Issue No. 4 / Communications Office – IOM Chile / April 2016

IOM Chile Helps Combat MigrantSmuggling and Trafficking in Persons

Two important seminars were held in Santiago, Chile, onApril 7th and 8th to train technical personnel from theJudicial Branch, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, andthe Ministries of the Interior and Foreign Affairs.

IOM Chile contributed to these seminars with technicalpresentations by Mathieu Luciano, Head of the Vul-nerable Migrant Assistance Unit at IOM Headquarters inGeneva.

The first session, Migrant Smuggling, was held in theSantiago Justice Centre. This session was attended byJorge Abbott, Attorney General of Chile, Mahmud Aleuy,Under-Secretary of the Interior, Lorena Fries, Director ofthe National Human Rights Institute, and Miguel Yacksic,Director of the Jesuit Migrant Service.

We are the world’s leading inter-governmental organization focused on migration,with presence in Chile from 1951.

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In his presentation, IOM Chile Chief of Mission NorbertoGirón stated that, “It is very important for the IOM to bepart of this gathering, because migrant smuggling andtrafficking in persons are criminal activities that must becombatted with vigor and urgency.” Girón also high-lighted the contribution that IOM Chile has made tosupport both the government and civil society, such asits participation in the goverment’s Inter-Sectoral Panelon Trafficking in Persons and its coordination of theAnti-Trafficking Work Group, which is comprised ofembassies, consulates, civil society organizations, andinternational bodies.

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Norberto Girón, IOM Chile Chief of Mission; Mahmud Aleuy, Under-

Secretary of the Interior; and Jorge Abbott , Chilean Attorney General.

Interior Minister Jorge Burgos welcoming participants to the seminar entitled “The Crime of Trafficking in Persons” on April 8th.

Special Interview in Observationof the IOM’s 65th Anniversary

As part of the IOM’s Anniversary, wewant to share life stories and thededication of exemplary officials whohave given the best of their profes-sional life to serve the Instituion.

The subject of this Special Interviewis Héctor Osorio, Head of theMobility Unit, who is retiring after 27years of service with IOM Chile.

“I have always emphasized that thehuman value of the persons weassist is the most important aspect.They need to be heard, understood,and provided with answers.”

Top Photo:Felix Martínez, Anne Mazin, and Mathieu Luciano from the IOM.

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SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Héctor Osorio, 27 Years with IOM CHILE

It is difficult to describe his entire career in a few lines,due to the many experiences he has lived and seenduring his 27 years of service with the IOM. Some of theconcepts that have characterized his work at the IOMMission in Chile, however, include the desire forimprovement, providing humanitarian assistance, andprofessionalism.

“My first contact with the IOM was in 1978. Due to thecountry’s political and economic situation, my brotherwas unable to find work, and had to leave the country.I helped him join a skilled labour programme, and hewas able to travel to Venezuela with assistance from theIOM. That was how I found about the IOM, and I wasimpressed by the agency’s work. Some of the officialstold me they were focusing on the issue of exiledpersons, and that allowed me to see the human side ofthe work they were doing,” recalls Osorio.

He adds that, “In 1985 a position became available withthe Organization, working as a file clerk, and that washow I first able to see how things got done at IOM fromthe inside. It was a simple job, putting boxes and files inorder. In 1986, they asked me to manage the new IOMbuilding on Los Leones Avenue.”

Since then, Héctor Osorio has served the Organization invarious positions, including managing the IOM building,handling administrative functions, providing logisticalassistance, and finally directing the Mobility Unit. car

”In the Mobility Unit I am in charge of personnel whoknow the issues and are very dedicated to their work. Itis a department where everyone knows their functionsand what needs to be done. As a general guideline,I have always emphasized that the human value of thepersons we assist is the most important aspect. Theyneed to be heard, understood, and provided withanswers.”

“Over the years I have seen a lot of stories, like thestudents who travel abroad to study and show theirsincere appreciation for the IOM’s support, and therefugees who pass through Chile and receive ourassistance at the airports, where we accompany themuntil they depart to a new destination.”

“I particulary remember the case of a Peruvian boy whostruggled to go to Australia. In preparation for the triphe submitted to some medical tests, and the doctorstold him he had HIV.”

“Undeterred, he forged ahead and insisted that hisfamily move on to Australia while he remained in Chileto have further testing done. After much persistence,he finally convinced the doctors to test him again, andthey realized that the initial results were erroneous.After all he had to go through, the boy was able to travelto Australia and join his family. You never forget caseslike that one. I was moved by that young man’s persis-tence and will to overcome obstacles.”

Reaching the end of a cycle, “the truth is that it wouldbe impossible to forget my time at the IOM, because alarge part of my working life has been here, where Ihave met many colleagues, all of whom I hold in highesteem. I have been helped by many people, and all ofthe experiences and situations I have lived have allowedme to achieve tremendous personal growth.”

Héctor Osorio, Head of the Mobility Unit, is retiring in April after 27 years

with the IOM, thus concluding an important professional and personal

cycle.

The IOM Mobility Unit: Its goalsinclude providing assistance topersons who have to migrate forvarious reasons. These efforts takethe form of assistance as part ofreturn programmes, humanitarianaid given to migrants in transit andrefugees, and support for skilledmigrants travelling with work orstudent visas. All of these peoplereceive valuable assistance duringtheir respective journeys.

For Norberto Girón, IOM Chile Chief of Mission, Héctor’scontribution has been tremendous. “His human andprofessional quality have allowed our Mission’s MobilityUnit to achieve quantitative progress in the quality of itsservices.”

“Many of the people assisted have contacted usafterwards to express their appreciation for the serviceprovided by the Unit. The same is true of the executiveswho represent the airlines we work with every day. Thisappreciation is due not only to the technical quality ofthe services, but also to the good treatment receivedfrom the Unit’s personnel. Although it is true that suchtreatment is expected from all Mission staff, I am surethat all of the employees under Héctor’s supervisionhave been deeply influenced by his insistence onacknowledging the human value of every person weassist.”

“In addition, Héctor is an official who knows theOrganization thoroughly. Almost thirty years of servicehave allowed him not only to see firsthand the variouswork areas of the IOM, but also to work directly withindividuals who are emblematic representatives of theOrganization at the global level, such as Roberto Kozak,former IOM Chile Chief of Mission.”

“In view of the IOM’s 65th Anniversary, names likeHéctor Osorio are a source of pride for the organization.He is an example for the new generations ofprofessionals who join our team at IOM offices aroundthe world. Although it is impossible to replace an officialwith such an extensive trajectory, we are reassured inknowing that the colleagues who worked under hiscoordination are entirely willing to carry on his legacy,besides being very well trained technically to face thecoming challenges.”

“In view of the IOM’s 65th Anniversary,names like Héctor Osorio are a source ofpride for the Organization.”

– Norberto Girón, IOM Chile Mission Chief

The IOM Chile Mobility Team

Read the complete article at: oimchile.cl

A VALUABLE EXAMPLE OF THE WORK

CARRIED OUT BY THE MOBILITY UNIT

“For me it’s like being born again. All I want is to be with my mother again.”

These are the words of a Colombian youth who has notseen his mother for over four years. He is a vulnerableperson in transit, and assisting passengers in transit isone of the functions of the Mobility Unit.

According to Héctor Osorio, Head of IOM Chile’sMobility Unit, “This type of assistance has beenprovided for several years now. We have heard somevery saddening life stories, especially the numerouscases involving young women, most of them withseveral children whose father has either abandonedthem or has died.”

“Specifically, what we do with vulnerable persons intransit is receive them when they come off the planeto make sure they have arrived well, then escort themto a place in the airport where they can comfortablewait for their connecting flight. We also provide themwith meal vouchers, accompany them, and make surethey get on the correct flight to their final destination.”

In this particular case, assistance was given to aColombian youth who flew from his country to Chile inorder to continue on to New Zealand, where hismother and six siblings were awaiting him.

There are people who leave their mark, and Héctor is one of them. Every day we realize how important he is to the Unit. He is someone you can always count on, and he always has advice to help you become a better person.

Héctor has seen generations of his colleagues grow professionally, as well as their children. Above all he has been a true friend, which is why he has been an unparalleled person for all of us.

— Héctor’s Colleagues from the Mobility Unit

The second session, The Crime of Trafficking inPersons: Progress and Challenges, was held at officesof the Chilean Ministry of the Interior on Friday, April8th, the fifth anniversary of the legislation definingtrafficking and migrant smuggling as crimes in Chile.

The session was begun with words from Jorge Burgos,Minister of the Interior and Public Security, EdgardoRiveros, Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs, HugoDolmestch, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, andLorena Fries, Director of the National Human RightsInstitute. The seminar participants included prose-cutors, Supreme Court Justices, and various JudicialBranch authorities.

Mathieu Luciano remarked that, “I see opportunitiesand challenges related to protecting and aiding victims,but also in the field of the global perspective on migrantsmuggling and trafficking in persons.”

Luciano’s presentation highlighted the globalperspective regarding trafficking in persons, globalopportunities for combatting this crime, discussion ofthe issue on the 2030 Agenda, and the key challengesrelated to victim protection.

Luciano indicated that, “It is important to offer trainingand capacity-building to police agencies and otherauthorities or individuals who could come into contactwith potential victims, including health authorities.” Hepointed out the importance of seeing this problem fromboth the supply and demand sides in order to gain anoverall perspective of the problem, thus allowing theimplementation of holistic solutions, using as areference point the international practices that arealready being applied in this sense. As examples,Luciano highlighted the practices implemented by theIOM at the international level.

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IOM Chile hosted the follow-up meeting focusing onthe agreements and commitments produced by theThird Encounter of the Civil Society Network forBorder Protection.

The Network includes the Human Mobility PastoralService of Bolivia, the Jesuit Solidarity ServiceEncounters of Peru, the Christian ChurchesFoundation for Social Aid (FASIC), the ChileanCatholic Institute for Migration (INCAMI), the JesuitMigrant Service of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru (SJM),and the Legal Clinic for Migrants and Refugees ofDiego Portales University.

The group receives collaboration from the Chileanoffice of the United Nations High Commissioner forRefugees (UNHCR) and the Chilean Mission of theInternational Organization for Migration (IOM).

Civil Society Network for Border Protection

Meets in Chile

Hear the stories of migrants from various regions of the world at soymigrante.org

More information at: oimchile.cl / On the social networks we are /oimchile

Representatives from the IOM, the Jesuit Migrant Service, UNHCR, and FASIC

Mathieu Luciano, Head of the Vulnerable Migrant Assistance Unit at IOM Headquarters in Geneva.

“You will see how they love

a friend in Chile when you

are a foreigner!”

“My experience has been edu-

cational and very enriching,

though not always easy.”

Country of Residence: ChileCountry of Origin: United States

Occupation: Radio HostCountry of Residence: ChileCountry of Origin: Argentina