HRW asks Colombia and Panama for urgent measures for migrants
The governments of Colombia and Panama reached agreements in August to allow a controlled flow of irregular migrants between the two countries.
For the second time in less than three months, more than 11,000 migrants , the majority Haitians, are waiting in the Colombian municipality of Necoclí for a ticket that will bring them closer to the Darién Gap, the border controlled by illegal groups where they will risk their lives with the hope of reaching Panama and then the United States.
José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the governments of Colombia and Panama must take "urgent measures to protect people trying to cross the Darien, they must not leave them to their fate. Vivanco recalled that these are vulnerable migrants who "flee from human rights violations or situations of extreme poverty" and once in the Darien Gap they suffer abuse by armed groups.
The governments of Colombia and Panama reached agreements in August to allow a controlled flow of irregular migrants between the two countries: first, Panama would receive 650 people a day and as of September 1 this number would be reduced to 500 people. However, last Monday, Panama warned that Colombia would be in breach of the agreement.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry has not ruled on the matter. The two countries plan to meet next Friday to address the situation.
Migration Colombia did not immediately comment when asked about the migrants found on the shores of Necoclí or the control of the flow of people agreed with Panama.
Most of the migrants enter Colombia through the south of the country on the border with Ecuador and cross it from the west by public or private transport or on foot. As explained to the press by Migración Colombia, the majority come from Brazil and Chile, the countries to which they emigrated seeking employment opportunities since 2010 after the earthquake in Haiti.
The Ombudsman's Office indicated in a statement on Tuesday that according to the monitoring they have done in Necoclí there are more than 11,400 migrants imprisoned, which has resulted in a “hospital emergency” because the San Sebastián Hospital does not have the resources technicians or the infrastructure to serve foreigners and Colombians.
“In addition to cost overruns and ticket resale, officials from the Urabá-Darién Regional Office of the Ombudsman's Office have been informed about the departure of illegal vessels late at night, exposing migrants to the risk of shipwreck on the high seas or robberies and scams by 'coyotes' or human traffickers,” assured the Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo.
José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the governments of Colombia and Panama must take "urgent measures to protect people trying to cross the Darien, they must not leave them to their fate. Vivanco recalled that these are vulnerable migrants who "flee from human rights violations or situations of extreme poverty" and once in the Darien Gap they suffer abuse by armed groups.
The governments of Colombia and Panama reached agreements in August to allow a controlled flow of irregular migrants between the two countries: first, Panama would receive 650 people a day and as of September 1 this number would be reduced to 500 people. However, last Monday, Panama warned that Colombia would be in breach of the agreement.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry has not ruled on the matter. The two countries plan to meet next Friday to address the situation.
Migration Colombia did not immediately comment when asked about the migrants found on the shores of Necoclí or the control of the flow of people agreed with Panama.
Most of the migrants enter Colombia through the south of the country on the border with Ecuador and cross it from the west by public or private transport or on foot. As explained to the press by Migración Colombia, the majority come from Brazil and Chile, the countries to which they emigrated seeking employment opportunities since 2010 after the earthquake in Haiti.
The Ombudsman's Office indicated in a statement on Tuesday that according to the monitoring they have done in Necoclí there are more than 11,400 migrants imprisoned, which has resulted in a “hospital emergency” because the San Sebastián Hospital does not have the resources technicians or the infrastructure to serve foreigners and Colombians.
“In addition to cost overruns and ticket resale, officials from the Urabá-Darién Regional Office of the Ombudsman's Office have been informed about the departure of illegal vessels late at night, exposing migrants to the risk of shipwreck on the high seas or robberies and scams by 'coyotes' or human traffickers,” assured the Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo.