Panama, Colombia fail to protect migrants

BOGOTA, Apr 03 (AP): Colombia and Panama are failing to protect hundreds of thousands of migrants who cross the Darien jungle on their way to the U.S. and have become increasingly vulnerable to robberies and sexual violence, Human Rights Watch said in a report published on Wednesday.
The watchdog called on both countries to appoint high-level officials to coordinate the response to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Darien and recommended that their governments work jointly to improve security and ensure more assistance from international groups.
"Whatever the reason for their journey, migrants and asylum-seekers crossing the Darien Gap are entitled to basic safety and respect for their human rights along the way," Juanita Goebertus, Americas director of Human Rights Watch, said in a statement issued before the report's publication.
Goebertus also called on Panama's government to reconsider a recent decision to suspend the medical charity, Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, from operating in its territory.
"Restricting MSF's work is exactly the opposite of what is needed to address the situation in the Darien Gap," Goebertus said.