Americas join efforts to stem refugee crisis

(MENAFN- The Peninsula)

Montevideo/washington: As Europe struggles to deal with hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing bloody conflicts in Syria and beyond far-away Latin America is increasingly stepping up pledges to take in refugees.

Far removed from the turmoil driving the exodus from the Middle East Latin America has so far resettled a relatively small handful of people. But as the influx reaches crisis levels in Europe a string of Latin American countries are vowing to do more.

In the past two days Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff pledged to welcome Syrian refugees with “open arms” Chile’s Michelle Bachelet declared her country’s “doors (are) open” and Panama’s Juan Carlos Varela said his nation had a “big heart” and would gladly take in fleeing Syrians and Iraqis.

Even Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a staunch ally of Syrian leader Bashar Al Assad vowed to welcome 20000 Syrians — the only one of the recent resettlement pledges to give a hard number. Brazil the largest Latin American country has taken in more Syrian refugees than any other — more than 2000 since the rebellion against Assad’s regime began in 2011.

More than four million people have fled Syria since the war began according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). Another 7.6 million have been internally displaced.

These people and others fleeing conflicts in Iraq Libya and elsewhere are increasingly undertaking dangerous treks overland or across the Mediterranean to reach the European Union triggering a crisis of historic proportions.

More than 380000 people have arrived in Europe by sea this year UNHCR said yesterday.

The death of thousands — including a three-year-old Kurdish boy who washed up dead on a Turkish beach last week -- has led to pleas for the rest of the world to do more. Other Latin American countries already have programs specifically for Syrian refugees.

Argentina which has a large Syrian community has taken in 90 refugees since rolling out a program last year to provide asylum to family members of Syrian-Argentines. Uruguay launched a programme last year that will ultimately resettle 117 Syrians from refugee camps in Lebanon mainly families with small children. But the results are not always heart-warming.

Five Syrian families with more than 30 children plopped their suitcases down outside the Uruguayan president’s offices this week demanding to be sent elsewhere. Speaking through an interpreter they said they are culturally isolated and struggling to survive on the small stipend they receive in Uruguay.

“We didn’t flee the war to die here in poverty” 36-year-old Maher Al Dis said. “This is not a place suited for refugees.”

“We want to live with (our) identity and (our) values” Maraa el-Chibli a 55-year-old father of 15 said through tears.

One of the families already tried leaving for Turkey but they were detained because they did not have visas. After spending 20 days stranded in the international transit area at the Istanbul airport they were sent back to South America.

Uruguayan authorities say the resettlement program provides a baseline monthly allowance of about $1000 for two years plus up to $900 in reimbursements for expenses such as clothing and transportation for one year.

More than 20000 Colombians — many of whom were themselves refugees from the five-decade conflict in their home country -- have fled or been deported from Venezuela since the crisis began the UN said. Maduro’s pledge to take in 20000 Syrians is mainly about the Venezuelan government “trying to cover up the damage provoked by the mass deportations” said international relations specialist Elsa Cardozo in Caracas.

The United States is studying how it can resettle more refugees fleeing the brutal conflict in Syria Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday. “I just met with members this morning and we are committed to increasing the number that we will take” Kerry said after meeting US lawmakers.

“And we are looking hard at the number that we can specifically manage with respect to the crisis in Syria and Europe.”

The world’s number one destination for refugees the United States has accepted around 1500 Syrians since the four-year-old conflict erupted. But the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has in total referred 15000 Syrians from camps in the Middle East to Washington for resettlement.

AFP