Migrants in Necoclí: this is how the crisis passes by the stranded in Europe – Medellin – Colombia

Last Monday, pier nickel Rows of migrants were exploding looking for a ticket to leave the municipality Europe Antiokino heading to Caborgana They crossed four blocks.

“It is only on that day that they were going to sell out, which is why disturbances were seen. After the video went viral, they were selling tickets and launching boats every day.”

(what’s more: The immigration crisis in Necoclí caused the collapse of public services)

He managed to buy his ticket on Thursday and, as planned, he will travel today (Friday) to Caborgana in collide, to later enter what may be the most dangerous stretch to reach the border with Panama: the Darien Forest.

Like this Cuban there are about 10,000 immigrants – according to the mayor’s office figures
Local – who seek to reach Panama, later, to cross Central America, and finally reach the United States.

There are people from HaitiAnd Asia NS Africa, who arrived a few days ago in the municipality of Antioquia, an obligatory step on their way, but were unable to leave due to the lack of boats to take them to their destination.

(Read also: Migrants Desperate to Leave Necoclí for Panama)

This happens, as they deplore in Necoclí, because there is only one company providing this service and they have no way of meeting the demand.

Time and money are scarce. Contrary to what Mayor Jorge Topone has said that the currency actually handled in the municipality is the dollar, there are at least four unofficial currency exchange companies in the dock. They are buying dollars on average at 3600.

In addition, since yesterday the boats began to constantly leave for Choco.
However, there is concern that although migrants are already leaving, more and more are arriving.

This situation, which has already happened before, but not on this scale, local and national authorities are on alert.

Even the general disaster has already been announced, because the municipality, which has about 22,000 people living in its metropolitan area, does not have the capacity to receive 10,000 foreigners.

(You may be interested in: visited the office of the ombudsman Necoclí because of the immigrant conglomerate)

“We fear a health emergency, public services, water and sewage canals, the health system will collapse, and there is no food supply. This week the local mayor warned against going to the supermarket and no longer getting food.”

Among other things, it is feared that there will be an outbreak of covid-19 due to the failure to respect the minimum requirements of biosafety, such as the use of a mask.

Defender’s visit

About noon yesterday, Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo, arrived at the pier of Necoclí port to see closely the condition of the aliens.

The official arrived seven days after the mayor’s office was concerned.

In the records of this entity there are 15,000 immigrants, a number that contradicts the local mayor’s office number, and even the immigration number, which says there are about 8,000 immigrants.
But yesterday, the situation was not what it was on July 26, when the alarms went off.

The influx of people began at 8:30 in the morning, and around noon, 8 of the 12 ships arranged by Caribe SAS, the only one authorized for such transport, had already set sail.

(In other news: Between January and June, 44,647 people were displaced in Colombia (UN)

However, there were many people who were still waiting for their turn to leave there and continue on their way to Daren.

The official spoke to some of them, and told him not only of the difficulties Nikokli was facing, but also of the difficulties they had been through since they arrived in the country.

“Some immigrants deplore the mafia that sells them ‘tour packages’ to make the journey from Ipiales, at a cost of up to $300 to cross the border, which they arrive at because of the need to continue their crossing to the north of the continent.”

(In the context of: Illegal transport of migrants is growing in Uraba and the Moorskoyo Bay)

The official noted that, in his opinion, this is a problem outside the continent, and therefore the assumption that the problem and the search for solutions should be important among several actors.

“I have invited my colleagues in different countries through the Ibero-American Federation of Ombudsmen to clarify and implement joint actions that will allow us to address this emergency,” the defender added.
President Evan Duque, in a virtual talk at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, emphasized that a regional response is necessary to prevent this situation from continuing.

“We have to put in place more controls, we must be able to cooperate with Panama and other countries, but the people who reach this border do not stay there, they want to continue in the north,” Duque was quoted as saying. evey.

(We also recommend the following: Government pledges to ensure the return of IDPs from Itwango)

This crisis does not seem to have a quick solution, because although the boats are leaving, more and more foreigners are arriving, so the number is expected to increase in the coming days. Local authorities talked about 30,000.

Against this background, the appeal of the municipality to the national government is to develop an action plan to prevent the continuation of the construction of dams. In addition, there is a concern that illegal groups may offend those people who dream of a better life.

Alejandro Mercado
EL TIEMPO Special Envoy
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