The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

CUBAN-American protester, Ramon Sanchez says his group is “encouraged” by recent steps taken by the government regarding the Detention Centre, but they still call for “justice” in the aftermath of the investigation into abuse claims.

Giving the rebuilding of the centre as one example, The Democracy Movement believes this decision shows “a renewed attitude.” Mr Sanchez, however, demanded “full access” to the results of the beating investigation and called for the truth to be “exposed”.

And naming allegations of a rape and a death, he urged for two other issues to be “fully investigated” by the relevant authorities.

“That means the sexual abuse against women, including a testimony from one of the women that she was raped and she is pregnant now,” Mr Sanchez said. “And also the death of a Guyanese citizen in March. Those issues have not been focused on by authorities.

“We believe that once those two things are addressed and the guards are removed from being able to continue to do this kind of harm to people, the rights of people have been fully vindicated and I think we can move on to begin rehashing our relationship of the south Florida community with the Bahamian people.”

The details of the death in question, Mr Sanchez claimed, including a Guyanese man having a “asthma/heart-attack” and being denied medical attention because detention centre guards allegedly believed he was pretending.

“The Cuban detainees had to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to the individual and the person passed away right in front of everybody’s eyes – including the children – while the guards were laughing and saying he was making it up,” Mr Sanchez said.

“We’re getting ready here to talk to the Guyanese consulate here in Miami and the government so this issue is addressed from government to government, but also we would like the Bahamian authorities to address this issue, also.”

The alleged rape by a defence force officer was first disclosed by The Democracy Movement in Miami, last week, and the 24-year-old Cuban detainee is reportedly pregnant as a result.

Activist Jesus Alexis gave the name of the woman’s rapist (withheld by The Tribune) and said the officer responsible was “apparently heading one of the beatings. His name is very well known throughout the detainees there.”

Mr Sanchez said yesterday, The Democracy Movement understands that officer was reportedly taken from the Detention Centre and placed in another facility.

“That man should be locked up or at least removed from any dealing with detainees because he will continue to do the same thing,” Mr Sanchez said. “He’s a sick person and you cannot give power to a sick person to control human beings because he will use those human beings at his will... He forced this woman to have sex with him and now she’s pregnant.”

However, he noted that aside from these issues, the group is encouraged about the future.

“The way that things have been developing lately – which is that they are rebuilding the centre, that they have removed many of the guards and that they have publicly committed themselves to better treatment of the detainees – encourages us to believe that a renewed attitude will be put in place towards the future, and we want to look towards the future,” Mr Sanchez said.

Although criticising Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell for being “incapable” of a dialogue between himself and the group, Mr Sanchez added: “The prime minister should know that we also recognise those things that he is doing. Although he has been reluctant to let the truth come out, whatever portion of this truth that is coming out, it’s encouraging to us.”

The Democracy Movement wants “justice to be done,” Mr Sanchez said, for the alleged victims but also for the accused guards to be found guilty or not guilty by law.

He explained: “If somebody abused power, then that person must be put on trial and sanctioned according to the degree of the crime he has committed and if that person is found not guilty well – you know, we want due process; we also want due process for the guards. We don’t want people’s rights to be violated – we do fully understand that. Not only do we fully understand, we also want them to have that chance.”