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WORLD NEWS Friday 12 May 2017
Report paints harrowing picture of Central America migration

By PETER ORSI said the man, whose full
Associated Press name was withheld for his
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mi- safety.
grants from Central Amer- “They take you back to
ica’s violence-plagued same place you left from
Northern Triangle region because of problems with
endure harrowing abuses the gangs.”
while trying to make their The man has since been
way through Mexico to- granted asylum by Mexico,
ward the United States, the medical group said.
a report from an interna- MSF said heightened im-
tional medical group said migration enforcement
Thursday. by the United States and
Doctors Without Borders, or Mexico threatens to make
MSF for its initials in French, more refugees and mi-
called the situation a “hu- grants vulnerable to exploi-
manitarian crisis” that de- tation by smugglers, gangs
mands the U.S. and Mexi- and corrupt authorities.
can governments do more It urged the countries to
to process applications for “expand access to medi-
asylum and humanitarian cal, mental health and sex-
visas. ual violence care services
It said the study was based Marc Bosch, head of Latin American operations for Doctors Without Borders talks during a press for migrants and refugees.”
conference in Mexico City, Thursday, May 11, 2017. Migrants from Central America’s violence-
on surveys and medical plagued Northern Triangle region endure harrowing abuses while trying to make their way through Marc Bosch, the group’s
data from the last two Mexico toward the United States, a report from an international medical group said today. head of Latin American
years and documents “a (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) operations said.q
pattern of violent displace-
ment, persecution, sexual El Salvador, Honduras and
violence and forced repa- Guatemala have some of
triation akin to the condi- the highest homicide rates
tions found in the deadli- in the world.
est armed conflicts in the Violent gangs reign over
world today.” many parts of the countries
Among its findings: and are often able to kill,
— Almost 40 percent of extort and carry out other
those interviewed said crimes with impunity.
they left home due to at- “For millions of people from
tacks, threats, extortion or the (Northern Triangle) re-
attempts at forced recruit- gion, trauma, fear and hor-
ment by gangs in Central rific violence are dominant
America. facets of daily life.
About 44 percent of the Yet it is a reality that does
migrants had a relative not end with their forced
who had died in the last flight to Mexico,” MSF said.
two years due to violence, “Along the migration route
and that rose to 56 percent ... migrants and refugees
for those from El Salvador. are preyed upon by crimi-
— Nearly 70 percent of nal organizations, some-
those entering Mexico re- times with the tacit approv-
ported suffering violence al or complicity of national
during transit toward the authorities, and subjected
United States, and nearly to violence and other
a third of women reported abuses — abduction, theft,
being sexually abused. extortion, torture, and rape
They said the perpetra- — that can leave them in-
tors “included members of jured and traumatized,” it
gangs and other criminal continued.
organizations, as well as A Honduran migrant said
members of the Mexican Thursday at a news confer-
security forces responsible ence in the Mexican capi-
for their protection.” tal that he had crossed
— Of the 166 female mi- into Mexico twice and
grants treated by MSF for was caught and sent back
sexual violence, 60 per- both times.
cent had been raped and “The first time I left (Hondu-
the rest were subjected to ras) because of the gangs.
other kinds of assault such I was 12, about to turn 13,
as forced nudity. Among and I was deported from
1,817 people treated for Coatzacoalcos, where I
mental health issues, about was in jail for two months,
47 percent had experi- and afterward I was de-
enced physical violence ported to San Pedro Sula,”
during transit.