Crisis of the humanitarian system in Chile. Colombian refugees delegitimized on the northern border

Abstract

In 2007, the Refugee Program in Iquique is installed due to the increased numbers of applications in
the region of Tarapaca. In 2010, the Refugee Act is launched in Chile, nonetheless, thereafter; both
applications for refugee status and concessions for protection begin to decrease, reaching a derisory
figure in 2012. Given the participation of the authors in the Refugee Program and a participatory
diagnostic with refugee women applicants, it has been elucidated some aspects about the process.
It is identified that in the region there is a “pre admissibility” instance, preliminary to the refugee
application process. The irregular entrance of the refugees is a determining reason for inadmissibility
status to the process. The main factor that tends to the irregular entrance is the denial of the entry
to Chile. As a result, people not admitted in the process, choose for staying illegally/clandestine in
the country. Whom that are recognized as requestors or refugees, stay subjects to the demobilized
assistance of the international humanitary system or to the lack of awareness toward the refugee
status by the key institutions and comunity in general, situation that results in discrimination and
racism...