E/CN.4/2005/85/Add.4
page 7
19.
Officials of the Ministry of the Economy and Finance and the head of the Balance of
Payments Department of the Central Reserve Bank mentioned the importance of remittances
from Peruvian migrant workers. The Central Bank Supervisory Board expected remittances
from migrant workers in 2004 to amount to US$ 1,100 million. During the first half of the year,
US$ 500 million had been received, half of it from the United States. No Peruvian industry
could generate that amount of money, which represents a significant contribution to Peru’s
balance of payments.
20.
The Special Rapporteur has borne in mind in her work the rural exodus and the internal
displacement which have had a huge impact on the rural population of Peru since the early
1980s. The NGOs that helped plan her visit were of the view that the situation of persons
displaced internally by the domestic armed conflict between 1980 and 2000 needed to be
considered in order to understand Peruvian emigration. The Special Rapporteur observed,
however, that the resources of this vulnerable group were so limited that they could not even
consider the possibility of emigrating. The majority of this displaced population is concentrated
in shanty towns around Lima, which are also the very poorest districts, with poor education and
health services and no access to adequate housing. The Special Rapporteur drew attention to the
risks involved when so many internally displaced persons, and in some cases their children, had
no identity documents.
A. The dynamics of migration at borders
Peruvian-Ecuadorian border
21.
The increase in the unemployment rate in northern Peru, Ecuador’s conversion to a dollar
economy and the gradual depopulation of rural areas in Ecuador would appear to be behind the
recent migratory pressures at this border.
22.
The Migration Office in Tumbes explained to the Special Rapporteur that the transit of
persons at this border was regulated by the 1998 Extended Agreement on Integration,
Development and Residence.5 The nearest border crossing after Tumbes is Aguas Verdes
(Peru)-Huaquillas (Ecuador), where there is a border integration zone stretching 5 km into
Ecuadorian territory, to the Zarumilla canal, and 3 km into Peruvian territory.6 Nationals of both
countries can enter the zone on production of their national identity document. Both nationalities
require an Andean migration card7 to travel beyond the border checks located at either end of the
zone. According to the Migration Office, the zone generates a floating population of some
30,000 individuals, which distorts the data on movements of persons. Peruvian migrant workers
cross the border with their identity document and migration card but the majority do not have
work permits. Some buy and sell essential goods during the day and others go to the
neighbouring country for seasonal farm work.
23.
The Director of the Migration Office in Tumbes said that the Ecuadorian authorities had
expelled or deported 881 Peruvian citizens between January and July 2004. He expressed
concern about a series of incidents on the other side of the border in which Ecuadorian
employers apparently reported the irregular administrative situation of their own Peruvian
workers to the competent Ecuadorian authorities in order not to have to pay daily wages. There