“The violence in Colombia has caused so many long walks towards Darien,” says Sandra Flores, of the Panamanian Red Cross (CRP). “Men, women, children and the elderly wear out their shoes walking through the jungle I search of hope.
Flores, the director of the CRP’s Programme of Assistance to the Displaced Community of Darien, explains how, despite the solidarity of the Panamanian people, the influx of refugees from Colombia has prompted indigenous communities to internally displace to other towns.
“We are faced, then, with the needs of both groups – the internally displaced and refugees - in a region of extreme poverty, located in the most humid and remote territory of the country,” she says.
To help meet the needs of these vulnerable communities, the CRP has, with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), established a branch in Darién, which boasts a office, vehicles and communications equipment, and, most importantly, 35 hardworking volunteers.
“The community helps to make this mission a success. The affected population, which before was ignored and sceptical about projects and aid programmes, now has confidence in and respect for the work the Red Cross does,” Flores says.
The programme of humanitarian aid to the displaced people and refugees of Darién and Kuna Yala, near Panama’s border with Colombia and home to the country’s largest indigenous group, began in 1997. Since then, it has grown and diversified to cover, as far as possible, the emergent needs.
“The action started with the immediate distribution of emergency aid to these people, including food, clothes and other emergency items. Since then and until now, they have been receiving constant and varied aid, including visits from doctors and dentists and medical supplies to the region’s health centres,” Flores says.
In addition, since last year, furniture, construction materials and educational materials have been donated to four schools in Alto Tuira.
About 5,000 people, including Colombian refugees, internally displaced persons and indigenous people from border communities have been benefited from the Panamanian Red Cross assistance.
“Aid has neither a specific place nor time due to these persons constantly moving,” Flores points out.
Besides emergency items, these people have received seeds and tools to allow them to cultivate the land and so sustain their families. However, since the majority of refugees are received into indigenous communities, such as Alto Tuira, where resources are very limited and access difficult, it has been necessary to provide basic food aid to last until the harvest.
Sandra Flores says the situation in this area has worsened in the first months of this year: “In January and February, we assisted 625 people, mostly from indigenous groups from the villages of Paya, Pucuro, Balsal and Matugandí. They were forced to go to Boca Cupe because of attacks in which four leaders died.”
“It was the first massive internal displacement we have ever had and where the Panamanian Red Cross has had to provide humanitarian aid quickly and effectively,” she says. “Of all the innocent victims of war, those give the greatest concern are the children. Some of them have lost their parents. All of them lost their schools”.
To counter this lack of educational infrastructure, the programme led by Sandra Flores last year, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, appointed the teachers, implemented a school programme to provide schools with construction materials, furniture and school materials.
In total, about 200 Colombian and indigenous children from the Boca de Paya, Matugandí, Sobiaquirú y Punusa communities have benefited from the school programme, which included a pre-school element and literacy materials for adults. This year, schools in Balsal, Pucuro, Paya and Boca Cupe, are receiving similar support.
“These children have been waiting for us with smiling faces and expectation, especially for special aid such as sweets, toys and balls for sports. Of all the things we do, the school activities are what leave me with the greatest sense of satisfaction,” Flores says.
A third form of aid provided by the CRP is medical assistance, since due to its isolation, the region’s medical system is underdeveloped.
“Every two months, a team comprising Panamanian Red Cross volunteer doctors, health system dentists and other CRP Darién branch volunteers travel by speedboat and then canoe to assist the Colombian refugees and indigenous communities, a trip that takes up to 10 hours.
On every trip, more than 60 persons are assisted. They receive free medicines and essential health and hygiene information. These displaced communities have come to trust the CRP and this has brought other benefits: “People ask us about their relatives in Colombia, allowing us to implement a family tracing programme, coordinated by the ICRC delegation in Colombia,” Flores explains.
Related links:
Panama: appeals, updates and reports
Panamanian Red Cross