Garwin Davis, Assistant News Editor
MANY HAITIAN asylum seekers fleeing their battle- ravaged homeland often do so in poorly constructed vessels, leaving themselves susceptible to disasters at sea.
Some of those who have made it to Jamaica say a lot of their countrymen "much more than have ever been reported" have perished while making the journey across the treacherous Caribbean Sea and in the hope of making it to the Bahamas or the United States.
"It is well known that many people who set out on these boats never make it to where they want to go," said Henri Emil, a Haitian refugee who claimed to have made the journey to Jamaica by boat several years ago. "There are persons who left Haiti round about the same time I did and who have never been heard from again."
Asked whether this couldn't be a case where they have set up shop somewhere and have moved on with their lives, he replied: "Possibly, but not likely. People usually leave behind families... at some point contact will be made."
PERISHED AT SEA
There were unconfirmed reports last week that at least 10 Haitians perished at sea while trying to make it to Jamaica.
Marc Christophe, another refugee currently among the batch being housed in Portland agreed. "Since we have been here we have been able to call home," he said. "There were other boats that develop boat trouble soon after take off and persons have died. This happens all the time. We know the dangers before leaving Haiti in these small boats."
The boats he speaks about are often 14 or 18 footers, built to seat 10 persons the most but are usually packed with twice, sometimes three times, that number. These boats, at sea sometimes for eight or nine days, are not built to withstand any sort of turbulence and will capsize, the refugees say, at the drop of a hat.
"I have watched persons drown," explained a refugee who gave his name as Edson and who said he has made several of those dangerous voyages before finally reaching Jamaica.
"I have been to the Bahamas and the United States but each time I have been sent back," he said. "Reports of drownings are usually made when it is in United States or Bahamian waters...and that's not all the time."
And then there is smuggling. Persons fleeing the impoverished country have been known to pay smugglers their life savings to get them to Florida or to the Bahamas. The smugglers, in attempting to avoid being caught by U.S. or Bahamian authorities, have been inclined to inhumanely dump their human cargo at a reasonable distance from shore, at times in water where only the swimmers among the group have a chance of making it to land. The U.S. Coast Guard has been known to carry out a number of rescue missions over the years. ''Since I have been here I have been saying a lot of silent prayers for my countrymen... some who I know will die trying to get out of Haiti," said Jamil Bastien, another of the refugees. "There is so many bad things going on in Haiti where people would rather throw themselves to the sea...it doesn't matter what happen."
DROWNINGS
Among the worst reported case of disaster at sea was the July 1994 sinking of a vessel off the west coast of Haiti near the town of St. Marc where about 150 people drowned as they tried to flee to the United States.
In February 1994, about two dozen Haitians were believed to have drowned when a 22-foot (7 metres) boat en route from the Bahamas to Florida capsized near Treasure Key. In 1992 an estimated 150 Haitians drowned after two vessels were wrecked off the Cuba coast.
But even with the inevitable disasters, more Haitians keep braving the sea.
"It must be noted that while Aristide was in power, we didn't have a lot of people fleeing Haiti," observed Hazel Robinson, a close friend of the deposed Haitian leader. "People usually flee when there is no law and order...when the thugs are in control. The refugee problem Jamaica is now experiencing only started after the Opposition made its move against the President. It's sad when you see women, children and infants taking these dangerous trips...it's very tragic."
