NationStates Jolt Archive

Posted on Wed, Sep. 07, 2005




IMMIGRATION


Calm seas, warm weather a magnet for Cuban rafters

BY JENNIFER BABSON

jbabson@herald.com


KEY WEST - More than 50 Cuban migrants landed in the Florida Keys in recent days -- many of them rafters on homemade boats who likely took advantage of relatively calm seas to cross the Florida Straits, federal immigration officials say.

On Tuesday alone, three separate groups of Cuban migrants made it to Florida:

• Four were discovered at Key Colony Beach in Marathon, traveling aboard a 33-foot Cuban fishing vessel that departed Havana at 8:30 p.m. Monday.

• Five were discovered a few miles north of Marathon in the Middle Keys on Tuesday. They told authorities they had left Matanzas Province Monday at 1 a.m. in a 14-foot homemade boat.

• Eleven landed in the Keys on Tuesday, but it was not known where they arrived.

U.S. Border Patrol officials were also kept busy throughout the Labor Day weekend, according to U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Robert Montemayor.

He said 21 Cubans landed at Loggerhead Key in the Dry Tortugas west of Key West. That group left Pinar del Rio province on the island's west coast in a 30-foot wooden boat, though authorities believe the group -- which showed few signs of exposure -- was smuggled in. No smugglers were nabbed, however.

On Monday morning, 11 migrants were discovered near Big Pine Key north of Key West. They claimed to have left the Havana area two days beforehand, climbing aboard a 20-foot aluminum boat with a diesel engine. They landed at tony Little Palm Island, a high-end Lower Keys resort.

Several other groups of Cubans also landed Friday and Saturday of last week in Monroe County, but Montemayor had no information about the landings.

The rash of Cuban migrants apprehended didn't surprise border patrol officials, said Montemayor, who said calmer seas this time of year typically draw more migrants willing to make the perilous voyage.

''I would say they saw an opportunity because of the weather and that's why we are seeing these smaller endeavors,'' Montemayor said of the latest attempts by rafters.

Those apprehended during the past week were allowed to remain because they had made it to dry land.

Under the so-called wet-foot/dry-foot U.S. immigration policy, Cubans that make it to land are allowed to stay while those intercepted at sea are generally returned.

The latest sojourn of Cuban migrants comes less than a month after at least 31 people reportedly perished after the smuggling boat they were aboard capsized at sea. A passing freighter rescued three people.

Through late August, the Coast Guard had stopped at least 1,856 Cubans at sea, more than the total for any year in more than a decade.

Cuban's keep comin, on anything that floats, boats, rafts, innertubes, floating trucks and floating taxi cars, across 90 miles of shark infested waters.

Many keep defecting in other nations.

According to the Cuban governmet 99.25 percent of eligible Cuban voters support the government, and singed
a petition amendment to the Cuban Constitution to declare Cuba's economic, political, and social system of governmet unchangechable.

If Cuba is such a Paradise, why does Cuba need and has an emigration agreement with the USA for a minimum of
20,000 US emigration visas a year?

Posted on Wed, Aug. 10, 2005



COUNTIES




ASYLUMthe dancer Rolando Sarabia, first figure of the National Ballet of Cuba (BNC), is in Miami after crossing the Mexican border to ask for asylum.

The critic recognizes Sarabia, of 24 years, like one of the most talented classic dancers of the present time, with ready being bulky of international prizes during its ascending artistic race, that began in 1995.

Sarabia yesterday declined to make declarations.

The dancer remained several days next to his relatives of Miami and left yesterday course to Boston, where he tries to accept a contract with the company of that city. In the 2003, the Ballet of Boston had extended him a contract like first dancer, but the Cuban authorities prevented him to travel. Then, it waited by a special authorization of the Ministry of Culture to dance in Mexico and took advantage of the occasion to take refuge in the U.S.A., where it had deserted, for three months, their brother, also the dancer Daniel Sarabia, of 20 years, awarded in the most recent aid of New York.

But the local public soon will have opportunity to see Rolando Sarabia in scene. Pedro Pablo Rock, the director of the Festival the International of Ballet of Miami, announced yesterday that the dancer will participate in the tenth edition of the event, programmed of the 26 of August to the 18 of September.

The Mariel Boatlift

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The exodus of over 125,000 Cuban men, women and children started when more than 10,800 Cubans moved into the grounds of the Peruvian Embassy in Havana, on April 4, 1980, after the Cuban Government guards were removed from the Peruvian Embassy. The word quickly spread throughout the island. The removal of the guards was Castro's response to a dispute between the Cuban and the Peruvian Governments, when the previous week a small group broke into the Embassy seeking asylum.

Cuba trades with the democratic nations of the world,
The European Union nations, Canada, Australia, New Zeeland, Japan, Mexico, and others including the USA.

Woah.. alot of articles. Do you write much yourself Cuba? Because as I've probally told you I'm working on an online newspaper and there's a risk it could end up insanely left biased using my current writers. Anway, sorry to threadjack. My email addies is in your TG inbox, contact me on Msn IM.

During a month in 1994, more than 35,000 rafters, or balseros, left Cuba for the United States, many aboard flimsy homemade rafts.

Thousands of Cubans then built rafts and set sail for the United States, in a scene reminiscent of the 1980 Mariel boatlift during which 125,000 Cubans flooded into South Florida.

Thank you Rotovia, for your telegram response, I see we are NS friends despite our obvious political, social and economic differences.

I love to write, but I doubt I have the time, but perhaps I should start a right wing newspaper to balance out our diffrent views.

Thank you very much for my help request telegram response Rotovia.

might have something to do with all the sanctions imposed on them by the US making it harder for any economy to develop.

Kirtondom, as I said Cuba trades with the USA.

In Cuba the government controls all the means of production, the government is the one that devolops the economy not the average citizen.

When a foreign company invests in Cuba, like buits a hotel, or manufacturing plant, it does so with the Cuban government as a partner.

Part of the production is kept for internal consumption, the other part goes to the hotels for tourists only, and
for exports to other nations.

The internal consumption is sold to Cubans by the Cuban government in Convertible Cuban Pesos and Cuban Pesos.

Dollars and Euros sent by overseas relatives
to thier relatives on the island are exchanged
by the Cuban government into
Convertible Cuban Pesos.

The profits are shared by the Cuban government and
the foreign company as agreed.

The Cuban government through a government employment agency hires the workers.

The foreign company pays the Cuban government in hard currency, and the Cuban government pays the worker in Cuban Pesos.

At a much lower rate diffrence.

Cubans also have government issued ration cards, which gives them the right to buy certain products and a certain amount of the product.

Of course Cubans go to America! The yankees have imposed a trade blocade on them that has forced the place into extreme poverty! Man, I'm an anarcho-communist and even I'd consider shifting to America if I were Cuban simply to stay alive 'cos of your stinking blockade. I bet $304892058205802598 that when the blocade is lifted, there'll be no more so-called refugees.

Of course Cubans go to America! The yankees have imposed a trade blocade on them that has forced the place into extreme poverty! Man, I'm an anarcho-communist and even I'd consider shifting to America if I were Cuban simply to stay alive 'cos of your stinking blockade. I bet $304892058205802598 that when the blocade is lifted, there'll be no more so-called refugees.

There is no "Blockade". Nothing prevents Cuba from trading with any other nations.

I appreciate The South Islands post, as I agree with it.

But I would say it rephrase it Cubans do not trade with other nations, the Cuban government trades with other nations.

As Private enterprise is basically illegal.

The average Cuban Citizen doesnt own businesses that trade with other nations, the government is the one that does.

So there is a big diffrence there.

There is no "Blockade". Nothing prevents Cuba from trading with any other nations.
Haha, good joke!
The blockade, and thats the tricky part because it´s obviously against international right, even is used on people, who aren´t american and are "captured" trading with cuba.

Cuba does trade with the USA.

Cuba does trade with the USA.
Does the US trade with Cuba?

Good Post Psychotic Mongooses, Cuba buys from the USA,
that Cuba sells to the USA, but if Cuba is buying then they can sell to the USA.

Good Post Psychotic Mongooses, Cuba buys from the USA,
that Cuba sells to the USA, but if Cuba is buying then they can sell to the USA.

...em... thanks. I was genuinely confused :D

Good Post Psychotic Mongooses, Cuba buys from the USA,
I dont know of any product that Cuba sells to the USA, but since Cuba is buying then Cuba can sell to the USA.

I shall return to attend to this thread later on.

Old Chevy Truck Almost Makes It From Cuba To Florida
Migrants Repatriated
Associated Press

POSTED: 7:07 p.m. EDT July 23, 2003
UPDATED: 6:18 a.m. EDT July 31, 2003

MIAMI -- As unlikely and astonishing as it may have seemed, there it was, a 1951 Chevy pickup floating toward Florida and packed with Cubans hoping to reach the United States.

The truck was mounted on oil drums, and the fading, old relic was equipped with a propeller in the back to make the approximately 100-mile crossing through ocean swells that reach three stories high on a good-weather day.

The ingenuity, the brazenness and the courage of it all was for naught.

The Coast Guard nabbed them 40 miles from the Keys and then sank the engineering marvel as a hazard to navigation.

The boat, or truck, or whatever you want to call it, made eight miles an hour. That means the Cubans were just five hours from freedom and history of making the crossing in what has to be the most awesome craft ever fashioned to escape Cuba.

But the 12 Cubans are now back in Cuba, since only those who make landfall are allowed to stay.

Had the truck made it, it likely would rank right up there with the bathtub that some Cubans used as a boat to make the perilous crossing several years ago

--------------------------------------------------------------

Since then after several attempts to reach the USA or emigrate, either all or some of them now reside in the USA, I think it is some of them not all.

June 8: A group of 13 Cubans set sail for the United States in a vintage blue taxicab converted into a boat. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports.

The so-called embargo has a big hole, while it is true that Cuba does not officially sell any prouducts to the USA, Cuba does buy agricultural and other products from the USA on a cash as you buy basis.

Cuba trades with all the democratic nations of the world like The European union nations, Canada, Australia, New Zeeland, Japan, Mexico and others.

And over 2,000,000 million tourists a year visit Cuba,
mostly from Europe and Latin America.

Pedro Alvarez, the chairman of Cuba's food import company Alimport, said Cuba has spent $326 million on U.S. products so far this year and will likely pass the amount it spent in 2004 - about $475 million.

The So-called embargo has a big hole, American subduary companies all over the world, trade with Cuba, and the restaurants, and hotels for tourists only in Cuba are filled
with American Products, so are the stores in Cuba that sell to Cubans in Convertible Cuban Pesos, that is strong foreing Currency like the Dollar or Euro sent to Cubans by thier foreing living relatives.

keep in mind that Cubans Citizens do not trade directly with other nations, the Cuban government trades with other nations.

Cuban companys are government owned and operated and the others are Joint Cuban and foreing private investment with the Cuban government having at least 50 percent intrest.

And the foreing companys do not hire their Cuban workers directly, a Cuban national employment agency hires the Cuban workers, the foreign companys pay the Cuban government in hard foeign currency and the Cuban government pays the Cuban worker in local currency.

Granted a one nation embargo has not worked, but trade, tourist and diplomatic relations has not worked either, on
political, economic and social reforms.

Because President Dictator Fidel Castro will not allow it, as he has stated many times before.

All this trade, tourists and relations and no democratic reforms allowed in Cuba, like those enjoyed in the European Union nations, with all its faults, but offering diffrent political partys, with diffrent economic, political and social points of views.

Posted on Thu, Sep. 29, 2005


IMMIGRATION


U.S. says Cuba not trying to halt migrants

Cuba refuses to engage in dialogue over the 1995 migration accords, the U.S. State Department said, claiming the Castro regime uses the accords `for political gain.'

BY OSCAR CORRAL

ocorral@herald.com


At a time when interceptions of Cuban migrants have doubled, the United States has accused Cuba's government of refusing to comply with 1995 migration accords designed to prevent another exodus to Florida.

Cuba doesn't try to stop migrants on vessels while they are still in Cuban territorial waters, and it refuses to issue exit permits to many citizens who receive U.S. travel documents allowed by the accords, according to a recent U.S. State Department report.

More than 500 potential migrants awarded one of the 20,000 entry visas the U.S. grants each year haven't been allowed out. Among them: 171 doctors.

Cuban officials, for their part, have accused Washington of dragging its feet on visas, trying to deliberately spark an exodus in an effort to topple the Castro government.

''The Castro regime's repeated allegations about purported U.S. designs to precipitate a mass migration crisis are patently false,'' James C. Cason, the top U.S. diplomat in Havana, said in a statement earlier this month as he prepared to leave his post.

``Cubans who don't have a choice to leave legally are risking their lives, in the greatest numbers we have seen since 1994, on dangerously inadequate watercraft.''

The State Department report comes at a time when the U.S. Coast Guard is seeing a major increase in the number of Cuban migrants trying to cross the Florida straits, a situation widely blamed on deteriorating economic conditions on the island.

Cuba, the State Department report said, ``has cynically chosen to manipulate [the accords] for political gain in an effort to continue to prevent the Cuban people's desire to live in freedom.''

The report reveals Washington's constant worry that another mass migration is a possibility.

'The government of Cuba remains unwilling to move forward on a substantive agenda and instead characterizes the U.S. government action as a political maneuver for which there will be `very serious consequences,' '' the report warns.

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez is calling for the United States to reevaluate its position regarding the accords, citing Cuba's tendency to unleash mass migrations whenever the political situation on the island gets too hot.

''The Castro regime continues to use the accords as a tool of continued oppression and has furthermore used it as an escape valve to send his operatives to the United States,'' Martinez said in a written statement.

The 1995 accords were established by the Clinton administration in the wake of an exodus of an estimated 40,000 rafters and boaters from Cuba that overwhelmed the Coast Guard.

According to the document, Cuba's biggest impediments to ''safe, legal and orderly migration'' include:

Its refusal to issue exit permits to qualified migrants; 533 were denied this year.

• Its refusal to permit a new registration for the annual U.S. visa lottery, which allows as many as 20,000 Cubans to emigrate to the United States every year; the last signup for the lottery was in 1998;

• Its refusal to accept the return of Cuban criminals deemed excludable from the United States.

The State Department has accused Cuba of these actions since at least 2003.

Calls and emails to Lazaro Herrera, the spokesman for the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, were not immediately returned.

The accords also established the controversial U.S. wet-foot, dry-foot policy, which generally allows Cubans who reach U.S. shores to stay, but repatriates most migrants picked up at sea.

Last week, 10 Cubans were stopped by U.S. authorities within sight of Miami-Dade's Haulover Beach. Television crews broadcast the scene of Coast Guard and Customs agents hosing down the migrants and slamming their vessel, briefly knocking several of them into the water.

The United States has yet to decide the status of the 10.

Since Oct. 1, 2004, 2,617 Cubans have been intercepted before reaching U.S. soil. That's more than double the number for the previous 12 months. The report blames the uptick on bad economic conditions in Cuba -- as well as Cuba's unwillingness to do much about migration.

Still, one Cuba expert, Unversity of Miami professor Jaime Suchlicki, doesn't think a mass migration from Cuba like the 1980 Mariel boatlift will happen anytime soon.

''A mass migration can only happen if the Cuban government looks the other way, and if the U.S. government doesn't react,'' Suchlicki said. ``Fidel is concerned about a crisis that would lead to military confrontation with the Bush administration.''

Cuban American congressional representatives condemned the wet-foot, dry-foot policy after last week's drama and called on the Bush administration to tighten the U.S. embargo of Cuba.

The Miami-based Cuban American National Foundation on Monday sent letters to Cuban American legislators and to President Bush to ask that wet-foot, dry-foot be terminated.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen said she was not surprised that Cuba is not complying with the migration accords.

''This is a corrupt regime that lies, cheats, manipulates, obfuscates and is therefore not to be trusted to live up to its obligations,'' Ros-Lehtinen said in a written statement.

Jan Edmonson, a State Department spokeswoman, said the department issues reports on Cuban migration twice a year, as required by law.

The United States and Cuba had regular migration talks until December 2003, when Washington canceled a scheduled meeting because it said Cuba was unwilling to cooperate. Since then, there has been little communication between Washington and Havana on the migration issue.

Cuba has been warned in the past by the USA government that if it unleashes a mass migration, it would be considered an attack on the USA, and the end of the Cuban government.

Recently a Cuban doctor on a raft or boat drowned trying to escape the Cuban Paradise government of Fidel Castro.

I personally know a Cuban doctor who came about a year ago on a raft, he is studying english, to become a fully licensed doctor in the USA, he works in a clinic doing as much doctor related work as possible, his younger brother in Cuba also a doctor, wants to emigrate to the USA legally or join an overseas doctor program to defect, since I do not give any names, this is all I can say as to not put in danger his brothers plans.

Posted on Thu, Sep. 15, 2005




IMMIGRATION


Cubans' landings, captures on rise

The number of Cubans being intercepted at sea is the highest since the 1994 rafter exodus.

BY ALFONSO CHARDY

achardy@herald.com


Within one 24-hour period this week, 109 Cuban migrants landed on several of the tiny islands that form the Dry Tortugas of the Florida Keys -- bringing the number of Cubans landing in South Florida so far this month to more than 150.

Meanwhile, the number of Cuban migrants interdicted at sea while en route to South Florida hit more than 2,000 on Wednesday -- the largest number in a calendar year since 37,191 were rescued during the 1994 rafter exodus. Overall Cuban landings are up as well.

Since Oct. 1, 2004, more than 1,800 Cubans have reached South Florida's shores. That compares to 955 who made the trip between Oct. 1, 2003, and Sept. 30, 2004, according to recent Border Patrol figures.

Homeland Security officials acknowledge the rise in landings and interceptions, but said they don't believe the increase portends a mass exodus.

The increase could be attributed to ''extremely calm seas out there,'' suggested Steve McDonald, a Border Patrol spokesman.

The increased number of interdictions could be attributed to more efficient methods used by Homeland Security, added Luis Diaz, a Coast Guard spokesman.

The 109 Cuban migrants arrived in five different landings on Tuesday and Wednesday. McDonald said 91 of them were likely smuggled and the remaining 18 made the trip by themselves.

More than 50 Cuban migrants landed in the Florida Keys earlier this month, many of them on homemade boats.

Cubans intercepted at sea are generally returned to their homeland. Those who make it to U.S. shores generally are allowed to stay.

Posted on Mon, Sep. 19, 2005




IMMIGRATION


Still more Cubans intercepted at sea

Herald Staff Report


The U.S. Coast Guard returned to Cuba 34 migrants picked up last week, bringing the number of Cubans stopped at sea this year to more than 2,000 -- the largest number in any year since the rafter exodus in 1994.

The migrants were rescued during four separate events last week, according to a Coast Guard statement issued Friday in Miami.

Homeland Security officials have attributed the increased migrant activity in the Florida Straits to extremely calm seas in recent days. But Coast Guard and Border Patrol officials say the higher numbers do not point to a larger exodus.

Nevertheless, the total number of Cubans picked up at sea so far in 2005 reached 2,029 Thursday -- the largest number in one year since 37,191 were stopped at sea in 1994. The number of Cubans intercepted so far this year is 530 more than 2004, when 1,499 were picked up.

Meanwhile, the number of Cuban migrants reaching South Florida shores this fiscal year is also up. According to recent Border Patrol statistics, about 1,800 Cubans have reached South Florida shores so far in fiscal year 2005 -- 845 more than during all of fiscal year 2004. Fiscal years run from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.

In the latest suspected migrant smuggling, one person died and another was injured Saturday when a boat caught fire 40 miles southeast of Key West. The Coast Guard said a Customs and Border Protection aircraft crew spotted the speedboat on fire with two people and extra fuel barrels aboard. The Coast Guard cutter Metompkin was dispatched to the scene. The two people aboard jumped into the water. Only one person was rescued.

Under current U.S. policy, Cubans intercepted at sea are generally returned to their homeland.

Those who reach U.S. soil generally get to stay.

Posted on Mon, Sep. 26, 2005



IMMIGRATION


Fate of 10 Cubans interdicted at sea remains in limbo

BY JENNIFER MOONEY PIEDRA

jmooney@herald.com


Authorities on Sunday had not decided the fate of 10 Cubans picked up in a makeshift boat off Miami-Dade County, an incident televised live on Friday.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Sandi Bartlett said the men remained aboard a U.S. Coast Guard cutter and were being interviewed to determine whether they qualify for protection.

Under the U.S. ''wet foot/dry foot'' policy, Cubans caught at sea are generally returned home, but in a few cases, some have been taken to the U.S. naval base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for possible resettlement in a third country. Those who reach U.S. soil can stay.

Before the men were picked up, the number of Cubans interdicted at sea so far this year stood at 2,114, compared to 1,499 last year.

Posted on Tue, Sep. 27, 2005 Posted on Tue, Sep. 27, 2005



IMMIGRATION


10 Cubans remain in U.S. custody

The 10 Cuban migrants whose interception with border authorities was captured on live TV remain on a U.S. Coast Guard cutter.

BY ELAINE DE VALLE

edevalle@herald.com


The U.S. Coast Guard repatriated more than 100 Cubans to the island nation during the weekend -- but none of the 10 men caught just off Haulover Beach on Friday were among them.

The 10 Cuban men, whose struggle with border authorities was shown on live television, are still aboard a U.S. Coast Guard cutter and being interviewed by immigration officials, said Petty Officer Sandi Bartlett. Those interviews should determine if there is any credible fear of persecution if the men are returned.

Current U.S. policy calls for the repatriation of most Cubans who do not reach U.S. soil unless they can prove they are eligible for political asylum.

But U.S. Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart says the 10 men have requested political asylum and that two, in particular, could face dire consequences if returned.

After relatives contacted his office, Díaz-Balart wrote a letter Monday to Robert Devine, acting director for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services -- which handles on-board interviews -- and urged him to take the entire group to the U.S. Navy base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

The congressman told Devine about brothers Nilber and Norberto Alvarez Quevedo, whose father -- a high-ranking state security officer who recently resigned because of his sons' opposition to the ruling Communist party -- was harassed over the weekend by state agents.

Ana Carbonell, chief of staff for the Cuban-American legislator, said the agents indicated that they knew the brothers would be repatriated.

''This visit,'' Díaz-Balart wrote in his letter to Devine, ``is indicative of the fact that the Cuban regime will seek to persecute the brothers as well as the other men on the boat.

``Given the seriousness of the case, I request that US CIS take the 10 men to Guantánamo Bay for further evaluation of their claims for asylum.''

One of the brothers -- who are both in their 20s -- had a pending refugee petition at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, which Carbonell said further indicates that they likely meet the criteria for credible fear.

According to other relatives who have spoken to The Herald, brothers Carlos and Antonio Carralero were also aboard the makeshift vessel. Francisco Carralero, their cousin, said Carlos could also face harsh repercussions upon returning because he was once a soldier with the Cuban military.

The 107 Cubans repatriated were caught in nine groups over the course of 10 days, Bartlett said.

Posted on Mon, Sep. 19, 2005



R E L A T E D C O N T E N T

BARBARA P. FERNANDEZ/HERALD STAFF
STORYTELLING: Former Saharan refugees, Saadani Ma Oulainie, center, and Ghali Bentaleb, discuss their experiences alongside Bentaleb's father, Hossein Taleb, left.




MIAMI BEACH


Saharan refugees discuss perils

Several former Western Saharan refugees say they were separated from their families against their will by a leftist group in Algeria and sent to Cuba for forced communist indoctrination.

BY OSCAR CORRAL

ocorral@herald.com


Saadani Ma Oulainie's first memory from childhood is seeing her father tortured publicly in front of her by the Polisario Front in North Africa when she was five.

After that, her memories of youth are a blur of forced separation, a flight to Cuba, sugar cane cutting, and an unending campaign by Cuban teachers to convince her that Allah was a farce and that Fidel Castro was the only person that mattered to her now.

As Ma Oulainie recalled her itinerant adolescence Saturday in Miami Beach as part of an effort by the Moroccan government to discredit the Polisario Front, she broke down crying, stopping just short of saying exactly how Castro-allied soldiers tortured her late father, who they had accused of being a Moroccan spy.

''We were stripped of our traditions, of our religion, they made us eat lots of pork,'' Oulainie said of her 15 years in Cuba, during which she never communicated with her parents. ``When I went back to Sahara, my father had died. Hundreds of Saharan children have been orphaned while they were forced to study in Cuba.''

Oulainie, one of thousands of children shipped to Cuba by the leftist Polisario for communist indoctrination, is in Miami this week along with several other Western Saharans, or Sahawaris, who have passed through the Polisario's refugee camps and prisons in the last 32 years. They hope their firsthand accusations of human-rights abuses and corruption will help bring attention to the plight of Western Saharans.

But like everything else in the post-9/11 world, the story of the the Sahawari plight is complex. Both the Polisario and Morocco, who are at odds over control of Western Sahara, have been accused of human-rights abuses against Sahawaris by Amnesty International, a respected human-rights organization.

From 1884 to 1975, Spain controlled Western Sahara, a dry, sandy patch of dessert south of Morocco populated by tight-knit nomadic tribes. In 1975, after the death of Spanish leader Francisco Franco, Morocco annexed it, triggering an uprising by a group of left-leaning Arab students who called themselves the Polisario Front and were backed by Cuba, Lybia and Algeria. Polisario is a partial Spanish-language acronym for Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro or People's Liberation Front of Saguía el-Hamra and Rio de Oro.

More than 100,000 Sahawaris fled to southwestern Algeria, where they settled in refugee camps controlled by the Polisario in the Tindouf region.

The guerrilla war went on until 1991, when Morocco, which claims sovereignty over Western Sahara and the Polisario, which wants an independent state there, agreed to a cease-fire.

The two sides are still wrangling over a referendum to allow a democratic solution. A United Nations peacekeeping force has been overseeing the cease-fire since 1991.

''Freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association remain very restricted in the [Morocco-controlled] Western Sahara,'' said a U.S. State Department report from 2002. And, likewise, ``The Polisario reportedly restricts freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association, and movement in its camps near Tindouf in southwestern Algeria.''

Oulainie, one of many who was caught in the middle, believes the human-rights abuses should be dealt with separately from the political solution.

Many of the people who fled to the Polisario camps were once sympathetic to their cause. One of them is Bachir Edkhil, 51, who once ran the Polisario program to send children to Cuba. He now has turned against them.

''The Polisarios destroyed the elemental values of family,'' Edkhil said.

Hossein Taleb knows this first hand. His daughter, Ghali Bentaleb, 27, spent 13 years in Cuba, from 1988 to 2001. When Taleb went to Cuba to try to get her back in 1999, he was turned around at the airport and immediately deported. Bentaleb eventually made it back to her family. But Taleb's son was shipped to Cuba's Isle of Youth in 2001, and has had no communication with his father since, Taleb said.

''I don't want other kids to go through what I went through,'' said Bentaleb, who was sitting near her father in a Miami Beach restaurant Saturday. ``They tried to tell us that there was no religion, only Castro. In Cuba, they kept us confined to the buildings. We were their prisoners.''

Robert Holley, executive director of the Moroccan American Center for policy, which is sponsored by the Moroccan government, estimates that there are 3,000 Western Saharan children still in Cuba, and 350 to 400 more are shipped there every year. The Moroccan government, through Holley's organization, sponsored the Sahawaris' trip to Miami and Washington, where they met last week with several U.S. leaders.

Today, the Sahawaris are scheduled to hold a news conference in Miami with U.S. representatives Lincoln Díaz-Balart, Mario Díaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, to denounce Polisario-controlled refugee camps in Algeria and the practice of sending children to Cuba. To their credit, the Polisario freed more than 400 Moroccan prisoners in August.

But some U.S. leaders feel more needs to be done.

''There is still a close relationship between the Castro regime and the Polisario Front,'' said U.S. Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart. ``The fact that there is an armed group such as the Polisario Front seeking power as an independent nation state in the Western Sahara, supported by terrorist regimes such as the Cuban regime is a concern.''

http://www.bnamericas.com/content_syndication/miami_herald/spanish/

Well, as far as the poll is concerned, I think it's fairly obvious that they are indeed tired of living in Cuba.

Might I suggest though that maybe some Refugees not necessarily leave Cuba because they hate it so much, but because they love the US (or what they think about the US, you know "unlimited opportunities" etc).

Just a friendly reminder … if I remember right posting articles without commentary is considered spam

You may want to watch that

Just a friendly reminder … if I remember right posting articles without commentary is considered spam

You may want to watch that

Thank you, I will check that out.

UpwardThrust was correct in warning you that this could be considered spam, and it is in fact spam. I'm just letting you know that you should probably quit posting articles right in a row. If you're going to make multiple posts within a short period of time, put it in one post.