Deep in the forests

In the last few months, unfortunately the armed clashes between organized criminal groups of smugglers have become more frequent and deadlier. These were followed by ever more police raids during which refugees are forcibly transported from the informal settlements to reception centers, some of which are in the far south of the country. From here, they soon return to the squats at the northern borders, hoping their next attempt to cross the border will be successful. These raid and tighter control exerted over refugees by the smugglers are the reasons why it is harder to see that many refugees in the informal settlements as was the case before.

However, the number of refugees we meet in the field remains the same.

Given that the police regularly raids the informal settlements at previously identified locations, the refugees started gathering in smaller groups deeper in the surrounding forests in order to make them harder to reach by the police. Also, in these secluded places smugglers feel they can be even harsher towards the refugees. This is one of the reasons why we consider these raids ineffective and hope that the Ministry of Interior will adjust their strategy in addressing the criminal accountability of smugglers - by first and foremost targeting the smugglers instead of all people on the move. At the same time, adequate accommodation ought to be provided to refugees, as well as access to the asylum procedure, and referrals to social protection for victims of trafficking in human beings.

If the approach is not modified, we are afraid the refugees will continue to hide ever deeper in the forests controlled by smugglers, which will further deteriorate the state of affairs that we currently witness in the field.