The International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Missing Migrants Project So far in 2023, at least 1,104 migrants have died or gone missing on refugee routes in the Americas, which he said should be a “call to action” for the region.
“This should be a call to action,” said Edwin Viales, regional observer for the Americas on Missing Migrants Project, during a working session with organizations that are part of the Americas Network on Missing Migrants.
Viales said there is “a great one.” Underreporting in data in areas such as the Darien Jungle, which is connected to South and Central America; as well as on the border between Mexico and the United States, which is considered one of the most dangerous migrants in the world.
This Friday’s Missing Migrants Project data shows that so far in 2023, 1,104 migrants have died or disappeared on routes across America, including 370 due to drowning, 282 due to vehicle accidents, 148 due to environmental factors and lack of shelter, food or water; 77 due to violent crimes, 76 due to accidental deaths, 34 due to illness or lack of access to medical care and 117 for unknown reasons.
So far, data indicates that 533 migrants have died or gone missing at the Mexico-U.S. border this year, including 75 en route from Cuba to the United States, 42 in Darién, 41 between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, and 4 between Haiti. and Dominican Republic. The course of the event is unknown for the remaining missing or dead.
Since 2014, the year the project collected this data, 8,569 migrants have been reported dead or missing in America.
Loraine Morales, from El Toque de editorial team, took part in the meeting on Friday. Cuba, which is implementing an initiative to record the disappearances or deaths of Cuban migrants, identify these people and tell their stories.
Morales said that as of 2021, the exodus of Cubans to Cuba from Nicaragua has increased due to the visa waiver and from there they continue their overland journey to the US.
Data from El Toque shows that since 2014, more than 234 Cubans have died on the migration routes to the United States and more than 627 have disappeared.
Mariela Guajardo, IOM Operations and Emergencies Officer, noted that the Global Pact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration “raises a moral and humanitarian imperative to prevent deaths and other tragedies and provides actions for governments.”
However, he lamented that almost five years later “since the adoption of the pact, the target continues to be poorly implemented worldwide,” adding that “the most tragic evidence of the lack of implementation is the death of migrants.”
During the session, participants emphasized the importance of looking at deaths and disappearances from a human perspective and not just statistics; Support for the families of the victims, as well as the need to create historical memories and promote stronger local, bilateral and regional coordination to prevent deaths and disappearances.
Source: La Neta Neta
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
