The Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) warned of this “systematic” sexual violence suffered by migrant women while crossing the Darién jungleon the border between Colombia and Panama.
CEJIL assured this after a visit to the migrant reception centers (ERM) set up by the Panamanian government in the province of Darién gang rape of women who walk this route on their way to the United States who remain unpunished.
In statements to the Spanish agency EFE, CEJIL’s director for Central America and Mexico, Claudia peace and peacesaid that “more and more women and minors” are crossing the Darién, and “the main consequence is the increase in sexual violence suffered during the transit”.
Likewise the coordinator of the CEJIL Human Mobility Project for Central America, Mexico and the United States, Gabriela OviedoHe told the news agency: “The sexual violence faced by women crossing the Darién is worrying and systematicbecause it has happened in recent years, and when people were interviewed at immigration stations, all said they saw or met victims during the trip.
Oviedo assured that “As of November 2021, more than 300 cases of sexual violence have been reported and the investigation figures were not complied with”.
Some women report “sexual assaults of up to 10 people” upon arrival at Bajo Chiquitito the first point after crossing the socalled Darién Gap but as they are traveling elsewhere, many of them choose not to report it Attackers, the official revealed.
However, he said the state is required to guarantee retroviruses for HIV prevention and contraceptives within 72 hours of the attack.
The director of CEJIL described the situation caused by the increase in migratory flows in this jungle and swamp region, which covers some 575,000 hectares, as “alarming”.
This is indicated by data from the National Migration Service (SNM) of Panama, cited by this nongovernmental organization Last January, 4,442 people crossed the border with Colombia and another 4,014 in FebruaryNumbers that more than doubled the number of immigrants registered in the same period of 2021 when they just surpassed a thousand.
Overall, irregular transit of foreigners across the border with Colombia in the first two months of the year, according to the Panamanian government register 8,456 people, including 6,236 men and 2,220 women.
Another worrying figure is the number of minors crossing the Darién; only until November last year, overall 28,344 children traveled this dangerous routeto which more than 97,000 adults are added.
Capture the website of the Ministry of Public Safety of Panama
This was reported by the SNM at the end of January 367 Cuban immigrants had crossed the Darién Gap that montha number surpassed only by those in irregular transit from Venezuela (1,153), Haiti (636) and Senegal (590).
Data released by the Panama Ministry of Public Safety suggests so In 2021, the total number of immigrants arriving from Cuba was 18,600. The most alarming stream occurred between June and November, with monthly averages over 2,000.
In 2016 came the tragic case of Rape and murder of a Cuban in Turbo, Colombia, near the border with Panama when he intended to start the crossing of the Darién Gap with a compatriot who was also killed by Colombian coyotes and his friend who managed to escape and report the attack.