By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Tribune Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
HUMAN Rights Bahamas has condemned what it called an “illegal” and “regressive” invasion of homes at a shanty town in Abaco yesterday.
In a brief press statement, the local human rights group said there was no legal justification for “brute force” to enter people’s homes and remove personal items.
The organisation rebuked the government yesterday following a joint operation at The Farm shanty town near Treasure Cay, Abaco.
A multi-agency sting resulted in the arrest of illegal immigrants and other persons who are suspected of being involved in various criminal offences; the seizure of suspected stolen goods; and the disconnection of a large quantity of illegally operated generators and gas tanks.
Eviction notices were also handed out to residents.
“Human Rights Bahamas utterly condemns the illegal, aggressive and regressive invasion of people’s homes in Abaco and the theft of their property at gunpoint,” HRB said in a brief statement.
“There is no legal justification for breaking and entering into family homes and removing personal belongings. People who have struggled and suffered through Hurricane Dorian yesterday had their groceries, their personal items and appliances cruelly stolen from them by the government authorities.
“It is nowhere near enough for the Ministry of Works, which is not a law enforcement agency, to claim that the residents are guilty of this or that offence. Everyone in the Bahamas is innocent until proven guilty. Where is the court order that allowed this heinous action to take place? As far as we know, it does not exist.
“This was nothing but a display of brute force and intimidation, calculated to try and frighten and scare off the targeted victims. The intended audience for this shameful spectacle is clearly a political one.
“The government has already tried to demolish these poor, suffering people’s homes several times. They have been met by a legal challenge in that regard, and so now they are pandering to the shallowest, most crass and xenophobic elements of our society. The government should not think they will get away with this. It will end up being yet another acute embarrassment of the Bahamas both in the courts and on the international stage. In the end, justice will be done.”
A statement from the Ministry of Public Works said illegally constructed access roadways were closed; and signs written in English and Creole were erected.
Signs were also posted on illegally erected buildings, the government’s statement said. The signs warn inhabitants of the legal prohibition of any new construction, and of the intention of the government to demolish all of the illegally constructed buildings.
The armed forces also will be on the ground to maintain a presence and enforce eviction notices.
Comments
tribanon 3 years ago
It's legally impossible for law enforcement authorities to illegally invade an illegally constructed dwelling of any kind on private property or Crown Land not lawfully owned or leased by the illegal dweller where the illegal dweller has absolutely no legal right whatsoever to squat. Yet our corrupt courts may well find differently. LOL
DDK 3 years ago
"It's legally impossible for law enforcement authorities to illegally invade an illegally constructed dwelling of any kind on private property or Crown Land not lawfully owned or leased by the illegal dweller where the illegal dweller has absolutely no legal right whatsoever to squat."
EXACTLY RIGHT!
GodSpeed 3 years ago
DEPORT
birdiestrachan 3 years ago
who makes the decision as to what is justified. the law enforcement agencies?
Or the human rights organizations?.
moncurcool 3 years ago
It is amazing that these so-called human rights organizations never open their mouth to speak against illegal immigration and illegal construction by illegal immigrants.
If you are not able to speak truth to power under all circumstances, then you have no moral leg to stand on on anything you say.
John 3 years ago
Look for the Suicide rate and the 4q (read it fast) rate (people standing on street corners, homeless or otherwise ‘not normal’ to increase. This is no time for government to be tightening the screws on his Bahamian people who are just trying to survive. May God have mercy on his soul. Marvin Danes done sell he soul.
FreeUs242 3 years ago
The government is corrupt and maybe get cash to let those illegal individuals stay that long. Only when it becomes noticable to the bahamian public, covers are blown, a new headline each year added with the same headline.
jamaicaproud 3 years ago
I would think you all would utilize your depleted resources on fighting the pandemic, instead of obsessing about Haitians.
ScubaSteve 3 years ago
Exactly!!!! I can think of 84 other items that are much, much more important and critical than some Haitian shanty town.
tribanon 3 years ago
Worried your cheap slave labour will dry up? LOL
trueBahamian 3 years ago
Are these people serious? An illegal invasion and trampling on rights? Really? If you are illegal and you have a built a structure that was not constricted to building code on land that you don't own, what rights do you expect to have? These are flagrant abuse of our laws and people expect the government to condone that. You're illegal, that subjects you to deportation. You're expected to purchase land, but you squat. You are expected to build in line with the building code, but you don't. As Bahamians we have to abide by the law. So, why should an illegal immigrant not abide by the law?
Anyone who thinks the government is wrong in invading, should get their heads checked. If people were physically abused or verbally abused, then that should be addressed. Every person regardless of immigration status have rights. But, the rights of an illegal immigrant can not be greater than that of legal persons.
tribanon 3 years ago
Only heartless, greedy and unpatriotic Bahamians who have a vested interest in profiting from cheap slave labour will disagree with you. And that includes our many corrupt immigration officials.
Emilio26 3 years ago
I heard some of those undocumented migrants in Back have constructed shacks near the beach.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID