My heart goes out to the millions of immigrants having to flee their native countries because of racism, poverty, and oppression. We see these families on the news, undertaking dangerous journeys, the children sometimes being separated from their parents. There is another side to their stories though, that is not often considered. The impact that these people are having on the environment is equally problematic.
There is a stretch of rainforest connecting North and South America, known as Darién’s Gap, that is being used as an escape route for migrants trying to reach the southern border of the US. This was once a pristine forest that was rarely imposed upon by humans. This 60 mile wide jungle was home to songbirds, monkeys, snakes, and other wildlife. Today, the bird song has been replaced with the sound of motorcycles plowing through the mud as they transport people between Columbia and Panama. Refugees come from Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela, and even India and Africa. More than 100 thousand families have crossed through the area in this past year alone.
A major drug cartel (the Gulf Clan) has overtaken these woods, capitalizing on those willing to pay, to be transported through the treacherous forest. Robbery, rape, and murder have become a ubiquitous part of this deteriorating landscape. The Atrato river is filling up with human waste and garbage such as diapers and even clothing. The recent activity is taking its toll on already threatened species like the spider monkey and also on the small indigenous communities that live there. Deforestation generally occurs when forests are clearcut to make room for subdivisions and shopping malls, and to implement non-sustainable farming; but in Darién’s Gap it is being illegally bulldozed by weapon carrying cartels and millions of human footsteps trampling it.
How can we help these immigrants to have a better life for themselves and their families and at the same time, ensure that they tread lightly upon the earth? How do we educate them to practise birth control, to recycle, and to revere the earth, regardless where they are living? It is our moral duty to help them, but it is just as much our responsibility to protect the planet that has given us life. These are weighty problems, but they are not insurmountable. We may not personally have the ability to address these challenges, but we can pray for those people and join others who are seeking to raise our human collective consciousness.
