Jul
Human Rights, Migration, Politics
Human Rights Office on stranded and deportations / Tutela Legal sobre varados y deportados
The Human Rights Office “Dra. María Julia Hernández ”denounced the serious Human Rights violations suffered by Salvadorans, who in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, are transported without sanitary control and under inhumane conditions, especially those deported from the United States and Mexico.
“We want to express our concern for migrants who are seeking asylum or who are being deported, and even those stranded (…) despite the COVID-19 pandemic, deportations continue and as a Human rights organization we condemn this situation“, said Ovidio Mauricio González, the coordinator of the Human Rights Office “Dra. María Julia Hernández”.
Mauricio González pointed out that deportations persist and it is unknown the exact numbers and if appropriate health protocols are being followed.
“It is inhuman and dangerous, as described by NGOs in the United States, since it represents a risk for our country and receiving countries. And, according to different human rights institutions and media publications, the United States Government is not complying with the COVID-19 test protocols with deported people, at a moment when flights are restricted due to health reasons“.
They also pointed out that this is a serious violation of Human Rights not only against the health of deported people, but one that also has an impact during the trip, the reception and the establishment of this process. Alejandro Díaz, lawyer of the organization said that international organizations such as “Doctors without Borders” have shown that communities affected by violence and deported people in quarantine centers receive the greatest impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, when it comes to access to medical services and infection prevention.
“It is worrying that, even when the pandemic is spreading, that policy continues (…) there are no clear numbers on two groups: deported and stranded. They made one single amount and this must be clarified to the population. This has to do with the resolution of the Constitutional Chamber, which defined that the measures ordered by the Legislative Assembly should be applied and that there should be a repatriation plan following the sanitary measures…”, Díaz said.
He considered that, more than three months after the COVID-19 pandemic started, it is evident the lack of coordination between the three State bodies, as well as the political use of the issue, which ultimately puts people in a state of vulnerability.
Diaz reiterated his concern about a new caravan of migrants, such as the one that left Honduras on June 30 on their way to the United States, which only shows the State’s inability to provide alternative measures to its population; governments, such as the Salvadoran who became a “Safe Country”, that are in alliance with the United States government for some economic resources, even if the American judicial system refuses to apply such policies.
