Thursday in Washington DC, during the 149th session of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) [an independent body of the Organization of American States (OAS)], Ms. Camila Asanu of the NGO "Conectas Direitos Humanos" revealed that "[...] fifty undocumented Haitians arrive every day in Brazil through irregular channels ", mainly along the border with Peru and Bolivia.

Recalling that the Haitian exodus in Brazil exploded after the earthquake of 2010, she indicated that since about 20,000 immigrants arrived in Brazil, with more than half illegally [12,204 Haitians according to figures of consular offices as of June 2013] .

These Haitians seeking a better life, cross the border to the Dominican Republic, take a flight to Panama, hen to Quito, and then go by bus in Peru or in Bolivia, and from there enter Brazil. The State of Acre [Northwest of Brazil], which borders Bolivia and Peru, declared "the social emergency" and requested assistance from the Government before the wave of illegal immigration, mostly from Haiti, but also African and Asian countries.

Ms. Asanu stressed that these people are prey of trafficking networks and asked asked the IACHR to conduct a study on allegations of violations of human rights on routes taken by these people and to enter in contact with relevant countries to combat trafficking.

Recall that at a meeting in Port-au-Prince last September, the head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) had presented the preliminary results of their study on Haitian migration to Brazil, which confirmed the existence of networks that come to meet migrants upon arrival in Quito, Ecuador, from Panama. These networks provide them basic food and shelter, false travel documents and transportation. According to sources, the migrants pay up to 2,500 U.S. dollars to these unscrupulous smugglers.

In April 2013 the Brazilian government announced that it would regularize the situation of illegal immigrants. According to the latest available information, the Brazilian Government had issued a total of 10,165 humanitarian visas to illegal immigrants who have entered the territory of Brazil, in response to the difficult situation in Haiti since January 2010.

Note that although many Haitians have found a job, not only in Manaus but also in Sao Paulo, in the regions of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Minas Gerais, the number of those unemployed remains very high.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-9404-haiti-social-seeking-solutions-for-illegal-immigration-to-brazil.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-6793-haiti-social-haitian-migrants-threatened-to-be-repatriated-across-the-continent.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-6305-haiti-social-thousands-of-haitians-in-brazil-in-search-of-a-better-life.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-6305-haiti-social-thousands-of-haitians-in-brazil-in-search-of-a-better-life.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-4627-haiti-social-mass-arrival-of-haitians-in-brazil.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-4679-haiti-social-laurent-lamothe-preoccupe-par-le-sort-des-haitiens-au-bresil.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-4684-haiti-social-dilma-rousseff-authorizes-the-regularization-of-2-400-of-our-compatriots-in-brazil.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2712-haiti-social-trafficking-of-haitians-in-south-america.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1128-haiti-social-400-haitian-refugees-in-brazil.html

SL/ HaitiLibre