A new Human Rights Watch report says Colombia and Panama are failing to protect migrants crossing the treacherous Darien Gap. Hundreds of thousands of people flee through the natural divide between the two countries every year.

Bogota

A recent report by Human Rights Watch has highlighted the failure of Colombia and Panama to effectively protect migrants traversing the perilous Darien Gap. This natural divide, situated between the two countries, is a major route for hundreds of thousands of individuals fleeing their homeland each year. 

Despite the significant number of people risking their lives through this treacherous passage annually, the measures implemented by the governments of Colombia and Panama have been deemed inadequate in ensuring their safety and rights during the journey.



Colombia, Panama 'failing to protect' migrants in Darien Gap

More than half a million migrants crossed the Darien Gap last year, the infamous jungle that connects Colombia and Panama. According to a new report by Human Rights Watch, both countries have failed to do enough to protect migrants as they transit through rough terrain. The obligations that both the Colombian and Panamanian states have, in accordance with their international obligations, have to do with guaranteeing the life and integrity of individuals within their territories, regardless of nationality. Investigators say Panama and Colombia should do a better job coordinating a response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the region. Most migrants are from Venezuela, Ecuador and Haiti, along with other nationalities from Asia and Africa. Here, investigators say, migrants face a litany of risks, including sexual assault, kidnapping and death. The lack of a clear strategy with international cooperation and losing the ability to provide attention in border areas has led to criminal groups being the ones to manage the dynamics of migration. The new report also criticized both countries for failing to investigate and punish crimes committed against migrants. Investigators say it's imperative that policies to protect migrants and asylum seekers take precedence over policies that seek to contain them. We are witnessing how more people are choosing more dangerous routes. What we should do as a region is establish regional strategies for the protection and assistance of migrants, recognizing that the migration phenomenon exists and will remain. The recommendations published by Human Rights Watch seek to address deficiencies in migrant protections, as well as enhance multilateral actions to protect the human rights of migrants across the Americas.

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