Posted on Mon, Nov. 04, 2002 story:PUB_DESC

Detainees still being questioned BY DAPHNE DURET AND CAROLYN SALAZAR dduret@herald.com

Haitian Americans rallied and prayed Sunday, waiting for word from the U.S. government on the fate of more than 200 Haitians stuck in immigration limbo at a detention facility in West Miami-Dade and on a boat offshore.

In the morning, the Rev. Al Sharpton, a New York-based civil rights activist, showed up at the Krome detention center in an attempt to visit the bulk of the Haitian migrants who landed on the Rickenbacker Causeway at Key Biscayne last week.

But immigration officials denied access to Sharpton, saying law enforcement agents were still interviewing the detainees. Sharpton was told he could come back later in the week.

''How can they deny access to a minister who only wanted to pray with his people on a Sunday morning?'' Sharpton said. ``This is Washington trying to keep out the spotlight days before election.''

Other displays of solidarity were more subtle, perhaps closer to the heart, and had nothing to do with Washington, the Florida governor's race or policy.

In the dim light of Little Haiti's Notre Dame D'Haiti Catholic Church, 130 NE 62nd St., Monsignor Gerard Darbouze paused during the service. He closed a book of church bulletins, held his place with a finger and posed a question.

''Did you see how our brothers and sisters had to throw themselves into the water with their clothes on?'' he asked, speaking in Creole.

Darbouze's voice trembled, but the words -- describing the vision all had seen -- hung in the air.

Parishioners bowed their heads and closed their eyes. They nodded with pursed lips and shifted in the creaky pews. All that could be heard was the droning of the metal fan above the choir.

But the moment of silence passed. There was no way to separate what had happened from the political realm.

So the monsignor's message grew more pointed:

''The government can allow the Haitians to come in if they want to, because they allow the Cubans to come in,'' he said. ``They are going to have to treat us the same way.''

POLICY FOR CUBANS

Cubans who reach U.S. soil automatically become eligible for residence. Haitians and other nationalities do not. Haitians, specifically, are detained while the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service considers their asylum requests, which are not granted generously.

Before a quiet policy shift in December, Haitians who qualified to apply for asylum were generally released to the community.

Haitian-American activists held numerous rallies last week urging the government to abandon the detention policy.

So far, their efforts have not prompted any releases, but immigration authorities began hinting Friday that some of the Haitians might be released pending disposition of their cases.

MORE PROTESTS

There were more protests Sunday. Dozens of people, clutching placards that called for equal rights, attended an early afternoon rally at First Interdenominational Haitian Church, 5846 NE Second Ave., after learning that Gov. Jeb Bush was going to attend the church's Sunday service.

Although the governor did not show up, the group stood in the church parking lot for more than two hours.

They waved their signs and called on Bush -- who has said he does not support the detention policy -- to take stronger action on behalf of the Haitians.

`TRUMP CARD'

For Gepsie Metellus, an organizer for the Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition, the struggle to get her countrymen out of Krome is a galvanizing force for Haitians in South Florida. And she is using the rallies to get her compatriots to vote.

''Increasingly, people are realizing their vote is the best trump card,'' she said. ``It's the best way to make elected officials listen. These events remind people that they have to go out there and do it.''

Her group has been on radio and television, visiting churches and community centers letting people know they will be at the polls to offer assistance.

-- Anonymous, November 04, 2002

Answers

we need more alligators around that camp. yes, it is in the everglades, on the edge, anyway.

should of put ole Al in there and not let him out. Send him back with his 'people.' [didn't know he was haitian.]

-- Anonymous, November 04, 2002