Despite Clinton’s Haiti Reversal, Many Are Still Intent on Escape : Refugees: But returning to Bush policy on interceptions at sea clouds plans for sailing to U.S.

Although President Clinton’s reversal of his promise to liberalize America’s policy toward Haitian refugees seems to have slowed, if not stopped, the exodus to the United States, Haiti’s poor remain determined to escape the political and economic misery here.

“There is no doubt,” a Red Cross official said Wednesday as the new President was taking his oath of office, “that thousands of people are ready to leave (for Florida) because they thought Clinton would let them in. But with his message last week, they don’t know what to do.”

The official referred to a statement by Clinton last week in which he said that, for now, Haitian refugees will be intercepted at sea and returned without hearings to Haiti.

That was a significant shift from his position during and after the presidential campaign, when Clinton had said he would allow significant numbers of Haitians to enter the United States as political refugees.

His current policy is essentially the same as the one President Bush set in an executive order he introduced on May 24 after thousands of Haitians, claiming political persecution, fled Haiti for the United States. Bush’s policy all but stopped the Haitian emigration, although almost 40,000 people took to the seas for Florida from November, 1991, through December, 1992.

Clinton, who set off a near religious fervor here by saying the Bush policy was immoral and would be changed, decided to continue his predecessor’s approach after State Department officials, relying on a U.S. Coast Guard survey, predicted that as many as 200,000 Haitian refugees might try to get to America upon the new President’s inauguration.

Clinton then attempted to limit the effect of his policy shift by spreading the word that he would re-energize efforts to end the military rule here and return to office President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was overthrown in a violent coup in September, 1991.

Interviews with boat builders and residents of this seaside city some 25 miles west of the capital, Port-au-Prince, showed that Haitians hold a steady wish to get to the United States--despite Clinton’s statement.

Although Coast Guard sources here said the State Department had exaggerated the possible effects of the survey in which officials claimed that some 1,200 boats were built or under construction and ready to sail for Miami, they acknowledged there had been some increase in the construction of craft capable of ferrying people to Florida.

“Actually,” said one source, “the number is only marginally more than our last census (in October). But the builders have replaced 500 (or so) ships we seized and destroyed last year, and that has to be seen as re-establishing the potential for leaving.”

A Red Cross official said that “there are some 200 to 250 boats ready to leave. How many and when depends on the signals from Clinton.” He added that the Red Cross was set up to process 10,000 to 15,000 forced returnees, “but for now I don’t think there will be anywhere near that number.”

On Wednesday, Clinton’s signal for Haitians to stay home had mixed results.

The U.S. cutter Campbell intercepted a makeshift wooden sailboat about 20 miles off the north coast city of Cap-Haitien with 163 refugees aboard, the Coast Guard said. The refugees will be returned to Port-au-Prince today; 99 Haitians who washed ashore in Cuba last week were flown back late Wednesday. Included were eight survivors from a wooden freighter that sank near Cuba last week with a reported loss of almost 400 people.

Clinton’s latest message does appear to be getting through. Most Haitians interviewed here were hesitating to leave the island, concerned over what Clinton will do for them if they stay--or with them if they depart.

“I’m pleased that Clinton is in power,” said Jean Constable, an unemployed former student in Leogane. “I hope he brings Aristide back. But if he doesn’t help us, we’re going to leave for Miami. But for now, I think most people will stay.”

Residents here and in nearby villages said that six or seven boats have shipped out to Florida since Clinton’s policy shift was announced. But all evidently were intercepted by the 17-vessel armada that the Coast Guard and U.S. Navy have assigned to patrol Haiti’s waters.

Still, residents of the Leogane plain appeared hopeful that Clinton will bring a political settlement, or short of that, will allow refugees to enter the United States.

“I’m happy Clinton is taking power,” said a voodoo priest as he sat in a temple at the village of Miton. “He will bring happiness, if he brings back President Aristide. The military is crushing us. It’s the poor who are paying the price.”

But said Duchar Mel, 23, a jobless laborer, as he stood astride a bicycle in the shade of a mango tree, “Clinton broke his promise. . . . I’m very disappointed. But I will go to Miami if I get the money.”

A similar sentiment came from Roger Albert, an elementary school teacher from the fishing village of Founacho, who said: “Clinton’s given us lots of hope, more than Bush, that he’s going to stop what’s going on here. But we’ve been messed around a lot, and if Clinton doesn’t help, we cannot put up with it anymore. We’ll try to leave anyway.”

But, the Red Cross official said, “that is easy to say. When they (potential refugees) realize they can’t get through, they’re going to stop going.” The effect, he said, “will be the same as the May 24 (Bush) executive order that Clinton criticized.”

Perhaps so. But a 22-year-old fisherman who called himself Lionel was unconvinced. “It’s good that Clinton is in. But it really doesn’t matter what he does. I went once before and I’ll go again. Life here is not worth living.”

And added Benoit Levesque, a 33-year-old father of four, “I heard Clinton has changed his policy and has broken his promise. But I intend to leave on a boat next week. It doesn’t matter what Clinton does.”