Hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing 'virtual war zones' in Central America
Hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing 'virtual war zones' in Central America
Murder rates in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador among highest on earth
• Asylum applications at levels not seen since the region’s armed conflicts ended decades ago
• Young people hardest hit by the violence
Governments in Central America are fuelling one of the world’s least visible refugee crisis by failing to tackle rampant violence and sky-high homicide rates in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras which are forcing hundreds of thousands to flee, Amnesty International said in a new report today (14 October).
The 25-page report, Home Sweet Home? Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador’s role in a deepening refugee crisis, shows how the three countries are failing to protect people from violence, and also failing to set up a comprehensive protection plan for deportees forced by countries such as Mexico and the USA to return to life-threatening situations.
Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International, said:
“El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have become virtual war zones where lives seem to be expendable and millions live in constant terror at what gang members or public security forces can do to them or their loved ones.
“Although countries like Mexico and the USA are utterly failing to protect Central American asylum-seekers and refugees, it is high time that the authorities in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras own up to their role in this crisis and take steps to tackle the problems that force these people to leave home in the first place.”
More:
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/hundreds-thousands-refugees-fleeing-virtual-war-zones-central-america
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