Not like Europe

Organizations call for renewal of policy facilitating refugee status for Syrians in Brazil

Organizations call for renewal of policy facilitating refugee status for Syrians in Brazil

Over the past few weeks, the world has witnessed in astonishment the inhumane treatment of immigrants in Europe who are fleeing the war in Syria and the tragic consequences of the region’s closed border policies. Brazil has adopted a different position, opening the country to Syrian refugees and issuing humanitarian visas.  In September, the Ministry of Justice will assess whether to renew the resolution passed in 2013 that established this policy. The resolution expires on September 24.

This week, five organizations that work with immigration have called for this policy to be extended by the Ministry of Justice. According to Conectas Human Rights, Amnesty International, CRAI (Reference Center and Shelter for Immigrants), Human Rights Watch and Missão Paz, “the time has come for Brazil to reassert its choice for humanitarian aid to the victims of one of the worst conflicts of our times”. In a letter sent to the ministry, they warn that “the current context of the Syrian crisis does not permit any setback on this matter”.

Click here to read the letter in full.

Brazil today is the primary destination for Syrians in Latin America, according to 2015 data from Conare (National Committee for Refugees). The same data also reveal that Syrians make up the largest single group among the 8,400 refugees who live in the country: there are 2,077 (24.7%), followed by Angolans (17.6%), Colombians (13%) and Congolese (10%).

“Brazil has been praised internationally for its progressive position offering asylum to these people. At a time when the situation has reached a critical point, we cannot take a step backwards,” said Camila Asano, coordinator of the Foreign Policy program at Conectas. “This is why it is so important, at the very least, for the Ministry of Justice renew the resolution – even though the ideal solution would be to abolish the visa requirement.”

How the Brazilian policy works

In 2013, the Ministry of Justice passed a resolution making it easier to issue visas to Syrian citizens, who have always needed authorization to travel to Brazil.

Since the Embassy of Brazil in Damascus is closed, the process occurs at Brazilian diplomatic missions in neighboring countries, such as Jordan and Lebanon. With this documentation, Syrians fleeing the war can travel to Brazil and, upon arrival, file for refugee status. Conare has approved them all.

The granting of refugee status allows these people to settle in Brazil and rebuild their lives. This is why, said Asano, “an open door policy needs to be accompanied by an integration program – something that Brazil has failed to implement.”

According to data from August 29 this year from UNHCR (Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees), Syrian refugees in neighboring countries now total 4.08 million. The UN office also claims that more than 10 million people have been affected by the conflict that started in 2011 and 6 million have been displaced inside the country. The number of people forced to leave their homes around the world reached record levels in 2014, totaling 59.5 million. According to the UN, Syrians are victims of the “the world’s single-largest driver of displacement”.