Panama Opens Doors To Doctors Without Borders To Assist Migrants In The Darien

10/10/2024 11:09:48 PM

(MENAFN- Newsroom Panama) Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino expressed his willingness on Thursday to welcome the NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which was expelled from the country by the previous government after it reported sexual abuse of migrants in the Darien jungle.
MSF had to suspend its activities in Panama after reporting on February 29 an“increase in brutal attacks and sexual violence in the jungle” on the border with Colombia, which serves as a corridor for thousands of migrants trying to reach the United States.
“As far as I'm concerned, they can return, as long as they coordinate with the competent health and safety entities,” Mulino said at his weekly press conference when asked if there had been contacts with MSF, which was expelled by the previous government of Laurentino Cortizo.
“I have not seen any request for a reference, nor do I know why they were excluded from the country, as far as I'm concerned they can come (...) because it is an international organization that I believe provides a very good humanitarian service,” added Mulino, who replaced Cortizo on July 1.
The NGO then explained that in just one week in February its doctors had treated 113 migrants who had suffered sexual assaults by criminals operating in Darien. In all of January there had been 120 cases, according to MSF.
Following these statements, Cortizo's government withdrew the NGO's permission to operate in the country, accusing it of“obstructing the functions of the different institutions in Panama.”
According to the previous government, MSF did not provide national authorities with the data of people who reported having suffered sexual abuse.
In 2023, more than half a million people passed through the Panamanian jungle, despite facing dangers such as fast-flowing rivers, wild animals and criminal groups.
So far this year, 260,000 people have passed through Darién, two-thirds of whom are Venezuelan.
Security Minister Frank Ábrego said in August that“about 45” migrants had died this year on the jungle border, but authorities do not know the real death toll due to the inaccessible terrain and the difficulty in finding bodies.
In addition to MSF, UN agencies are assisting migrants in the Panamanian jungle.

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