THE HUMAN TRAGEDY OF DISLOCATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86M00886R001400140012-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 26, 2011
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: June 27, 1984
• Content Type: MEMO

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Central Intelligence Agency
CIA EK 84-2692/1
27 June 1964
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Honorable Robert M. Kimmitt
Executive Secretary, National Security Council
SUBJECT: The Human Tragedy of Dislocation
REFERENCE: Your Memorandum of 23 June 1984, Subject:
The Human Tragedy of Dislocation.
1. Page two, the next to last paragraph, the US Embassy has
reported that only 1,200 were involved in the April exodus.
2. Page four, the first paragraph, the sentence should read
"and many are now living in government-run refugee camps." Not all
those who fled are in camps. Many have left the country and others
are squatters in the cities.
STAT
Executive Secretary
cc: Mr. Charles Hill
Executive Secretary
Department of State
Col. John H. Stanford
Executive Secretary
Department of Defense
Distribution by ER/27Jun84
1 Ea - Addressee & cc's
1 - NIu/LA
1 - B/ALA/UDI
1 - EK File
/1
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EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
ROUTINGSUP
I DCI
2 DDCI
3 EXDIR
4 P D/ICS
S DDI
6 DOA
7 DDO
8 DDS&T
9 Chm/NIC
10
I1 101
Comet
14 D/OLL
15 D/PAO
16 SA/IA
I7 .AO/DCI
7)
D/ALA/DD
,C/i OIS
19 .NIO/LA
Remarks Per our under g, please review
from an intelligence point of view
l
1
y
on
(sources & methods/gross inaccuracies) and
1prepare comments (or "no comment") for my
signature.
25. June 84
STAT
3637 (10.61) ..
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NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
.
WASH NGTON. D.C. 205"
June 23, 1984
MEMORANDUM FOR MR. CHARLES HILL
Executive Secretary
Department of State
COL R.J. AFFOURTIT
Executive Secretary
Department of Defense
Executive Secretary
Central Intelligence Agency
SUBJECT: White House Digest: "The Human
Tragedy of Dislocation"
The NSC requests review and clearance
White House Digest by June 27, 1984.
Attachment
White Rouse Digest
of the attached:
i.
Robert M. immitt
Executive Secretary;.
cc: Ronald L. Blunt
Special Asst. to the Attorney General
Dept. of Justice
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4 11'
THE HUMAN TRAGEDY OF DISLOCATION
? t'- --I . r ter _ e.r}1++irir
Vinlenre causes flight_ A common feature of warfare Uin ?heI :'; ill
20th century has been lines of people trvina to escape the 1
li :3
indiscriminate slaughter of modern weapons. Even after wa
upheaval often continues, causing even more disruption
For those forced to f lee their homelands, it is an: brdea
beyond-imagination. As repressive regimes have taken cont1ro1JE
TIT
countries in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and the _CaribbOaDr..._ _ ?
hundr"e of thousands-- have had to choose----bet f
Communist oppression or facing a perilous journey in-E6_.-the..!
unknown.
Such a human tragedy is currently taking place in.'C fft
_kA
America. It is an unpleasant reality that sudden emigration:_ct
not result only when Marxist-Leninists are successful. .?.tiaae
terrorism, even when unsuccessful in its ultimate goal.oflwV4
throwing an existing government, can still create refugees: ir.
Estimating the Numbers
J
Any attempt to estimate how many people will take
4 from a given country if it falls to Communism will be open - to "
....,:__.,.._.
f-
fl ee o__t -f cL o~ often coming t_ --
'_L_t_
R
gees
untr eS
bureaucratically ill-equipped to keep track of how many -enter:.
Moreover, the countries from which they come are often ti,ng
:7, v;
fled. Finally, many refugees die en route. ~1 fi!
A useful method, however,' is to base predictions o * - :
pta
experiences. Since 1959, 1,250,000 Cubans, more than 121 e{4j
Nearly 85 percent have come to the United States. Thatt'Eh
percentage is partly due to Cuba's proximity to"'~`c{i~iCr #
Because the United States is prosperous and free it is the.--mb
popular destination for those fleeing Communism, so the 1~g4
those governments are nearby. r
Because Central America is not much farther and, unlike
Cuba, is connected to the U.S. by land, a similar percentage. 9f
Central Americans can be expected to leave their homelands.
25 million people living in the region, a 10 percent exodus --
slightly less than that out of Cuba -- would yield 2.5 million
people. A rock bottom estimate of five percent would yield 1.125 million. These numbers do not include the Caribbean-- island: ~- ~
nations, which may also be vulnerable.
u h t
i
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From Central America -r
Today, the five nations of Central America and Panama facrre'
the threat of disruption and violence. This alone has caused- w-
hundreds of thousands to suffer dislocation. Should thewars N-
come to pass, and Central America falls to Marxist-Lenznsst -~;~~~
terrorists seeking to impose dictatorships on* the peoP6l?e:t "` "_::'
experience indicates that many more would flee. Estimates? based .on the experience of '.Cuba, Southeast;s' =- ^:`'-==
and other places around the world, indicate that between 'Zl _=
million and. 2.5 million personal dislocatiops would occur,,. A
Ambassador H. Eugene bouglas, the U.S. Coordinator for .Re' fuge
Affairs, has said: ~' T ?..,.r,: ^.`~.1';`-.:;:
"If we truly care about the people of Central-.Ape ---
then we must not allow them to be forced onto- the'.
refugee trail... Democracy allows many:optioas: the cpt.td
to vote for or against the government; the option to'sta?or ?^'
to leave.' Communism offers only one option -- to flee:-*:; ut
if the free world allows any country to ,be forced:-sot faz;_ ~:.-==j.
along the Communist path that millions of ?its.:people fc;
they have no choice but to flee, then we have:.alZead
failed. No provisions, no matter how compassionaty. ;.l. *'
may be mde for the refugees, can make up for that: - --?~- '
failure."
77
Fleeing the "Revolution of Broken Promises"
The flight from Communist-led Nicaragua has been highlighted
in recent months by several large scale departures. by Miskltq- . :--
Indians. This ethnic group has suffered greatly tinder_1he ~_._:
Sandinistas' Marxist plans to "rescue" the Atlantic
In an event widely referred to as The Christmas .Exodus:,:-
1, 00tr--Mi. ;kito Indians--left the relocation ^'
and walked for three days through the jungle to the safety-: of
Honduras. They were', accompanied by Catholic Bishop
Schlaefer, who has ministered to the Atlantic Coast region for,_ __
over 30 years.3 -4-
.?.t??'Ttr- -
This Exodus has been repeated. At the beginning of'o'April,
some 2,500 more Indians trekked 50 miles to escape -Saliva-fits a'
repression aid take up residence in the more hospitable-re'c}~ons.-?.- _..~ :
of Honduras. Both these mass escapes have taken place:=s,in'e
the Sandinistas announced an "amnesty" plan, which hast*:been'
loudly rejected by the Indians. _ : r==
Interestingly enough, the Honduran government views:=the?t
Miskito refugees as a positive boon. The 'refugees have -proven :to._
be extraordinarily productive and will be given land along_`tY}e " --!--
t:-
Honduran Mosquita coastal region, making that area pr9dor~~
the first time in many years. ---
71
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.:s-sr. -srvo
:MST. %0L a
 But for many, the nightmare continues even after leaving the
land of their persecution. Conditions in many refugee camps are
bad -- not enough food, clothing, shelter, or medical attention.
Wycliffe Diego, political representative of MISURA,?:an
organization of Indians opposing the Sandinistas, recently;)
described the conditions refugees face: i ..._'
"The children are dying daily because of hunger arid: = _?:
lack of medicine. At the present time, there aria s
20,000 Miskito Indians that have sought refuge in!Hon ura
and another 6,000 or 7,000 in Costa Rica. '... Ever i? ~~--uY=
the refugee ramps in Honduras and Mocoron an4 osta:
hage 12-113 of these children dying every day .09 ? ::, e_.. 1
:j 4i a pj3} =4
Fcr those left alive, the reminders of ' life undera:ttie
1 ~!"1
Sandinistas and the hardships of flight are all around?:.;
American doctor toured the border between Nicaragua and Handu=' 'a
sue--
recently to provide medical attention to the Nicaraguan re'futge.es. ?~;;,~?
ve re
orts wides
rea medical problems due to malnutrition -alh~
p
p
exposure. But he also chronicles some of the reasons theRpeos.e ~** -
ed'ui
and sbo
ortu e
w
.
.e 4 T: ~ --rr
hey I the re fugees i spoke o
fingernails that had been torn out, hands that had beeri. F. .J . ? :-=-~::=:.:.=.
crushed, scarred backs frcm whippings and scarred bottoms jof .. ;, .. ~,
the feet from the same treatment. Many had tendons that ad
been cut. A favorite of the Sandinistas was to cut Achi es
J-U -46
thumb and forefingers useless on the dominant hand.
They told me a coauuon torture was to throw pepper and. sand
. ...: .. : ~ 'L .. 1 :1 - . - _-
in the eyes while hands were tied to chairs." _f -::
Of particular concern both to the refugees and the Honduran -H!
---=s?*--~
government is the attempt by the Sandinistas to force some' of the
refugees back into Nicaragua. Several cases have been reported.----
Sandinista troops crossing the border into Honduras : }and?,'~
of
coercing refugees to return so that they could be displa}?ef.
Indians taking advantage of the government amnesty prograzt.__.
these incidents illustrate the essential problem of.;refugee
status -- the insecurity. Becoming a refugee means giving : up.:
one's home, farm, and way of life for an often squalid..tand: 1 .:._ . ' ?- =--~-
precarious existence in a refugee camp. Residents frequent'Ty'-__.,._
complain that what is even worse than the lack of.adequat? Qod,.-
clothing or shelter is the constant insecurity, not knowti _wh~n,::.
or if, they will be able to return and try to put theiz_live:~'
back to normal. problems as well. Honduras and Costa-Rica There are other -.- ? ?.
are ill-equipped to provide for either the security or=-the
economic well-being of the newcomers. Eventually the-*wil2'
become productive citizens but this does little to alleviate the
suffering caused by a sudden and massive emigration. ? _:i
tt - _ ~..
t
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In El Salvador
Over 400,000 people have fled areas of conflict in E1
Salvador and are now living in government-run refugee camps, ;::ln
spite of the inadequate resources and personnel at most of these == ==
refugee centers.
El Salvador is a populous country, but 400,000 is still a:==
substantial percentage of its population. If the same percentage
of Americans were forced to flee their homes, it would mean 4 =
s i?:.?t.?~1 ___i
refs'
ee ram
le 4n
million peo
p
g
p
Even this figure does little to convey what it meanstoe a Yi-
refugee. Mrs. Geraldine O'Leary Macias, who fled Nicaragua:w~th
her husband in 1982, commented recently on what this has...reapt; ;?-=_~rn
for them: it _A T7_Z:1
" [F) first of all, I am a refugee; one of thousaizds':wt~~~_: ==~
have left Nicaragua in the last four years. My husbiid -a
Nicaraguan. I have watched him in the last year ancL:.h'. half
lose contact with his family, his elderly parents;'truggle with the English language, which he never planned
before. I have watched him lose his culture azi"fi
suffer the fact of being a political refugee, azid b yc----------
it's because he's two things: a Christian and
8
politician."
A refugee, almost by definition, is a stateless person hse" ==_=:
desperation makes them attractive targets for those who=profit r-'
from people in need. The ultimate. destination of many refuge~1s_ ._..=" T
is the United States. Getting here from El Salvador is a;:a?'t
but dangerous trip, especially for those without protectib E.-
The Mariel Experience
In 1980, over 125,000 Cubans either escaped or were expieiled
from that country and became part of what is known as the Mariel
boat lift. These Cubans and the few thousand Haitiansf.:;who i ==:_=
arrived about the same time are a tiny fraction of the :10 mil'i on --= _
we can expect to flee to this country if the entire regiozrf pm
the Rio Grande to the Panama Canal is engulfed in turmoil. tl -
The sudden nature of their arrival, and the fact that many
arrived destitute, caused a number of problems for Florida'
especially and for other Gulf States. Federal reimbursements ; to :jjj:.: .
Florida alone totaled netrly half a billion dollars for fiscal
years 1980 through 1983.
That figure does not include federal administrative cost's,
nor does it take into account local expenses such as money for
special bilingual education programs. A lack of government
officials sufficiently fluent in Spanish was also a problem.
Finally, the sudden appearance of over 100,000 refugees
sapped the resources of churches and charitable institutions who
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try to help them through the adjustment period. Once this:.:period
ends, the refugees become able, patriotic citizens who corit:; ibute --777
innumerable benefits to the communities where they live:"-'This'
has been the case with refugees who have fled Communism in.;,
Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Cuba.
Any mass migration brings chaos, and that chaos brings costs
.. .
-- costs that are expressed not only in dollars and cents.but..in
significant strains on the social fabric. Even in Miami, which
has been accustomed to heavy immigration for more than 20.years, _-:
the sudden immigration from the 1980 exodus has certainly, and L-- ~;-
unfortunately, contributed to social tensions in that cit
Should Central America fall to the Communists, Florida;:
still reeling from the Cuban-Haitian exodus, would not be:able'to`
absorb 2.5 million new sudden immigrants, nor could. tt i otlie
states along our southern border. The immigrants would=t{ave =~tQ' =fir
'~-^---r. - ri be distributed throughout the country, as would the tem zar
financial and social burden.
An Ounce of Prevention -- -t - --;~:
The American people have always welcomed refugees xou1:::__M^~:
Communism. Their presence in this country has demonstrt-j- of quickly and how willingly Americans give help to people
This is in the nature of a cure
.
We can make the human tragedy of dislocation; ?=-
not a cure
.
We can prevent the deprivations that refugees face.
unnecessary
.
We can insure that that there will be no need for millions: of. 7"`'
;
U
it
d S
h
;
;
_:::
n
e
e
tates
:
people to risk their lives to escape to t
We can do this by supporting the democratic aspirations..! Of
the people of El Salvador and Nicaragua. We can give our' Central'-"u`z
American neighbors tt military aid and training and, even more
important, the economic assistance they need to turn back-the l - :: -
Communist challenge.
Democracy is under attack and the people are afraid. Fear causes refugees -- the fear that one's life or one's freedcm will -== 'T
be lost. Attacking the root cause of this fear is easier,:
cheaper and more compasionate than dealing with the results.
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4 Y
Endnotes
1. Memo to the White House outreach working Group on,CentFal
America, August, 1983.
2. See Freedom House report.
.. Y???-.? 1tt 't'+ ~t~~Tf efRTLTT'11T.f..
3. El Tiempo, Bogota, Colombia 26 December 1983. Quote n r--
the Washington Post "For the Record" column 6 January 1980..
4. "Buscan Refugio en Honduras 2,500 Miskitos,"---Qzakio'.&s_ '?-
- .:..x~.
Americas 7 April 1984 'p 6
5. Wycliffe Diego, "Statement before the Outreach:-Workio "_? E
_ 1 n..:
on Dal gixxi"': { .. .. ...:': .~-....'._'.
_' - ___ -_
4F
ng
Spec
e
Persecutionin Nicaragua," 4 May 1984"
.?
.
?
6. Dr. Othniel J. Seiden, "Medical Mission to Hondurasj~17
Report to the Virginia and Albert Gildred Foundation.:.=-72O
7. Tegucigalpa, Cadena Audio Video 12 January 1984_.::-0.q 7 3h "' . r
Broadcast Information Service 13 January 1984, p. Pll):
8. Geraldine O'Leary Macias, "Statement before the 'Outreach ._.Z'
Working Group on Central America - Special Ariefing on:ReTigi is-=
Persecution in Nicaragua," 4 May 1984'' = - _"_
9. Memo from the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Department
of Health and Human Services, to the Outreach
August 31, 1983.
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