From left, Louby Georges, Paco Nunez, Fred Smith and Joseph Darville at the US Senate.
By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMIAN human rights activists yesterday briefed the United States’ Senate on “human rights violations” they believe are being committed under the government’s new immigration policy.
President of the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association Fred Smith, QC, flew to Washington, DC, on Wednesday with GBHRA members Louby Georges, Joseph Darville and Paco Nunez. They are expected to appear before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on Friday.
According to a statement from the association, the GBHRA was hosted by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations at a panel discussion on the state of human rights in The Bahamas.
“GBHRA members told the Senate that since November 1, 2014, the government has carried out mass immigration raids and roadblocks in direct violation of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Bahamas Constitution,” the statement said. “They also told of hundreds of cases of wrongful detention, illegal deportation and a total breakdown of due process, as well as numerous claims of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of law enforcement officers.
“They also explained how the new immigration rules for students, set to come into force in September 2015, will effectively deny children their right to an education, in violation of the Bahamas Constitution, the Education Act, and numerous international treaties signed by The Bahamas. The GBHRA also reminded the Senate that over 6,212,971 US citizens visit The Bahamas, that Americans pour around $300,000 into the country in direct foreign investment and that long standing law enforcement ties exist, which have serious national security implications for both countries.”
The group also informed the Senate about the “rise of hate speech against activists, including increasingly hostile demonstrations held by aggressive, masked men donning Ku Klux Klan costumes.”
Citizens for Constitutional Equality (CCE), a group that advocates for gender equality in The Bahamas, also made a presentation to the Senate, according to the statement.
During its visit to Washington the GBHRA said it also expects to brief the US Congress and meet with representatives of the Organization of American States (OAS) as well as individual US lawmakers over the next several days.
Comments
MartGM 9 years, 1 month ago
The plot thickens....
Cas0072 9 years, 1 month ago
Just the perfect victims I see. I didn't read any mention of how they incite tensions with bogus claims like the government is running Auschwitz at the detention center; calling for revolts against the government; informing suspected illegals that immigration officers cannot arrest them; spreading lies about children being roughed up and deported; and all the other smokescreens they put up to resist what could be a peaceful and mutually beneficial documentation exercise.
mangogirl01 9 years, 1 month ago
The Government should revoke their citizenship, this is treason! Mr. George please go to Haiti and fight for your people there!
ispeakthetruth 9 years, 1 month ago
Fred Smith is clearly using the Bahamas to work out his traumatic childhood experiences of being targeted, terrorized and deported by the Haitian government. We are all pawns in his alternate reality where the Haitian government is the Bahamian government, and his family are the illegal immigrants. In reality however, what happened to them versus what's curently happening in the Bahamas with our attempts to document illegal persons, cannot be compared.
Professional counseling would have been easier. He should have explored that option instead. We should not let him, and his band of idiots, stop progress.
The_Oracle 9 years, 1 month ago
Do not forget that Pindling addressed the U.N. as part of his strategy to bring to light discriminatory policies and persecution in the Bahamas back in the late 60's. This emerging nationalism and laughable indignation is worrisome in that it is an escape for most from the reality of this country, the injustice, lack of justice, political persecution and corruption. Truth be known most politicians could be brought up on charges of treason.
ispeakthetruth 9 years, 1 month ago
Going before the UN, is quite different from going to a US Senate committee. The only thing this organization can do is attempt to dissuade American tourists from visiting. Fred Smith's goal is to impact the Bahamas' number one industry if it doesn't roll out the welcome mat for illegals.
While some might find the indignation of Bahamians toward illegal immigration laughable...most common sense folks realize that it is a real issue. Not the only issue, but one of the more pressing issues that The Bahamas faces.
duppyVAT 9 years, 1 month ago
I agree with these guys in one sense ............ this PLP government is abusing ALL of us (where yall live??????)
TheMadHatter 9 years, 1 month ago
Maybe the U.S. will bring in helicopter gunships equipped with infrared which can see into person's homes and offices etc. and shoot dead every single Bahamian - and leave the country open to any immigrants that wish to come here and do whatever they please.
Perhaps then Fred Smith and his band of lunatics will be happy ?
TheMadHatter
Stapedius 9 years, 1 month ago
Interesting indeed. Mr. Smith is not getting the support from the opposition as he had hoped so he is now resorting to all kinds of tactics. You would be surprised who is behind this and who's agenda is being pushed here. Showing their true colours.
banker 9 years, 1 month ago
Who? I am curious.
SP 9 years, 1 month ago
... Enough Is Enough. Enough Of These Dam Haitian Parasite Traitors In Our Country! ...
Louby Georges and Fred Smiths consistent attempts at trying to force their agenda of the Haitianizatian of Bahamas on Bahamians is truly unacceptable and detestable to REAL Bahamians.
Bahamas and Bahamians have done and sacrificed more to help Haitians per capita in 60+ years than any other country.
They showed their appreciation by consciously, purposefully, infiltrating and undermining education, health care, police, social services, customs, immigration, commerce, the civil service and undermining Bahamians employment.
Haitians have proven beyond all doubt to be vicious parasitic people on the backs of unsuspecting, kind hearted Bahamians.
Haitians lost favor with Bahamians forever when they exposed their secret agenda to overthrow Bahamas by dragging Bahamas flag behind their cars and declaring conquest, by proudly flying their flags throughout the Capital.
As a Bahamian, I strongly feel Haitians are the natural enemy of Bahamas with their now very apparent and admitted agenda to flood Bahamas with Haitians simply overwhelming and outnumbering Bahamians and taking over by revolution.
Louby Georges, Fred Smith and countless other paper Haitian-Bahamians in sensitive positions throughout our country obviously have been working assiduously on the takeover agenda for decades.
Government must now finally accept that Haitians declared war and takeover of Bahamas decades ago.....And must now respond accordingly.
Firstly, take away the major incentive for these Haitian invaders by changing citizenship laws in the Constitution similar to that of Bermuda, i.e. a paper Bahamian citizen will never be illegible to vote or get involved in politics.
Review Bermuda Citizenship Laws:...... http://www.bermuda-online.org/citizen...">http://www.bermuda-online.org/citizen...
Haitians have no interest in assimilating to the Bahamian way of life, and have proven beyond all doubt they have no loyalty to Bahamas.
I call on Fred Mitchell and government to immediately revoke citizenship for Louby Georges, Fred Smiths and ALL PEOPLE OF HAITIAN DECENT that arrived in our country after July 10th, 1973.
DonAnthony 9 years, 1 month ago
You should be embarassed to spew such vile racism toward an ethnic group of people. Reply to this post and print your real name and stand behind this filth, otherwise you are a racist coward. This codified institutional racism was tried before... In nazi Germany's with racist laws against another ethnic group the Jews. We all know how that turned out. Thankfully, saner heads will prevail, and we will try to correct our immigration problem in a humane way. As for real bahamians, I hope you are not a Bahamian because if you are your ignorant grouping and advocation of the racist penalization of a group of bahamians simply on the basis of their heritage is disgusting and embarrassing.
Cas0072 9 years, 1 month ago
And if SP reveals his or her real name, I call on you to do the same. You are no better than Fred Smith and the rest by comparing very tragic events in human history to the government's attempt to get illegal immigrants to finally do the right thing. So called Haitian Bahamians are saying very egregious things about the Bahamas and Bahamians. Where's your passionate response to that? Who are you calling out and attempting to hold accountable for that? If I recall correctly, you once described Fred Smith's offensive language as freedom of speech. So there you have it. SP is exercising his or her freedom of speech.
DonAnthony 9 years, 1 month ago
You have my name already. Perhaps you have a problem reading or English is your second language, my reference to antisemitism in nazi Germany was in regards to the comments of SP not the govt. SP is certainly exercising their freedom of speech and that is their right that I support. I will condemn this racist speech however, that is my right. And the comments made by SP were racist do you deny that? Of course not because to advocate discrimination against a Bahamian simply because of their ethnic heritage as SP did is RACIST and needs to be condemned by all decent bahamians.
Cas0072 9 years, 1 month ago
DonAnthony? Anthony is your last name? The fact that you are calling someone out when the internet is a forum in which people can speak freely and anonymously, says much about how much you truly value freedom of speech. I do not agree with SP's tone at all times, but as much as you can gloss over Fred Smith's tearing down of our country as we try to battle the illegal immigration crisis, I too will let some things slide.
DonAnthony 9 years, 1 month ago
I make no apology for calling out SP's racist comments. No Bahamian should support or as you say "let slide" such racism, so I respectfully ask you to examine your conscience in this regard. I have followed all your comments on this issue and I have been meaning to make this point, that I do not feel we are that far apart on this issue of illegal immigration. I would like all illegal immigrants to be deported from this country. I just strongly advocate that it be done in a humane manner. That means not targeting children ( as requiring permits does), and targeting the adults who came here illegally in the first place. That means cleaning up the detention centre and deporting detainees as soon as possible. All our governments, including the present one have failed to enforce our laws leading to the difficult situation we are in.
Cas0072 9 years, 1 month ago
DonAnthony, examine your conscience. Fred Smith and his group are basically trying to undermine our economy which is unfortunately based on tourism. Should he succeed, this puts us all, legal or not, in a very unfortunate predicament. Forcing us out of the tourism state of mind is not a bad thing, but a sudden bottoming out of our economy is something from which we may not recover for decades, or at all.
Children were not targeted when their parents ran off and left them in November. I feel like we are falling for the propaganda of November 2014 when our immigration officers/ministry were accused of unsubstantiated claims of abusing children. People are bemoaning the fact that the illegal immigrant parents have to get documented to register their children for school, but no one is offering alternatives. Where are the alternatives when we know that illegal immigrants are certainly taking advantage of education and health services. DonAnthony, we may simply have to agree to disagree, as I feel that forcing parents to document themselves is targeting the parents. Believe it or not, children of illegal immigrants are not the only ones to pay a price for the poor decisions that their parents make.
SP 9 years, 1 month ago
............................. Real Name: Mr. Kiss My Ass .............................
Bahamas is for Bahamians not Haitian parasites illegally entering our country and taking what is not rightfully theirs.
Take your dumb ass to Haiti, occupy someones job, build a shanty on somebody's land, demand free education and health care, breed like roaches and tell them you want to start a Bahamian political party to take over Haiti.
They'll send your ass back packed neatly in a sardine can!
DonAnthony 9 years, 1 month ago
Not surprised, so you are a racist and a coward. As for my heritage my loyalist family arrived from North Carolina in 1790, when did yours arrive and when can we deport you?
Girly 9 years, 1 month ago
Listen here Mr Don .SP is speaking the truth. Go and spew your nonsense some where else. Try Haiti and see how far you will get. You'll like to come talk crap in the Bahamas because we are too passive. BUT NO MORE I SAY.NO FLIPPING MORE.
SP 9 years, 1 month ago
....................................... What A Coincidence ...................................
My slave family arrived in the hole of the same ship of your loyalist family in 1790!
Now take your dumb ass to Haiti, tie and drag their flag to the back of your car through Port Au Prince and proudly fly your North Carolina flag on your car.
Lets see how how quick they pack your dumb ass in a small bottle of Carolina Reaper hot sauce!
bahamalove 9 years, 1 month ago
As I see it, the Bahamas is in the same predicament as many other countries around the world that sat back during the good times and did nothing about illegal immigration. When the economies of Europe, the United States and even the Bahamas was booming, tackling illegal immigration was not even a thought in anybody's mind. Now when the great recession hit and people realized that they were competing with illegal immigrants for jobs and basic services, everybody suddenly became incensed about it. This problem should have been nipped in the bud when it first started. Now we have to deal with it in a humane way. Going to the United States to complain to a set of people that are dealing with the same issue does nothing to help us. I support the government in continuing their efforts to stem this tide in a humane and legal way. These men are just blowing things out of proportion to stir up trouble.
birdiestrachan 9 years, 1 month ago
Why would Fred Smith speak about US investments and who visits the Bahamas what exactly is he trying to do to our Country. Fred and Georges are a bitter crew. The US senate and Congress has a mountain of issues to address, so I doubt they will be concerned with the utterance of a Mad Man. As for Joe Darville he should be ashamed of himself. Exactly what are they trying to accomplish, it seems they would like to cripple our economy. They did say brief, so it does not mean they address in person, The US government can not change our Laws. They have so many Countries that they give billions of dollars in aide and they can not change their laws.. Just dealing with the middle East and ISIS must be mind boggling
As for Don Anthony he or she said they were ashamed to be a Bahamian. so who cares what they say. Those of us who are proud to be Bahamian know that the Bahamas can not sustain Boat loads of illegals coming to the Bahamas every day.
birdiestrachan 9 years, 1 month ago
The senate in the US and Hate Speech is he serious.? has he read what is said about the President of the US. Hate writing on Jews places of worship and the video from the college singing about no longer are we able to hang them from a tree, but they will never be able to join their groups I do not agree with hate speech. but what Fred Smith is talking about is a joke. and what about Fred Smith's hate speech.
Emac 9 years, 1 month ago
There is nothing about SP's remarks that is racist. SP, like other true Bahamians are simply trying to protect what is ours or what is left. We are tired of people shoving bullshit talk in our face whenever we try to speak out against the Haitian problem. I make no apologies for calling a spade a spade. Yes, Haitians are parasites. Bahamians are not to blame for them being that way. So don't try and hold our feet to the coal. I am simply tired of running on with all of the problems illegal Haitians are bringing to our shores. Bahamians need to wake up! Because soon we will feel the repercussions of being so slack with illegal Haitian immigrants.
Girly 9 years, 1 month ago
Our former immigration minister warned about this crap. I hope we are taking heed now. Most persons who are agreeing with these instigators are probably under cover Haitians or gullible Bahamian's who have been brain washed. Several years from now they will be crying and wishing they had listened when they are being trampled upon in their own country. But despite this total disrespect for our country just wait and see what is going to happen to these traitors. What goes around comes around.
Girly 9 years, 1 month ago
These 4 instigators are trying to take a whole entire nation hostage. Can you imagine is they were to be let loose in Parliament. BAHAMIAN PEOPLE WAKE UP FROM YOUR SLUMBER AND SLEEP.WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE.
VDSheep 9 years, 1 month ago
These guys ought to have their hedge fund sponsor help them bring US politicians here to confess their culpability; for crimes against the American people.
RTStorm 9 years, 1 month ago
Smith and Georges (the two Stooges; perfect clowns; fake Bahamians, whatever you want to call them) – are absolutely determined to destroy this country’s international reputation and national economy by any means necessary. This (again) tells us where their loyalties truly lie. “Sympathizers” and “Bleeding hearts” who support their complete crap, need to wake up or shut up. These antics will only further strain relations between Bahamians and the Haitian community. Many will view this community with even more suspicion and negativity. Wherever there is an action - there is a Reaction.
ispeakthetruth 9 years, 1 month ago
Slippery slope? I think not. As long as the Bahamas continues to defend itself against defamation from these individuals and others, the country's reputation will go unscathed. Most civilized countries and individuals know there is a need to prevent, document and repatriate illegals. And the right to reject squatters' law that illegals try to impose on the country.
Illegal immigrants are opportunists, pure and simple. it has nothing to do with loving the Bahamas, as they have repeatedly demonstrated. Find them another country of close proximity, a better economy and a slack unconcerned government and they will leave the Bahamas in a heartbeat.
caribguy 9 years, 1 month ago
I am with all my fellow Bahamian brothers and sisters in saying enough is enough!! We've simply had enough of this Haitian onslaught that's been besieging our country for far too long!! How can any Bahamian open up their mouth and defend these people is beyond me. The argument that their treatment has been poor and inhumane? I say where is the proof! The argument that children have been separated from their families, again I say where is the proof, when these same family members and parents were the ones who ran off to save their own skin and left the children abandoned and alone. Like one other poster said, we need to wake up as Bahamians. We are being overrun in our own country and we don't even realise it.
Our forefathers fought too hard to give us a land where we can call home and enjoy the freedoms and prosperity that comes with it - for us to just sit idly by and watch our very borders come under constant attack from these criminals. Yes, that's what they are, criminals. Anything done illegally makes you a criminal. No one is saying that they can't come here, but do it right and come through the front door. And if it take too long, I say so what. You expect to come here illegally by whatever means and expect to get citizenship overnight, enjoy the resources of the land, what is the right of true Bahamians? I say the devil is a liar from the pits of hell!! I say go through the process and get it the right way, however long it may take. And if you get it, good for you - atleast you would've earned it and done it by the books. And don't even get me started on illegals who because they born here believe that they are automatically citizens. If ya daddy illegal and ya ma illegal, just cuz you born here don't make you a Bahamian. Its as simple as that.
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