Fear and desperation in Latin America

Fear and desperation in Latin America

Actress Praya Lundberg urges Thais to contribute to the humanitarian efforts on the Venezuela-Colombia border

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
Fear and desperation in Latin America
Thailand's UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Praya Lundberg is urging a global solution to the crisis on the Venezuela-Colombia border. (Photos courtesy of UNHCR)

At Simon Bolivar International Bridge, the most transited point across the Tachira River on the Venezuela-Colombia border, Thailand's UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Praya "Pu" Lundberg witnessed a grim sight.

Venezuelan refugees streamed across the border in search of a better life in Colombia. Among them were young pregnant women, malnourished children, the sick and the physically impaired. They had been forced to flee their homes due to an acute lack of basic necessities such as water, electricity, medicine and food.

After an emotionally-charged weeklong trip to Colombia to visit some of the most vulnerable refugees, Praya returned to Bangkok eager to raise awareness of the violence, insecurity and dangers as well as lack of food, medicine and essentials that people are facing.

She stressed that there is a dire need for support from the international community, after having personally sat with refugees and listened to harrowing tales of the atrocities many experienced prior to reaching Colombia, the country which is reportedly host to the largest number of Venezuelan refugees in the world.

Since being appointed UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador in 2017, the actress and model has also visited Syrian refugees in Jordan and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Her passion for humanitarian work stems from her natural empathy for those who find themselves displaced and destitute. Raising awareness of their plight and encouraging people to help, therefore, comes naturally to her.

"Obviously, every crisis has a history that is different, but what is the same is that all of [these people] have lost everything. All that is left is hope," Praya explained, when asked to elaborate on the impact the mission to Colombia had on her. "I personally feel very affected by the Venezuelan crisis because it's something that could happen within our region, where you lose absolutely everything; you don't have power, medical aid, food. All the basic necessities a human being needs to live has been stripped away from them. And it's very recent, it's not something that happened decades ago.

"People in Latin America have a lot of life and passion, a lot of hope and dignity. Many people I spoke with were from middle class families: teachers, lawyers and accountants. For people with so much hope, dignity, passion and strength, to lose everything -- and to sit across from you and say this is happening to them -- is something completely heartbreaking."

Venezuelan refugees cross the border into Colombia by the Tachira River. Vincent Tremeau

The political, humanitarian and socio-economic situation in Venezuela has been deteriorating for several years now. The UNHCR reports paint a grim picture, saying there has been an 8,000% increase in the number of Venezuelans seeking refugee status worldwide since 2014, principally in the Americas. Some 4 million Venezuelans have so far escaped the violence, insecurity, food shortages and lack of essentials.

Praya says people are scared, tired and in dire need of assistance. The Venezuelans she encountered were thankful for the support of the UNHCR, which has been playing a leading role in helping to provide the basics, and promote integration into the host community by working closely with local authorities and the private sector to offer vocational training for Venezuelans.

"This is what happens when you see humanity being pushed to the brink," Praya said. "What's happening at the border between Colombia and Venezuela inspired me to come back to Thailand and raise awareness about Latin America's largest and most traumatic crisis. Humanitarian assistance has to be global.

"The Colombian government has offered every form of support, which to me is so commendable. However, we have to keep in mind that Colombia itself needs help. This is not something the international community can turn their backs on. Every human story I heard was heart-wrenching.

"Many find themselves forced to take irregular routes to reach safety, leaving them vulnerable to smugglers, traffickers and militias. A record number of families are arriving with little to no resources. They are in immediate need of documentation, protection, shelter, food and medicine."

The UNHCR offers everything from humanitarian aid to protection within the region. More medical care and basic necessities are always welcome. Besides this, a roof over their heads is probably the biggest priority at the moment.

"The centres we have here are just to get people off the streets. Currently, we have a waiting list of 3,500 people, but one centre can hold only 350. All our funding for a centre goes toward basic medical care and safety. We don't call the centres 'camps' because they operate differently."

Praya can't stress enough the need to build more shelters. When people are on the streets, they can fall prey to human trafficking rings, organ trafficking, child kidnapping, prostitution and more.

"You see infants on the streets with no food and water. Malnutrition is a huge problem. While additional centres are in the process of being built, there is still a lot of work to be done. Just imagine the needs which arise when there is a total collapse of a system or a structure, where everyone has different needs but every need is as urgent as the next person's."

Praya encourages the public to have an emphatic heart for a noble cause which can offer hope to the most needy Venezuelan families.

Humanitarian need, she says, is just as important as protection. Perhaps most important is the answer to the question: what is the long term strategy for taking care of these people?


Fast facts on Venezuelan crisis

  • Years of economic and political instability in Venezuela have caused the largest population outflow in Latin America in recent times
  • About 4 million Venezuelans have left the country seeking food, work and a better life since 2014
  • Child malnutrition has reached crisis levels in Venezuela
  • Because Venezuela's health system has collapsed, diseases such as measles, diphtheria and malaria, which were once eradicated, are now spreading, even spilling over national boundaries as Venezuelans migrate
  • Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, surpassing even those of Saudi Arabia
  • The International Monetary Fund predicts Venezuela's inflation rate will reach 10 million percent this year
  • Information from World Vision.

For donations, visit www.unhcr.or.th/donate/venezuela or call 02-206-2144.

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