By Nearly 100 Migrants Including Sri Lankans Moved from Hotel to Darien Jungle in Panama
A group of nearly 100 migrants, including Sri Lankans, who were deported from the United States to Panama last week, has been transferred from a hotel in Panama City to the Darien jungle region, located in the south of Panama. According to Panama’s security ministry, 299 migrants were recently deported from the U.S., with 13 being repatriated to their home countries and another 175 staying at the hotel while awaiting their return journey.
The migrants, who include people from countries like Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, have been staying under the protection of local authorities. This support is being funded by the U.S. through the U.N.-affiliated International Organization for Migration and the U.N. Refugee Agency.
Panama has agreed to accept deportees from the U.S., as part of an arrangement to handle migrants from countries that refuse to accept deportation flights. The migrants are now being moved to the Darien jungle, a dense, lawless area often used by migrants as a route to the U.S.
Some human rights groups have raised concerns about the migrants’ safety, fearing mistreatment or danger if they are returned to conflict-ridden countries. A lawyer, Susana Sabalza, representing a family transferred to the Darien shelter, expressed concerns that her clients could be at risk of violence if sent back to their home country.
The Panamanian security ministry confirmed that 97 migrants were moved to the shelter, and an additional eight will be transferred soon.
