Brasília – Over the last three years, the number of foreigners asking for asylum in Brazil has grown 254%. In 2010 there were 566 asylum requests from the Federal Police, but in 2012 the total volume rose to 2,008 people. The figures for refugee asylum pleas were presented on Friday (26) by the president of the National Refugee Council (Conare), Paulo Abrão, and by the representative of the High Commissioner of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Andrés Ramirez.
Up to April 2013, the refugee population in Brazil was 4,262 foreigners. The great majority is of immigrants from Angola and Colombia, with 1,060 and 738 people, respectively.
Abrão pointed out that projections for this year are for 2,580 asylum requests. Migrants come mainly from Angola, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Liberia and Syria.
The Conare president pointed out that the chance for return of Liberians and Angolans to their countries – as, due to the domestic situation in their countries, they are no longer in a position to call for refugee status – the refugee population may drop to 2,996.
Abrão said that the situation of these people should be analysed case by case. He added that “most” of the Angolans and Liberians have been living in Brazil for over ten years. That may allow them to pass from refugees to permanent residents.
“These people have usually set up families and are socially integrated in Brazil and work,” said Abrão, recalling the reasons for which they could be considered residents and for having their situation definitively organized in Brazil.
The requests for asylum are not granted immediately, requiring an inquiry process involving partner institutions like the UNHCR. In 2012, the Conare received on average 167 requests a month. Still pending are 1,603, of the total requests made last year.
Syria
Abrão pointed out the migration of Syrians. Due to the domestic conflict in Syria, 138 immigrants are already in Brazil as refugees. “This is a case in which we work strongly to provide clarity to the conclusion of refugee pleas,” said the president of the Conare.
Andrés Ramirez, in turn, warned that the worsening of the crisis in Syria, which has been going on for two years, may result in a collapse in the region due to the continued growth of Syrians seeking refuge in neighbouring territories. Since 2011, around 1.3 million Syrians are seeking asylum, mainly in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon.
According to Ramirez, what has been taking place with the Syrians affects the whole region. The drama of the Syrians is a human tragedy that, if continued, may result in half the country’s population having suffered by mid-2013. Some 1.3 million Syrians are already refugees in neighbouring countries,” he said. Syria has a population of around 20 million inhabitants.
The UNHCR representative added that in the last seven weeks, 400,000 Syrian citizens entered the neighbouring countries. “In Syria, there are people who cannot migrate or move city within the country [to escape the conflict].”
Ramirez called for the international community to seek alternative to end the conflict in Syria, stemming from the fight for power between president Bashar Al Assad and the opposition.
“I made an appeal to the international community to solve the conflict. This is the case with the international policy and is no longer a domestic matter. It is clearly necessary for there to be an agreement between the countries involved. All players have to sit at the table to reach an agreement,” said the UNHCR representative.
*Translated by Mark Ament
