NEWS: U.S. Coast Guard Intercepts Over 500 Fleeing Haitians

More than 500 Haitians on several different vessels have been intercepted in the past four days as they attempt to flee Haiti. The Haitians were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard and are on Coast Guard cutters receiving food and water. In a statement made yesterday, Bush said the United States has an "effective strategy" in place to deal with any exodus of Haitians toward the United States. This of course was prior to reported hijacked freighter.
"We will turn back any refugee that attempts to reach our shore, and that message needs to be very clear as well to the Haitian people," Bush said.
Over 60 Haitians have fled to nearby Jamaica and an unknown number have fled to the Dominican Republic causing the country to increase the number of soldiers at their border with Haiti.

www.miami.com...
Thirty-Two More Haitians Land in Jamaica
www.miami.com...
Dominicans Boost Troops at Haitian Border
story.news.yahoo.com.../ap/20040225/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/dominican_republic_haiti_2

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[Edited on 2-26-2004 by worldwatcher]

The Coast Guard returned 531 people, including infants, near the capital of Port-Au-Prince on Friday. That was the number of Haitians who had been intercepted at sea near their nation's coast since Feb. 21.

ap.tbo.com...

Originally posted by worldwatcher
In a statement made yesterday, Bush said the United States has an "effective strategy" in place to deal with any exodus of Haitians toward the United States.

I'M IMPRESSED!

Bush learned how to say "stratergy".

Another 330 Haitians were repatriated to Haiti today, bringing the total number of Haitians sent back to Haiti at 867.

Another 330 Haitians Repatriated to Haiti