained for the civilians - Lauren Vernet and Leonee Cosimond.
Corporal Blackwood told the Sunday Observer that eight firearms were
taken from the Haitian cops.

"The Haitian officers on the unnamed 15-footer flagged down the
fishermen, who carried them to the Manchioneal Police Station, where
their firearms and a report were taken," said Constable Dave Martin.

According to Blackwood, one of the Haitian cops, who barely spoke
English, told the Manchioneal police that they were seeking refugee
status. "He said that there is a big problem in Haiti and they don't
want to die because they are police," Blackwood said.

Haitian police have been the targets of Opposition forces trying to
oust President Jean-Bertran Aristide in a week of violence that has
claimed at least 49 lives. More than a dozen police stations have
been set ablaze by rebels who see the buildings as symbols of
Aristide's authority.

.