Human Rights Watch Report of the Darién Rejected

The migration and security authorities of Panama on March 8 “categorically” rejected the report published by Human Rights Watch, which indicates that in Colombia and Panama the authorities do not effectively protect the right to life and physical integrity of migrants and applicants of asylum in transit, nor do immigration authorities investigate violations of their rights effectively and quickly.  Samira Gozaine, director of the National Immigration Service, assured that this report does not reflect the reality of what is happening in the Darién. The official added that of the more than 900,000 people that have passed through the Darién jungle in these five years, there are more than 17 institutions and NGOs that have never heard the stories of what is said in the report.  They stressed that this report has more aspects of being an ideological report than the objective reality of what is happening in the Darién, since it does not include the rights of adolescents abandoned by their parents in the jungle.  In those 130 pages there has not been a single line dedicated to these children.  There is also no mention of the fire in the modular buildings where 30 immigration officials and 17 from the National Border Service (Senafront) may have lost their lives. According to Human Rights Watch, in some specific cases, Panamanian security forces appear to have committed abuses against migrants and asylum seekers.  In fact, it states that these crimes in the Darien Gap, including recurring cases of sexual violence, are typically not investigated or punished.  The director of Senafront, Jorge Luis Gobea, indicated that more than 200 people accused of robbery, rape and human trafficking in the Darién and Guna Yala have been placed under arrest.  Among the causes of death with the highest incidence on irregular migratory routes are deaths due to drowning, stroke, heart attack and homicide.  From January to date, more than 114 thousand migrants have passed through the Darién jungle, 20% are minors.