'No food, no water': Indians among over 600 Asian migrants stuck at Brazil airport amid new visa rules

By Sunita Iyer | First Published Aug 25, 2024, 10:51 AM IST

Sao Paulo's international airport, Guarulhos, has become a focal point of humanitarian concern as hundreds of asylum seekers from India, Nepal, and Vietnam endure alarming conditions while awaiting entry into Brazil.

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According to the Public Defender’s Office and documents reviewed by Reuters, these migrants have been stuck at the airport for weeks, living in dire circumstances with limited access to basic necessities.

The situation has been exacerbated by the recent death of a 39-year-old migrant from Ghana, whose passing occurred under unclear circumstances. The exact details of whether he died at the airport or en route to the hospital remain unknown.

Currently, at least 666 irregular migrants are waiting in a restricted area of Guarulhos airport. This area lacks proper facilities such as showers, and the migrants' movements are severely restricted. Consequently, many are forced to sleep on the floor without adequate bedding, and children and adolescents face the added hardship of winter temperatures without blankets. Access to food and water is also problematic, further compounding the migrants' suffering.

The Public Defender’s Office has criticized these conditions as a gross violation of human rights. They have called for immediate improvements to the living conditions of these migrants while their legal status is being resolved. The office has urged Brazilian authorities to adhere to the country's humanitarian principles, which mandate the acceptance of refugees and the prohibition of their return to countries where they face danger.

In response to the increasing number of foreign travelers using Brazil as a transit point to North America, the Brazilian government plans to tighten entry regulations. Starting Monday, foreign travelers without a Brazilian visa who are en route to another country will be required to either proceed directly to their destination or return to their home country. This policy shift aims to address the influx of travelers from Asia, who have been arriving in Brazil, seeking refugee status, and then traveling north.

The new regulations will impact those arriving at Sao Paulo's airport without a visa, potentially complicating the situation for migrants already present. It remains unclear whether these new rules will apply to the migrants currently in the airport's restricted area or only to future arrivals.

Immigration experts have expressed concern that the new policies may contravene the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, which Brazil has ratified. This international treaty obliges countries to protect individuals fleeing persecution, even if they arrive without proper documentation.

Jean Uema, head of Brazil's refugee committee, assured Reuters that while the new rules will specifically affect São Paulo's airport, there will be no changes to Brazil's broader asylum policies. The government maintains that it is committed to upholding its obligations under the UN Convention while addressing the challenges posed by increased migration flows.

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