Haitian migrants wait to be processed by Bahamian immigration authorities after the Royal Bahamas Defence Force interdicted their vessel in March 2024. ROYAL BAHAMAS DEFENCE FORCE
THE WATCH STAFF
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) recently apprehended another Haitian vessel fleeing turmoil in Haiti and carrying more than 100 men, women and children, bringing the number of Haitians apprehended by the RBDF to 369 in March 2024. The interdictions followed RBDF Commander Commodore E. Raymond King’s announcement of a blockade of the country’s southern islands in response to the continued upheaval in nearby Haiti.
The violence and economic devastation after the assassination of Haitian President Junvenel Moise in 2021 has worsened, causing some Haitians to flee, many heading north in unsafe vessels into the open Caribbean toward the southeastern approaches to the United States. Bahamian Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has said that RBDF operations will focus on the northern coast of Haiti, the Old Bahama Channel and the Windward Passage. Davis said the U.S. and the United Kingdom will position assets in the region and intelligence will be shared among the Bahamas, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Cuban Border Patrol, according to The Tribune, a Bahamian newspaper.
The RBDF has deployed 120 personnel aboard ships and aircraft to address the Haitian crisis and has intercepted several Haitian vessels over the past two weeks, benefiting from its partnerships with the U.S, U.K. and Turks and Caicos Islands, an overseas British Territory. Such operations help control the flow of illegal migrants toward the U.S. and protect the lives of the migrants by rendering humanitarian aid in dangerous conditions.
“Commodore King is dedicated to fostering enhanced collaboration between the RBDF and local law enforcement agencies, as well as stakeholders in the community. He advocates for joint operations and proactive information sharing, recognizing these strategic alliances as powerful tools to address both existing and potential challenges with greater efficiency and effectiveness. The RBDF remains dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in guarding our heritage,” read an RBDF news release announcing the March 23, 2024, interdiction.
In that incident, a tip from a local fisherman led to an RBDF patrol vessel encountering the Haitian vessel about 5 nautical miles east of Seal Cay, Ragged Island. The patrol vessel began towing the Haitian ship back toward Gun Point, Ragged Island. In support, HMBS Lawrence Major, which recently repatriated previously apprehended Haitians, sailed to Gun Point with additional security and support teams, according to an RBDF news release. “Amidst the ongoing turmoil in Haiti, the effective execution of decisive measures by the RBDF demonstrates its commitment to maritime security… (and) underscores the importance of these actions in safeguarding our territorial waters,” the release stated. The Haitian vessel was carrying 122 Haitian migrants, including 98 males, 13 females and 11 male children. The migrants will be processed by Bahamian immigration authorities and probably repatriated to Haiti as previous apprehended migrants have been.
The continuing deterioration in Haiti has led the Bahamas to reiterate its support for a U.N. peacekeeping mission led by Kenya and financially supported by the U.S., a mission made more relevant by the recent escape of more than 4,000 prisoners in Haiti. Davis, the prime minister, said the RBDF would consider contributing maritime assets to the U.N. peacekeeping mission, saying in a statement reported by The Tribune newspaper that the RBDF had previously participated in a Haitian peacekeeping mission in 1994. Davis said he hoped a Haitian transitional council, formed after the resignation of former Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry in March 2024, would provide a path to free and fair elections.