Cuba USA
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Cuba USA
The giant and the children
By: David Brooks
Source: La Jornada
The most vulnerable of the earth have check mated those who claim to be the most powerful in the world.
The leaders of the superpower are considering sending the National Guards, drones and more armed border agents and build more camps of detention confronted by a serious threat: desperate children and
mothers.
The exodus of children from Mexico and other countries of Central America are frightening the giant and the president calling for urgent measures to confront the emergency.
The children – 52 000 have arrived alone since October and the Internal Security secretary, Jeh Johnson, warns that the total could reach 90 000 in September (that does not include yet the 39 000 mothers with minors in that same period) – have forced the political leadership to retake the migratory subject; if not the consequences of regional policies, whether they want it or not.
Up to now only political cowardice has been manifested. The adults fear and threaten the minors.
Official propaganda reports that after their dangerous crossing they are not allowed to stay but will be subjected to legal procedures and there will be more armed guards to receive them here and along the
border with Mexico.
President Barack Obama, after qualifying this humanitarian situation decided to emphasize the process of speeding up deportations in his request to Congress of 3,700 million dollars as emergency funds to confront the situation. Even more ironic is the request of the democrat president and some of his allies to annul certain protection of minors who emigrate from neighboring countries to the United States on the basis of a law passed by his Republican predecessor, George W.Bush.
Others, such as Texas governor, Rick Perry and several Republican congressmen have requested sending troops of the National Guard to the border. When Obama met with Perry last week he said he would consider
the proposal in exchange of the approval of emergency funds. On the other hand, senator and war veteran, John McCain has suggested suspending U.S. assistance to Central American nations that do nothing
to halt the migratory flow.
Many in the leadership use the human crisis as a political weapon to criticize the management of the policy of Obama on the issue or to denounce Republicans for their refusal to approve a migratory reform.
The ultra right is enjoying the moment and calls on citizen militias to protect the country and condemn irresponsible nations that are sending their children.
Few officials here (with some exceptions) confess that the exodus cannot be understood in the context of the history in the United States that is central: from interventions in the region throughout a century (whose most recent action was the support of Washington in the coup in Honduras); the wars of the 80s – when the hand of the United States was not hidden – and the policy of the so called war against drugs imposed on the region for decades. Together with this are the neo liberal economic policies promoting the Free Trade treaties with North America and Central America promoted with the promise of prosperity and as an antidote to migration.
The exodus of children is, in fact, a condemnation of all these policies. A proposal of the progressive caucus of Congress headed by representatives Raúl Grijalva and Keith Ellison that include 75 congress persons points out that several groups of human rights affirm that the United States supports corrupt police and soldiers who violate human rights and contribute to the growth of violence in Mexico and other Central American nations. Also the free trade agreements have led to the displacement of workers and supported emigration from those countries.
Therefore, they emphasize, an effective response must recognize that largely this is a crisis of refugees and must impose, above all, the welfare of the children. For the proposal to be effective deportation of children to return them to the violence against which they have escaped are attempts to simplify a complex situation and abandon U.S. responsibility according to international norms.
Frequently losing sight of a fourth of the 52 000 minors captured by authorities on the border come from Mexico. From September 2013 to the15th of this year there are exactly 12 146 (the previous fiscal year – from October 1st to September 30 – the total from Mexico was 17 240).
According to bilateral agreements, almost all are repatriated to Mexico almost immediately. Thus Mexican and U.S. authorities have decided to emphasize that this is a Central American problem while no one explains why so many thousands of Mexican children are not accompanied in the exodus.
The children have exploded a large national and regional debate that from leaders to bishops, multimillionaires, experts of national security, high officials of the United Nations, defenders of civilian rights and organization dedicated to migratory policy have been forced to deal whether it is a humanitarian issue, if only the children are undocumented or refugees and what should be, or is, the obligation of this country to comply with international commitments according to international laws.
Now the giant must decide if it will act with the grandeur it claims. This time the children will be the judges.
Translated by the Network in Defense of Humanity
Translated by the Network in Defense of Humanity
- Obama´s Tears
by: David Brookssource Cubadebatetranslation Cuba - Network in Defense of Humanity The image of the week (well, until surpassed by Sean Penn and El Chapo) was the tears shed by President Barack ObamaThe president famous for controlling his emotions,...
- Normalization Of Relations Between Cuba And The Us?
by Ángel Guerra Cabreratranslation Cuba - Network in Defense of Humanity An eventual normalization with the United States can only be achieved after a “long and difficult” process Cuban authorities claim. What has been achieved is the reestablishment...
- Cuban Ministry Of Foreign Relations Statement On Situation With Cuban Immigrants
soruce Granma A complex situation has developed recently involving more than 1,000 Cubans who have arrived in Costa Rica, from other countries in the region, with the intention of traveling to the United States Over the last few days, a complex situation...
- The Biden Plan For Central America Treats Child Refugees As National Security Threat
by Laura Carlsen source Foreign Policy in Focus A new regional policy, coupled with the deplorable US border policy, is an attack on both child welfare and human rights When the crisis of unaccompanied...
- Child Migrants Flee Central American Crisis
Child Migrants Flee Central American Crisisby Daniela Pastrana Source: IPS In early May, the Irapuato Migrants' House, in the centre-west Mexican state of Guanajuato, took in a group of 152 Garifuna Afro-Caribbean people from Honduras. Sixty...