Diapositiva 1

1
Mesa Nacional de Migrantes y Refugiados
Voluntary Repatriation Experiences in Panama
2
PANAMANIAN REFUGEE POLITICS CONTEXT

• Panamanian government recognizes two different
  cathegories in refugee matters
• - Asylum seekers who could become oficial
  refugees after a series of processes and that
  reunite the conditions established by 1951
  Convention refugee definition.
• - Massive groups of people who enter Panama
  because of the general violence generated in
  Colombia who, according to our government, dont
  fit in the definition of 1951 Convention. So in
  Decree 23 of 1998, a special protection cathegory
  was created Temporary Protection Humanitarian
  Status.
• - There are aproximately 950 Colombian people
  living in border areas which are considered
  temporary protected people.
• - Of the approximately 200,000 Colombian
  inmigrants in Panama City. Theres an estimate
  number of 30 to 60,000 that reunite the
  conditions to claim refugee in Panama but are
  invisible numbers.

3
PANAMANIAN POLITICS IN MATTER OF VOLUNTARY
REPATRIATION

• Generally speaking, both Panamanian and Colombian
  government in most of the cases havent made an
  agreement to establish guidelines that develop a
  fair voluntary repatriation process.
• Voluntary repatriation is, according to our
  country, following the UNCHR guidelines, the best
  alternative to be applied to the Colombian
  population under the temporary protection status.
• Violence (active and passive) of government
  authorities toward refugees is a constant
  practice. The violation of the will of returning
  to Colombia is a frequent practice.

4
VOLUNTARY REPATRIATIONS

• 1997. Aproximately 300 Asylum seekers who lived
  for 2 months in the communities across the River
  Tuira were deported to Cacarica and came back to
  Panama.
• Decree 23 of 1998. Temporary Protection Statute

5
VOLUNTARY REPATRIATIONS

• 2000. There were 3 repatriations. UNHCR
  facilitated the repatriations. There wasnt an
  established or organized process.
• 2001. Tripartite agreement (Panamanian and
  Colombian government with the UNHCR) in which
  voluntary repatriation guidelines were
  established.
• 2001. September repatriation (40 people)

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VOLUNTARY REPATRIATIONS

• 2001. Attacks in Juradó
• 2001. December repatriation process suspended.
  21 people were supposed to return to Colombia.
• 2002 2003. Government Politics toward asylum
  seekers, temporary protection population and NGOs
  hardened (national politics toward refugees
  aligned with regional and international politics)

7
Voluntary Repatriation2003 Context

• April 23, 2003. Massive deportation from Punusa
  (109 people were deported including 60 children
  and panamanians)
• Massive deportation hidden agenda of the
  Panamanian and Colombian goverments with the
  Colombian temporal protected people
• Precautionary measures requested by NGOs and
  granted by the Human Rights Inter-American
  Commission

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VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION 2004 CONTEXT

• 2004. NGOs actions
• 2004. Government compromises and voluntary
  repatriation in Jaqué observed by NGOs and the
  international community
• 2005. Voluntary repatriation in Boca de Cupe,
  River Tuira

9
MESA NACIONAL DE MIGRANTES Y REFUGIADOS

• 2004. Creation (Coalition of 8 Panamanian NGOs
  working for inmigrants and refugees protection)

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VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION

• 2006. New entrances and government politics
  toward them (Theres a risk of deportation of 48
  people from native origins that came to Panama
  seeking asylum and are living in Jaqué (Darién)
  right now because it seems that the government
  doesnt want to recognize them neither as
  refugees nor as temporary protected people).

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RECOMMENDATIONS

• Panamanian and Colombian authorities (Foreign
  Affair Ministries) and the UNHCR have to define
  guidelines to guarantee fair voluntary
  repatriation processes
• Panamanian NGOs have the challenge to narrow the
  communication channels with the government and
  make actions of advocacy and lobbying with the
  government and the UNHCR, actively taking plan in
  voluntary repatriation processes not only as
  observers but also sensitizing the government and
  the society.
• NGOs have to be alert of the government
  treatment of new incomings so we could acess the
  Interamerican Comission proceedure in case of
  deportations, requestion precautionary measures.
• Panamanian NGOs need funds to have a permanent
  presence in the border areas and to visibilize
  the real number of Colombian refugees in Panama
  City through a diagnosis of its population.
• UNHCR needs a more active presence sensitizing as
  well as to guarantee that the voluntary
  repatriation guidelines are followed by the
  governments.

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Comunidades Receptoras

• Yaviza
• El Real
• Yape
• Boca de Cupe y Alto Tuira
• Jaqué
• Metetí
• La Palma
• Alto Chucunaque
• Puerto Obaldía