CARIBBEAN TODAY U.S. report gives CaribbeaN Epoor marks for human rights protection U.S. report gives Caribbean poor marks for human rights protection WASHINGTON, CMC In a new report released last month, the United States has given five Caribbean countries poor marks for their human rights record. The report, "Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2005-2006", complements the U.S. State Department's coun- try report, which was issued last month. It identified Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Suriname among global countries with poor human rights records, stating, however, that Caribbean and Latin American democracies continue to confront chal- lenges of strengthening weak institutions, fighting corrup- tion and redressing social inequality. CUBA On Cuba, the U.S. State Department said the Fidel Castro government has, for 47 years, "consistently spurned domestic and international calls for greater political toler- ance and respect for human rights. "Cuba's human rights Protestors in Canada rally against poor conditions and human rights violations in Haiti. record remained poor in 2005", the report charged. "The Cuban government ignored or violated virtually all of its citizens' fundamental rights, including the right to change their government. "The Cuban people did not enjoy freedom of speech, press or movement, and were denied the right to assemble peacefully or freely form asso- ciations", the report said, adding that the police had broad detention powers and used them frequently, includ- ing against those who ques- tioned the single-party rule. Accused dissidents, some charged with common crimes, received sham trials, and those sent to prison were often held in harsh conditions, the report said. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC The State Department said though the Dominican Republic has a democratically elected government and a U.S. requests extradition of T&T five on kidnap charges PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC The United States gov- ernment has requested the extradition of five people, including two soldiers, now before a court in Trinidad on charges of kidnapping and murdering a former U.S. soldier. Washington is seeking the extradition of the people under a violation of Title 18 of the United States Code that states "whoever, whether inside or outside the United States, seizes or detains and threatens to kill, injure, or to continue to detain another person or a government organization to do or abstain from doing any act as an explicit or implicit condition for the release of the person detained.. .shall be punished by imprisonment for any term of years or for life". It also warns that "if the death of any person r NultI those accused "shall be pun- ished by death or life impris- onment" if they are convicted. Four of the five, Sargeant Leon Nurse, Private Ricardo De Four, of the Trinidad Defence Force, Kevon Demerieux and Zion Clarke, have been charged with the murder of U.S. war veteran Balram Maharaj, 62, who was abducted on April 5, 2005. His remains were found in two containers in the Santa Cruz forest, west of here on Jan. 9. The fifth, David Suchit, has been charged like the oth- ers of conspiracy to commit hostage-taking resulting in death and hostage taking resulting in death in violation of Title 18 of the U.S. Code. Attorney David West, who represents the U.S. gov- ernment, said the Grand Jury indictment had been handed late last month and wanted a 60 day period to seek the authority of the attorney general to proceed with the extradition. But lawyers for the accused have labelled the extradition as a ploy and a delaying tactic by the state not to begin the murder case. Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls reserved his ruling on the application by the U.S. government to May 5. 0 J'can among 12 most wanted U.S. immigration fugitives NEW YORK, CMC The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency says a Jamaican national is among its 12 most wanted fugitives. The agency said late last month that Robert Anthony Walker, 35, of St. James, Jamaica, has been eluding officials since 2001. He is the only Caribbean national on the ICE fugitives list. Officials said he is wanted on international drug smug- gling charges. They allege that Walker "is responsible for the importation of at least 100 kilograms of cocaine, smuggled from Jamaica and distributed to central and southern Florida over a three-year-period". In Feb. 2001, Walker, who also carries the aliases Ralph Newman, Colin James, Preston and Rusty, was indict- ed in the Middle District of Florida with conspiracy to import cocaine. ICE officials said he is "armed and danger- ous". 0 "dynamic" multiparty system, "accountable, democratic gov- ernance with appropriate checks and balances is still new and fragile, and much remains to be done". The report said while freedoms of the press, assem- bly, and religion were respect- ed, problems remain in other areas, noting that security forces carried out unlawful killings and used excessive force. It said, however, that deaths at the hands of police officers declined in the second half of last year. HAITI The State Department also said the human rights record of Haiti remains poor. It said while civilian authori- ties generally maintained con- trol of the security forces, there were frequent instances in which elements of the secu- rity forces acted independent- ly of government authority. The report said state- orchestrated abuses ceased under the interim govern- ment, but there were "credi- ble .IIkg.iinrn of extra judi- cial killings by members of the Haitian National Police, inci- dences of retribution killings and politically motivated vio- lence, and kidnapping for ransom. "Endemic corruption, a deteriorating judiciary, and worsening economic and social conditions exacerbated GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC Guyana is seeking help from the Canadian and United States governments to help solve last month's murder of Agriculture Minister "Sash" Sawh and three others. According to reports here, the Guyanese gov- ernment has written the two Sawh foreign admin- istrations seeking assistance for local law enforcement agencies currently probing the latest gun-related executions here. Government sources have said the murders were politi- cally motivated. Minister Sawh, his brother Rajpat Sawh, sister Pulmattie Persaud and the minister's personal bodyguard Curtis Robertson, were executed in a hail of gunfire when heavily armed gunmen stormed the minster's east coast residence at Earl's Court, La Bonne Intention. Three others were this situation", it said. JAMAICA The report said while the government of Jamaica gener- ally respected the human rights of its citizens, there were seri- ous problems in some areas. It charged that members of the security forces commit- ted unlawful killings, and that mob violence and vigilante killings against those suspect- ed of breaking the law remain a problem. "Although the govern- ment moved to investigate incidents of police abuses and punish some of those police involved, continued impunity for police who commit abuses remained a problem", the report said. "The judicial sys- tem was overburdened and lengthy delays in trials were common". SURINAME In Suriname, the report said problem areas include alleged police mistreatment of detainees at the time of arrest, abuse of prisoners by guards, and overcrowding of local detention facilities. It said a shortage of judges resulted in a significant case backlog and lengthy pretrial detentions. The report said self-cen- sorship by some media contin- ues, and that instances of cor- ruption in the executive branch are more visible. 0 injured during the armed attack. Government officials, the human rights body, private citi- zens, and organizations, over- seas-based Guyanese and groups, Opposition legislators and the labor movement here have condemned the slaying of the minister and the three others. EXECUTIONS Between January and April 22 this year, 42 people have been murdered in the Caribbean community head- quarter state, with 24 of the victims killed execution-style. The majority of the killings have remained unsolved. Many Guyanese expressed outrage over last month's killings with some calling for vengeance. However, Minister Sawh's younger son Dave, in an appeal, advised the aggrieved to "move on and not take revenge as it would not heal the hurt. Revenge could only cause more blood- shed and pain," the young Sawh counselled. 0 Guyana asks Canada, U.S. to help solve murder of government minister May 2006