21069: (Hermantin)Sun-Sentinel-Special sanctuary sought for Haitians (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Special sanctuary sought for Haitians



By Tanya Caldwell
Tallahassee Bureau

April 2, 2004

TALLAHASSEE · The only two Haitian-Americans who serve in Florida's
Legislature asked Thursday that their colleagues rally behind them in urging
Congress to grant temporary protective status to Haitians until the crisis
in their native land is resolved.

Miami Democratic Reps. Yolly Roberson and Phillip Brutus are asking that
Haitians be allowed to come and stay in America until the situation calms in
Haiti.

Roberson said the country is in shambles. "If you are wounded, you are left
to die, simply because there are no doctors available. And at this time,
while we still have massive killings going on in Haiti, the Department of
State is still sending Haitians back to their country, where we don't have
any working hospitals."

Brutus said the resolution would grant temporary protection status on
Haitian nationals who want to come over until their country gets back on its
feet.

He said the United Nations reported this could take five to 10 years, but he
added he's asking for protection only until the country comes to some sort
of "assemblance."

Sen. Gary Siplin of Orlando, who has a Haitian wife and practices
immigration law, said he hopes Congress and President Bush will provide some
protection for Haitians.

"The department has gotten so outrageous they're picking up Haitians who
actually have jobs," he said. "These people have families out in Orlando and
Miami and West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, but they're detaining them,
... and their parents or their family can't see them."

Brutus said the federal government has provided such rights before. In the
late 1990s, Nicaraguans were provided protection status after Hurricane
Mitch. Liberians and Hondurans have been helped in the face of crises,
Brutus said.

"It's been done before, and the concept lies in a very solid principle of
law."

Tanya Caldwell can be reached at tcaldwell@sun-sentinel.com or 850-224-6214.


Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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