Enlaces News #5 (October 2003)

2003 Regional Conference of Civil Organization on Migration (RNCOM)
Cancun Meeting Report

On May 25-30, 2003, representatives of the Regional Network of Civil Organizations on Migration (RNCOM) met in Cancun, Mexico, to take part in the VII Regional Conference on Migration (RCM) and establish their agenda for the coming year. The RNCOM, which was founded in 1996 as a parallel civil society forum to the RCM, an intra-governmental consortium comprised of officials from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the U.S., Canada and all of Central America, made formal presentations at the conference addressing a range of topics from the increase in human traffic and migrant mistreatment throughout the region to the adaptation of the Regional Guidelines established by the RNCOM two years ago. RNCOM members convened separately to review and discuss recent data and research on immigration and discuss migration trends and policies in their respective countries.

A discussion concerning the disturbing pattern of human trafficking was a primary item on RNCOM’s agenda. Faced with growing challenges in trying to cross unknown territories and tightening borders, migrants are increasingly turning to traficking rings to facilitate their movement. This opens the migrants to abuses and violations of basic rights, both en route to their destination and once they are working in the new country. Because the discourse surrounding human trafficking is often concentrated on sex and the exploitation of young women, members felt it was particularly important to stress the broader impact human trafficking has on all migrant populations as well as to the growing cases of migrants being forced into labor of various different kinds, including agricultural and sweatshop sectors. RNCOM members emphasized the need to address the problem of human trafficking and mistreatment as being inherently connected to basic human rights issues.

Members outlined the need for a comprehensive plan that specifically combats human trafficking and migrant mistreatment. Besides developing systems for intra-governmental communication and uniform mechanisms of information exchange among RCM member nations, RNCOM delegates agreed that a complete plan of action must address the broader economic and social factors that compel populations to migrate from one nation to another. The goal of the plan is to help formulate targeted legislation that addresses prevention, penalties, assistance, protection, indemnification, regulation and repatriation. The delegates also shared their concern that problems related to human trafficking and migrants rights were being increasingly distorted and buried beneath national security and anti-terrorism policies and legislation throughout the region. RNCOM members agreed that it would be crucial to try to separate the discourse grouping migration and terrorism as they are two distinct issues with diverse causes and solutions.

The status of the Regional Guidelines developed by RNCOM members and formally presented at the VI RCM Vice-Ministerial meeting in March 2001, was a central point of discussion throughout the Cancun conference. RNCOM representatives agreed on a set of revisions based on the different responses of RCM governments to the Guidelines, and it was agreed that once these changes were made the Guidelines would again be ready for dissemination. Members cited the urgent need to post the guidelines on an Internet site that would allow government officials and members from the international community to review and utilize the document as soon possible. Participants asserted that the document continued to be the most comprehensive tool available to governments for monitoring and assessing migration flows and the observation of basic human rights. Participants presented case studies that had already effectively used the guidelines to monitor and improve the treatment of migrants in Mexico and Honduras.

The RNCOM also held discussions regarding detained, disappeared, and missing migrants. After analyzing current data on the topic -including available mechanisms for conducting transnational searches- it was noted that there were no formal procedures that an individual or family could follow to locate or find a missing migrant. RNCOM members agreed that it was imperative to continue developing a consistent flow of information among network members in order to provide assistance in these matters. Members proposed the creation of a website where families and friends could post photographs and descriptions of the person they were trying to locate and, more importantly, get access to records concerning persons who have been detained, involved in an accident, or registered as deceased.

Consulate protection was another underlying topic discussed and addressed by participants in this year’s RNCOM meetings. Members agreed that it was imperative to strengthen measures that guaranteed a migrant’s access to his or her consulate office while in transit through another country and once she had arrived to her destination. Consulates, it was conferred, should also be instrumental in providing information concerning migrants who were being detained or imprisoned. The Consulado Centroamericano in Mexico was cited as useful model of consulate protection that can be studied and replicated throughout the region.

Report Prepared by Karina Arias