NEW DELHI, Feb 21: Amid the US deporting illegal migrants, including Indians, to Panama and Costa Rica, the Ministry of External Affairs said today that once it establishes the identity of the Indian nationals they will be brought back to India.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a briefing: “Once their identity is established and we are certain they are Indian Nationals, documentation will be done, and arrangements will be made by relevant authorities there for them to return home. Hopefully that should happen soon.”
On why the deportees were being sent to the Central American nations, he said that it has been done as per a “bridge arrangement between US and the respective governments”.
“Both Costa Rica and Panama have agreed to serve as transit countries for deportees while the US bears all the costs of the operation.
“We have some Indian nationals we understand and our mission in the group and our mission in Panama, which is also accredited to Costa Rica, they are in touch with the local authorities.
“In the case of Panama, we are verifying the details whether the individuals concerned are Indian nationals or not. Once that verification details are complete, then arrangements will be made for the return of these Indian nationals back home. In the case of Costa Rica, while we have heard that some people have been sent from United States, we have heard this through media. Officially, we have yet to hear from the Costa Rica side,” he added.
“As far as we are concerned, we have made it very clear right from the very beginning that if there are any Indian national abroad who is staying there illegally and we happen to verify that he is an Indian national, we are ready to take them back. This is exactly what is happening in the case of Panama as well.”
Meanwhile, the President of Panama Jos Ra l Mulino said his country is currently dealing with only 299 irregular migrants who arrived on three flights and that no new entries have been approved.
The Panama government said this group will be transferred to a camp in the province of Dari n, which has temporarily housed migrants crossing the jungle en route to the US. The migrants are housed in the Dec polis Hotel which is under guard by armed members of the Panamanian National Aeronaval Service.
According to the president, of the migrants who arrived in Panama City, 157 are women and 142 are men.
Within the group, there are 12 family groups and 24 children. So far, 13 of them have left the country, through a voluntary return.
He said a total of 97 of the migrants are in Darien awaiting transfer, and another eight will be transferred to the province soon.
He added that four migrants are purchasing tickets and a fifth is injured.
For now, the president explained, 41 plane tickets will be purchased, with nine for Turkey, 17 for India, eight for China, five for Georgia, one for Nepal, and one for Kosovo.
He clarified that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is carrying out the project, covering 100% of the expenses.
At the Decapolis hotel in the capital, 175 migrants still remain, of the 299 expelled in recent days by Washington, “who have agreed to voluntary return” to their countries, the Panamanian ministry of security said.
“So far, 41 airline tickets have been purchased: 9 for Turkey, 17 for India, 8 for China, 5 for Georgia, 1 for Nepal, and 1 for Kosovo,” it added. Among the 299 migrants sent to Panama between last Wednesday and Saturday, there are 157 women, according to the department.
(UNI)
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