2023 Stars and Stripes. Military officials said a number of Cubans are deemed so dangerous that they will not be allowed back into the general camp population. “Boss, that looks like it hurt,” De La Garza said as Amerine limped forward. Their arrival was the result of an agreement between the US and Panamanian governments . The two soldiers, along with the company commander, Capt. On December 8th, 1994, the refugees rioted. Only use ATMs in banks or shopping centres. “At times I was like, did this really happen?” he said. But even in this uncommon scene, the exhilaration of the moment could not hide the tremendous toll that the experience here has taken on everyone involved -- from the smallest of Cuban children to the most senior U.S. military commanders -- or the tension created by the more than 8,000 Cuban refugees who remain. Finally they reached the gate, but their troubles weren’t over. 0000000572 00000 n It opened only enough to let the soldiers through in single file. The sight of the crazed American soldier sent them scurrying. In the months that followed, Young, Roberts and Epley got out of the Army. Even as the smiling Cubans boarded their Miami Air charter Friday, military units brought in after the riots were training for the worst. Cuban migrants continued to arrive until the camps reached their peak occupancy of 8,600. In December 1996, while training at the Jungle Operations Training Center in Panama, the Battalion quelled rioting inside Cuban refugee camps during Operation Safe Haven. Normally during our operations we would not be near each other, but for some reason he was right next to me when I needed him the most. The mission of the transfer operation was to move the Cuban migrants from Safe Haven camps in Panama to Guantanamo in a safe, orderly manner.[4]. 1718 13 There's nature to explore, beaches to admire, culture to soak up, locals to meet. Is NZ a tax haven or a safe haven? "What could I do?" Operation Safe Haven began in September 1994, when the first Cubans arrived in Panama from Guantanamo. Operation SAFE HAVEN IRAQ 2009 airlifted endangered Iraqis who had supported U.S. and allied operations in their country. As Company C moved toward the field, its members would force the Cubans toward the dormitory tents. No U.S. soldiers were killed during the confrontation, but over 400 were injured. “I’ve never been that scared in my life. A/co 5/87 flew in on Black Hawk helicopters and was sent in to contain the situation, with some Air Force men, in full riot gear. At least 600 Cubans are still deemed security risks and may be moved by ship rather than aircraft, Pentagon officials said. He’d never seen anything like this. “My Spanish sucked. 2nd Ranger Battalion, then under the command of Lt. Col. Stanley McChrystal, was in Panama at that time conducting jungle training at JOTC. All Rights Reserved. Operation Safe Haven began in September 1994, when the first Cubans arrived in Panama from Guantanamo. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. We asked for tear gas. Take care of your belongings, especially in transport hubs. . “They’re closing in. The Refugee Council of Australia said the intent of the operation was very clear from the start. First platoon headed toward the main gate. Tons of cigarettes were also found as they were being used as currency inside the camp. In addition, 110 Cubans were accepted by Spain, and 10 by Venezuela. This operation took place from 8 September 1994 to 15 March 1995 in the Republic of Panama. He saw combat in Afghanistan in 2001 and led the Special Forces team that brought Afghan President Hamid Karzai into the country. 10 Sep 1994-3 Mar 1995, Latin America, Panama, Operation Safe Haven Manual of Military Decorations and Awards, DoD 1348.33-M, Sep 1996, p. G-7 (Humanitarian Service Medal awards) It was a difficult task to As a part of Operation Safe Haven in 1994, thousands of Cuban refugees who had been trying to sail from Cuba to the US in improvised rafts and small boats were detained en route and imprisoned at . Join SOFREP for insider access and analysis. These operations by the United States Joint Task Force 160 (September 8, 1994 - March 15, 1995) to relieve the overcrowded migrant camps at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. Support Veteran Journalism . The opening reports of the . At the Jungle Operations Training Center, 2/75 had been training at shooting ranges, conducting jungle land navigation, riverine operations, and other training, all on the heels of a deployment to Haiti not long before. The operation was conducted under the command of General Barry McCaffrey and the direction of Clinton administration.[1]. “I started comparing … December 8 and my Desert Storm battle. The soldiers formed up near the dining facility, which blocked their view of the soccer field. The camps were full of false rumors -- that commanders were holding back approved visas, that they were selling them to the highest bidders, that all refugees were being sent back to Guantanamo. 3421 N Highway 77 Panama City, FL 32405 (850) 747-4700 . Despite extensive diplomatic efforts, however, the United States was unable to win commitments from any of its neighbors to establish large safe haven camps. “You’re acting like this was combat or something,” Amerine recalled one of his commanders saying. The crisis began on Oct. 23, 1956, when students in Budapest demonstrated against Soviet control. The effort was called Operation Safe Haven. The warm goodbye on the tarmac notwithstanding, most Cubans in Panama are embittered by their lengthy detention. During an unrestricted tour of the facilities by a reporter last week, military commanders sought to counter the impression that they were running concentration camps, as Panamanian Archbishop Jose Dimas Cedeno Delgado recently called the facilities. Under the current system, those charged with breaking camp rules -- from displaying pornography to serious assault -- are sentenced to detention based on an internal adjudication of cases by the military commanders, all subject to periodic reviews. In the somnolent air of the camps at midday, he and others speculated on what will happen when the word of a mass return to Guantanamo reaches the tents. Cuban migrants continued to arrive until the camps reached their peak occupancy of 8,600. Operations Safe Haven and Safe Passage (September 8, 1994 - March 15, 1995) were operations by the United States Joint Task Force designed to relieve the overcrowded migrant camps at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.Safe Haven established four camps on Empire Range, Panama, to provide a safe haven for up to ten thousand Cuban migrants. Don't go out alone. Bennett, G.M. By now the Cubans were hurling the drainage rocks at the U.S. troops. Officially it wasn’t even a battle. Panama has high crime rates. The operation was conducted under the command of General Barry McCaffrey and the direction of Clinton administration. The problem was that the only gate available to escape the camp had been chained up. Some of the Americans had seen combat in the Persian Gulf War. You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article. This study is an investigation of Operation Safe Haven, a Humanitarian Assistance Military Operation Other Than War. Safe Haven established four camps on Empire Range, Panama, to provide a safe haven for up to ten thousand Cuban migrants. Caught in the middle are U.S. Army commanders who began as benevolent overseers with no say in the policy and were forced to become correctional officers trying to contain a restless and sometimes dangerous population. They didn't have any answers, and there weren't any answers out there. A few rocks broke through the fence. How these rioters were killed has been impossible to confirm for certain while researching this article. "It was almost a kind of provocation.". Return of the 8,000 Cubans will bring the total granted indefinite safe haven in Guantanamo to almost 32,000, the equivalent of a small city. It also contained a high-security jail system that placed individuals into individual cells. You can talk to peer-support workers or be connected to a mental health professional. [2] The growing tension led to disturbances and riots on December 78, 1994, which were quickly controlled by US military members. Ed Davis, and several other Company C troops, moved toward a big tent the Cubans had used as a chapel. “When I saw real war later, at times I actually enjoyed it,” he said last week. A Safe Haven is a place you can go if you're feeling distressed or having suicidal thoughts. On Dec. 8, 1994, hundreds of refugees rioted, throwing thousands of rocks at U.S. soldiers who came inside to quell the disturbance. The author first heard about this event from his Platoon Leader in a patrol base in Afghanistan with 3/75 back in 2004. Between February 1, 1995, and February 20, 1995, 7,300 Cubans were transported from Panama to Guantanamo Naval Base. “Another soldier got into a Humvee and T-boned it,” Amerine recalled. Between February 1, 1995, and February 20, 1995, 7,300 Cubans were transported from Panama to Guantanamo Naval Base. The Commander of Operation Safe Haven, Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, has described the killings in Southern Kaduna as the activities of criminal elements on . More than 60 members found it. While waiting for the green light to go into the camp, the Rangers conducted some minor training and were given a really half-assed class on how to contain a riot, then commenced with decorating their axe handles. Bay County, Florida branches in Panama City Beach, Panama City, Lynn Haven, Callaway and Back Beach. I remember putting my hands up and I dropped my baton. Conversely, Cubans who had welcomed soldiers into their tents and taught them to play dominoes saw their friends turn aloof after the disturbances. These people were evacuated from refugee camps in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Between February 1, 1995, and February 20, 1995, 7,300 Cubans were transported from Panama to Guantanamo Naval Base. xref Everybody got [messed] up.” His platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. At least 26 Cubans who tried to swim the muddy canal were caught by police. “Then Amerine pops up on Facebook [and] De La Garza.” Someone started a Facebook group for Company C veterans. Related Stories. Bennett, G.M, Family Practice Grand Rounds at Andrews AFB, 1/1/1994; Camplylobacter sepis in pregnancy. Safe Passage then returned the migrants to Guantanamo after the crowded conditions could be alleviated. Bay County, Florida branches in Panama City Beach, Panama City, Lynn Haven, Callaway and Back Beach. That was out of control,” said Epley. We broke bread yesterday.' The Cubans weren’t enemies, and the whole fight had lasted only 20 minutes. He recently put in his papers to retire from the Army in 2012 after 20 years. "Now, all the smiles are lost. “The sun is gone,” Young recalled. When the Rangers in their vehicles arrived at the prison their firearms and live ammunition were confiscated. “It was pretty cool.” As De La Garza made his way out the gate, one of his sergeants grabbed him. Camp five was manned by Air Force Security Police from the 17th SPS Goodfellow A.F.B. The growing tension led to disturbances and riots on 07-08 December 1994, which were quickly controlled by US military members but not without taking a toll -- more than 200 US military personnel and 30 Cubans were injured. Wilhelm Barcenas, 10, drank milk regularly for the first time in months and was awestruck by a box of Crayolas. Safe Passage then returned the migrants to Guantanamo after the . Some 1,250 troops will be sent to Panama and 1,800 to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. Operation Safe Haven, one of the largest humanitarian exercises ever undertaken by a government agency, provided a temporary safe haven to nearly 4,000 Kosovar Albanians and 1,800 East Timorese in WA, NSW and Victoria. We expected to face between 500 and 1,000 rioters. But 17 years later, the veterans of this “medieval fight” remember every inch of the battlefield. The growing tension led to disturbances and riots on December 7-8, 1994, which were quickly controlled by US military members. In an interview last week, he said he sympathized with the Cubans, even as it was his job to detain them. We dont foresee political upheaval in the near future, a high-level State Department official said. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ OIO has run 'rubber stamp operation' - Peters. The cost of Operation Safe Haven since September already has reached $28.6 million, Pentagon officials said Thursday. On Dec. 7, however, news came down that most of the refugees would be returned to Cuba. Postpartum Hemorrhage. During the riots, more than 200 US military personnel and 30 Cubans were injured and an unknown number of Cuban migrants drowned in the Panama Canal while attempting to flee from the camps. Of these 8,600, approximately 1,280 Cubans entered the United States in mid-October 1994 as a result of a program of parole entry by the US Department of Justice. Cuban migrants continued to arrive until the camps reached their peak occupancy of 8,600. 0000002916 00000 n And there is no end to the refugee issue in sight. There were soccer fields and dining facilities. “Tell them to stop so we can get our guys out!” the sergeant ordered. It's cool. The Cubans in turn had hoped that Panama would be a transit point to the United States or other third countries. They taunted the Americans. In addition, 110 Cubans were accepted by Spain, and 10 by Venezuela. Another soldier, Spc. An active U.S. Army Reserve Colonel, she has served in several military operations including Joint Operation Safe Haven Panama, Joint Guardian, Kosovo and Operation Enduring Freedom. The mission of the transfer operation was to move the Cuban migrants from Safe Haven camps in Panama to Guantanamo in a safe, orderly manner. The Rangers established a security perimeter for what was a cordon and search operation, particularly of the tents where the chief antagonists behind the riot were thought to be. [citation needed]. Panama's legal and tax structures make it a pure tax haven. Rapid and shallow breathing. It could be forced open some, but only wide enough to permit one soldier to slide through at a time. HF\b`Pz*_hxCUVI, ICIJ. The plan was for the Air Force security police to march in from the main gate, while Company C advanced from the side gate. A little girl captured the mood when she rushed into the arms of Airman 1st Class Manuel Villanueva, who hoisted her high and gave her a last goodbye. 05-07-2011 02:35:00 Zulu. 0000000016 00000 n Military personnel who reached out to Cubans were astonished when their newfound friends turned on them. You know what? Operation Safe Haven began 06 September 1994, when the first Cubans arrived in Panama from Guantanamo. Heres a list, Greek transportation minister resigns over train collision as death toll keeps rising, Ohios senators to unveil rail safety bill in wake of East Palestine derailment, After months of pounding, Ukrainian official says military may pull back from Bakhmut, Elizabeth Holmes cites her new baby as a reason she should avoid prison for Theranos scam. Some senior NCOs were later armed with shotguns, but the other Rangers were only issued with axe handles (some say they were actually pick axe handles because a pick axe handle is heftier than a regular axe handle) along with riot shields and face masks. All Rights Reserved. Confusion. Inside the camp, the Cubans tied the gates shut and pushed bleachers from the soccer field against the fence. The mission of the transfer operation was to move the Cuban migrants from Safe Haven camps in Panama to Guantanamo in a safe, orderly manner.[2]. doctors, teachers, and food service personnel. One of them hit a soldier in the face. Why are we still having these debates? A place where you can feel supported and not judged. "They were teaching us Spanish, and we were teaching them English -- tremendously close ties," said Capt. “It was just a straight-up brawl,” recalled Sgt. Bennett, G.M, 1/1/1987; Postpartum Hemorrhage. In an interview last week, he said he sympathized with the . During the riots, the 258th Military Police Co. partnered with Marine forces to stop rioting Cuban immigrants who had broken out of the camps and were making their way to Panama City. Due in part to uncertainty about their future, some of the Cuban migrants became increasingly restless as the weeks went by. “When I watch movies about the Civil War and men marching into fire, that’s what it was,” he recalled. "There may be a number of them that will do a violent act . Church leaders, human rights groups and opposition politicians here accuse the United States of running concentration camps. Continued since Humanitarian Airlift book. We were there to host the Cubans.” Several times in November and early December, Company C quelled demonstrations. “Charlie Company had 96 soldiers,” Amerine later recounted in an academic paper about the fight. @media only screen and (min-device-width : 320px) and (max-device-width : 480px) { John Leggett, a spokesman for Operation Safe Haven. He charged at a group of rioters, screaming, with his baton in the air. Safe Haven established four camps on Empire Range, Panama to provide a safe haven for up to ten thousand Cuban migrants. So many soldiers suffered leg injuries from the rocks that riot gear here now includes shin protectors used by hockey goalies. I’d much rather get shot than rocks thrown at me. Management of Per-term Labor. Panama imposes no income, corporate, capital gains, or estate taxes on offshore entities that only engage in business outside of the . Less than half of Amerine’s platoon was healthy enough to participate, but this time they were armed with shotguns and tear gas, and they moved in at 3 a.m. Before the riots were contained, it has been reported that 36 Cubans drowned in the canal. Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. Rocks continued to pour down on C/co, forcing them to retreat. Work turned from setting up Bible classes to setting up barbed wire. Although the United States is under pressure from allies in Latin America and elsewhere to lift the economic embargo, four bills introduced in the House on opening day of the 104th Congress instead may tighten it. “Me and Charles Fish, the mortar platoon sergeant, we pulled out Young and a few other guys.” One of the Cubans stole an American cargo truck, and raced around the camp. "They don't want to go back to Guantanamo. In addition, 110 Cubans were accepted by Spain, and 10 by Venezuela. With so many people living in a wet climate, the ground was covered with rocks to allow water to drain away quickly. Approximately 200 soldiers had to be evacuated out due to injuries. Operation SAFE HAVEN 1994 moved Cuban migrants from Guantanamo to Panama. Marching three abreast with their riot shields up, as if in a parade, Amerine’s 1st Platoon walked along the back of the dining facility. Outnumbered more than five to one, the Americans endured 20 unforgiving minutes that seemed like an eternity, unsure if they would emerge alive. There weren’t enough for everyone. There were two gates to Camp No. They now appear willing to let up on some of the economic controls, the official said. Cuban Refugees (fleeing Cuba for the US) rioted. The non-injured members of 5/87 were simply out on a mission of revenge. State Department officials conceded that the kind of political change in Cuba required to persuade more people to return does not seem imminent. Low blood pressure. 1st Class Arturo De La Garza, an Army specialist on that day. U.S. officials do, however, predict significant change economically, mainly because of the American economic embargos impact on the regime of President Fidel Castro. Some bright star had decided to use rocks instead of pavement for one of the pathways in the prison, and when less than a hundred American soldiers from Charlie Company, 5/87 Infantry entered the camp to quell the riot, they faced hundreds of rioters hurling rocks that rained down on their formation. airlifted the first 100 Cuban refugees from Guantnamo to Howard AFB in Panama in early September, using a pair of C-130s. “Cubans were running along our flanks and grabbing people, beating … them,” Roberts recalled. Of these 8,600, approximately 1,280 Cubans entered the United States in mid-October 1994 as a result of a program of parole entry by the US Department of Justice. He was a monster during those two days.. … It was a model of how to handle refugees.” The Cubans lived in large military tents, 100 tents in each camp, built on concrete slabs. But three months later, nothing had happened. As they turned the corner and faced the soccer field, they finally saw what they were facing: hundreds and hundreds of angry rioters. About 500 Cubans rioted inside Camp No. Operations Safe Haven and Safe Passage were operations by the United States Joint Task Force designed to relieve the overcrowded migrant camps at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. In this role, he leads FPSthe national law enforcement agency charged with the safety, security, and protection of more than 1.4 million employees and visitors to . He’d been in the Persian Gulf War and was one of the few combat veterans in the company. Because of these incidents, security was increased considerably. Safety. Some carved designs in the wood, and others wrote messages to the rioters on them. He and two other soldiers went to work on the gate. Rapid/abnormal heartbeat. Operations Safe Haven and Safe Passage (Sept. 8 1994-March 15, 1995) were operations by the United States Joint Task Force designed to relieve the overcrowded migrant camps at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. Beyond the complex and still unresolved policy questions raised by the Cuban exodus, what has happened in Panama over the last four months is, above all, a study in confusion and contradictions. Over the course of the six months, Operation Safe Haven employed an average of 400 Panamanian workers, including 1995, in the Republic of Panama, and provided a safe haven for up to 10,000 Cuban migrants who had sought to enter the U.S. illegally. Not even the children are laughing.". As the expiration of the US-Panamanian agreement permitting the Cubans to stay in Panama approached, planning began for Operation Safe Passage--the return of the Cubans to Guantanamo Bay Naval Facility. An hour passed. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. 1718 0 obj <> endobj We think some (reforms) will reach the point this year where they take on a life of their own.. The term tax haven may evoke images of exotic locales, but Panama actually ranks as the 13th most attractive spot for hiding assets, while the US lies third Wed 6 Apr 2016 07.00 EDT Last modified . This study is a history of that operation and the ministry conducted by the chaplains . With robust designs and vintage classic style, discover the heritage of military timepieces today! “Being shot at was actually sometimes amusing. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world. Batons carried by military officers were in such short supply that an emergency order was placed to a U.S. company that manufactures ax handles. 5700 Star Lane Panama City, FL 32404 (850) 785-5245 It was absolutely terrifying.” Amerine is now a lieutenant colonel at the Pentagon. As the months have gone by, frustration deepened then finally exploded in riots in the Panama camps last month. In Victoria, the Safe Havens were located at Puckapunyal and Portsea Army bases and later at Bandiana barracks. The sun was hot. There also was considerable property damage, including the destruction of various military vehicles, computers, and telephones. spokeswoman for Operation Safe Haven, the U.S. military mission in charge of the four camps in Panama. “The sky filled with a dark cloud of stones,” Amerine wrote later. Hot and cold water will be added to permanent shelters, along with adult education and entertainment. David Heinlen and a crew from the 908th Airlift Group, carried 53 refugees. Most were returned to Guantanamo. “Finally we got the word,” Epley said. I will love him as a glorified friend, after the free way of friendship, and not pay him a stiff sign of respect, as men do to those whom they fear. He limped along with help from other soldiers. Following basic officer training at Fort Benning, Georgia, he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, where he led three platoons, served as a battalion staff officer, and deployed to the Mexican border in support of Joint Task Force 6 and to Panama for Operation Safe Haven. “He was by the gate, sitting on his butt like he didn’t have a care in the world, knocked out with his eyes open,” Roberts said. Safe Passage then returned the migrants to Guantanamo after the crowded conditions could be alleviated. That's like going back to Havana," said Greenwood, a veteran of the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Bennett, G.M, Psychiatric Grand Rounds, 1/1/1995; Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. More than 300 soldiers and 24 Cubans were injured and two Cubans died--forcing Washington to send in more troops with shotguns and riot equipment. Operation Safe Haven began in September 1994, when the first Cubans arrived in Panama from Guantanamo. They were denied shotguns and tear gas, and sent in to deal with the mob with batons and plastic riot shields. 0000002170 00000 n Safe Passage then returned the migrants to Guantanamo after . What The Hell is Wrong with Steven Seagal? Cubans interviewed uniformly denied wrongdoing. There were no firearms or bombs, just raw, primitive weapons: clubs and shields and, most of all, thousands of baseball-size rocks that shattered the U.S. troops’ bones and rained so densely that the sun seemed blacked out by a sea of stone. About 20 refugees gathered at the gate, wearing masks that they’d made from white T-shirts. Safe Haven established four camps on Empire Range, Panama to provide a safe haven for up to ten thousand Cuban migrants. startxref The Cubans retreated around the corner of the dining facility.

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