Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 09:53 pm
Brasilia: Hundreds of migrants from India, Nepal, and Vietnam have been stranded for weeks in alarming conditions at Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo, as the migrant situation there has reached a breaking point. At least 666 migrants are waiting to enter Brazil, according to the Public Defender’s Office and documents seen by Reuters on Friday, as the government prepares stricter entry regulations which start on Monday.
Tragedy Points to Harsh Conditions
The situation became very serious when a 39-year-old Ghana migrant died two weeks ago. His cause of death is still unknown, signaling the degraded conditions in which they have to survive. The Public Defender’s Office said it couldn’t confirm whether he died in the airport or on the way to the hospital.
Alarming Situation of Migrants Stranded at São Paulo Airport
All the rescued migrants have been retained in a restricted area of São Paulo Airport with scarce facilities, no showers, and highly limited mobility, which makes access to food and water difficult. The presence of children and teenagers exposed to the winter climate without even warm blankets adds to the problem.
Human Rights Concerns Raised by Public Defender’s Office
The Public Defender’s Office has filed grave complaints about the violation of human rights at Guarulhos Airport. The health of these migrants is allegedly worsening while they are in limbo, awaiting a resolution to their status. This agency has called for urgent improvements on the one hand, while on the other pressing Brazilian authorities to adhere to current legislation with grounds in the humanitarian principle of taking in refugees and not returning them to their country of origin.
Brazil’s Government Tightens Entry Rules for Migrants
The Brazilian government announced that, effective Monday, foreign travelers without a Brazilian visa who are on their way to another country must head directly to their destination or go back to their home country. It was meant to stop foreigners from using Brazil as a springboard to the United States and Canada.
Question Mark Over New Rules’ Impact
It is not yet known, however, if such new regulations will also affect the current lot of immigrants stranded at São Paulo airport or just the new ones who will arrive after the implementation of the rules. The new rules have raised concerns among immigration experts as possibly contravening the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, to which Brazil is a signatory. Such a convention binds member countries to offer refuge to people whose lives are in danger in their homelands, regardless of whether or not they are properly documented.
Brazil’s Commitment to International Law
Jean Uema, the head of the refugee committee in Brazil, ensured that the new rules in particular would target the situation at São Paulo airport, and the general policy of Brazil with regard to asylum seekers would not be altered.
This crisis reveals the urgent need for Brazil and the international community to address the complex issues put up by migration, while being able to uphold human rights in the face of decisions about a more restrictive immigration policy.