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Eight Important Facts About Micronesian Refugees


The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) consists of 607 islands spread over one million square miles in the Pacific Ocean. Here are eight facts about Micronesian refugees you should know:

  1. The U.S. occupied and administered the FSM from 1947 to 1979. During this time, the FSM’s population grew significantly due to the introduction of modern medicine. The U.S. also developed a wage economy in the FSM, encouraging Micronesians to migrate to population centers in search of work.
  2. When the FSM declared independence in 1979, the U.S. dramatically reduced the funds it contributed to the Micronesian economy, which shrunk the FSM and forced many Micronesians to return to their home islands. However, there remained on the islands a large population of skilled, educated and mobile individuals.
  3. The majority of Micronesian refugees today come to the U.S., specifically to Hawaii. This immigration pattern began in 1986 when the FSM signed a Compact of Free Association with the U.S. This gave Micronesians the right to freely migrate to the U.S. and to significant economic aid in exchange for the use of Micronesia’s extensive territory as military testing grounds.
  4. The U.S. tested nuclear weapons in Micronesia before signing the Compact without the FSM’s consent. In 1946, the U.S. informed the inhabitants of Bikini Atoll that they would have to relocate. Over 12 years the U.S. detonated bombs on the Marshall Islands, leaving behind radiation equal in scale to 7,000 Hiroshima-sized bombs. The residents of Bikini Atoll were never able to re-inhabit their home.
  5. Some of the aid and protections given to Micronesians under the Compact have rolled back. In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed a bill that cut off Micronesians’ access to Medicaid and food stamps.
  6. This rollback has hit Micronesians hard, as a disproportionate number of refugees living in Hawaii are homeless and unsheltered; Hawaii has the highest cost of living of any state in the U.S. Additionally, the FSM has the highest rate of diabetes in the world. The reason many refugees come to the U.S. in the first place is for access to more comprehensive health care.
  7. Despite the fact that Micronesian refugees pay taxes to the U.S. and volunteer for the military at twice the rate of American citizens, they cannot vote. As a result, many Micronesians feel the government treats them unfairly.
  8. Currently, most of the Marshall Islands (part of Micronesia) are less than six feet above sea level. Rising sea levels will likely spur waves of refugees to immigrate to Hawaii and the U.S. mainland in the near future, making it essential that the U.S. government address present and future living conditions of Micronesian refugees in the U.S.

It is important to keep these eight facts about Micronesian refugees in mind in the face of an administration that has so far proven itself unsympathetic to the plights of refugees from Mexico and Syria. Micronesian refugees have not received as much media attention as those of refugees from the aforementioned countries, but aid is still needed for those who flee Micronesia.

– Caroline Meyers

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Refugees in Namibia

Refugees in Namibia
Namibia is a country in southern Africa with a population of about 2,514,000. The country was formerly a German colony, and then it became a part of South Africa before gaining independence in 1990. Here are 10 facts about refugees in Namibia:

  1. According to the World Bank, 1,737 refugees officially registered in Namibia in 2015. The official number of refugees in Namibia is lower than neighboring countries; Angola, for example, has 15,555, and Zambia has 26,447. However, according to the Namibian government, the World Bank’s count of the number of these refugees is incorrect. Many asylum seekers have moved from designated refugee camps to other parts of Namibia. The government estimates that there were actually more than 6,000 refugees in 2015.
  2. From 1998 to 2001, the number of documented refugees in Namibia skyrocketed from 3,820 to 30,885. The majority of these refugees came across Namibia’s northern border from Angola, where fighting between the Angolan government and rebel group UNITA was taking place.
  3. The official number of refugees peaked at 30,885 in 2001. Since that time, that number has decreased drastically. Namibia saw a slight uptick in the number of officially stateless people from 2007 to 2010, and again in 2013.
  4. Namibia’s Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana described the current state of refugees in Namibia to New Era, a government-owned media outlet in Namibia. “Roughly 80% of these refugees are Congolese. A few are from Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe and other countries, with about 30 asylum seekers arriving at Namibian borders every month,” she said.
  5. The Congolese refugees in Namibia have left behind a state of constant war. In 1996, Rwanda invaded the DRC in pursuit of the perpetrators of the Rwandan Genocide. This initial conflict destabilized the eastern DRC, and over the last two decades, multiple paramilitaries have warred with each other and the Congolese government for control of the region and its resources. This conflict, sometimes dubbed “Africa’s World War,” is the main source of refugees.
  6. After 23 years, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees ended its campaign to serve refugees in Namibia in 2015. Despite the government’s claim that there were more than 6,000 refugees, the U.N. contends that the number has dropped below 5,000. This, as well as Namibia’s upgrade to a middle-income nation at the time, were the U.N.’s justifications for its pull-out.
  7. Many of the refugees in Namibia live at the Osire camp—a specifically designated area for them. However, there have been mixed accounts of the quality of conditions at the camp. In 2009, a local human rights organization smuggled 41 people out of the camp after they had received death threats. The refugees were denied access at the border of Botswana and remained in “no man’s land” between Botswana and Namibia.
  8. Although the U.N. stopped direct refugee operations, the international union continues to support refugees in Namibia by lending resources from its regional office in Pretoria, South Africa.
  9. Namibia has begun resettling its refugees in other countries that will take them, known as “third countries.” In 2016, Namibia resettled more than 200 refugees to other countries, citing a lack of ability to provide for them.
  10. The U.N. conducted research on refugees at the Osire camp to test for HIV; the organization also provided the refugees with information on how to avoid contracting the virus. The program was a moderate success, as it successfully educated refugees at the camp about HIV/AIDS. However, the data also shows that the percentage of refugees at the Osire camp with HIV/AIDS exceeds the percentage of those from the surrounding areas (38.3% compared to 30.2%).

These facts about refugees in Namibia demonstrate that despite a lack of statistical clarity, the nation is still working to accommodate those in need.

– David Mclellan

Photo: Flickr

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10 Important Facts to Know About Refugees in Swaziland

Swaziland Refugees
As attention turns to the world’s refugee population, it becomes evident that this is a problem area that needs help. Africa alone holds more than 15 million refugees and accounts for a fourth of the world’s displaced population. Swaziland is no different, as the country has seen its fair share of refugees over the past decade. Listed below are 10 facts about refugees in Swaziland:

  1. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) established itself in Swaziland in 1978 to help with an influx of refugees who were fleeing apartheid in South Africa.
  2. In the 1980s, there were as many as 20,000 refugees in Swaziland. As many as 8,000 of these refugees were Mozambicans fleeing from their civil war.
  3. In 2005, the UNHCR handed over all of its refugee services to the Swaziland government, as the number of refugees had drastically decreased following the abolishment of apartheid. Refugees in Swaziland at the Malindza and Ndzevane refugee camps began to rely on the government for key services.
  4. The number of refugees in Swaziland decreased from 759 refugees in 2011 to 505 in 2012.  This change was perhaps due to a massive drought and food concerns in the region that began at that time.
  5. In 2015, a sample of data was collected by the UNHCR concerning refugees in Swaziland.  The data found that the number of refugees still had not reached pre-drought levels and was currently at 696 refugees.
  6. Refugees in Swaziland today come from surrounding countries which include Burundi, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Somalia.
  7. New arrivals are held in the Malindza reception center and refugee camp that the UNHCR established. They are supplied with household items and blankets.
  8. Swaziland refugee children are enrolled in schools in order to integrate, and the Swaziland government applies to the UNHCR for funding in order for the children to attend for free.
  9. Malindza has health services for the refugees, including a primary care clinic that services the local community as well. The government understands that refugees come from difficult circumstances, so they also provide counseling services.
  10. In addition to providing household items, the opportunity to have gainful employment and medical assistance, Malindza and the Swaziland government have set up a food assistance program. This program was created to help new arrivals and the vulnerable which includes disabled persons and children. This program allows these people to receive food prepared in the communal kitchen.

Despite numerous hardships of their own, the people who call this small monarchy in Southern Africa home continue to provide their fellow people of Africa a safe place to escape from difficult circumstances. Although they no longer host thousands of refugees, the country still continues to treat those they do house with respect.

– Rachael Blandau

Photo: Flickr

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10 Important Facts to Know About the Progress of Palau Refugees

Palau Refugees
The Republic of Palau, a small island group in the Pacific, forms the far-western chain of the Caroline Islands in Micronesia. The country is doing surprisingly well in terms of its refugee population, which began decreasing rapidly in 2009. It is now at its lowest rate of refugees and asylum-seekers, according to the UNHCR. Here are 10 facts about Palau refugees and how the country handles those in need of sanctuary.

  1. Because of Palau’s small numbers of asylum-seekers, refugees, stateless persons, and internally displaced persons, Palau is not a participant of either the Status of Refugees 1951 Convention or the Status of Stateless Persons 1954 Convention. This means that Palau is not protected under this treaty.
  2. Despite not being a signatory of these conventions, Palau commendably took in 11 refugees from Myanmar, known as Uighurs, in 2009. These 10 men and 1 woman fled from Myanmar for fear of arrest after their political outcry. They moved from Malaysia to the Philippines, resting finally in Palau because of its openness and visa-free entry.
  3. While the refugees awaited their asylum acceptance, a local Roman Catholic church housed and fed them. During their stay, a spokeswoman for the refugees said that they finally felt free in Palau.
  4. Palau President Johnson Toribiong said upon the guests’ arrival, “It’s our age-old tradition to receive those in need whenever they somehow arrive on our shores.” The government and Palau locals selflessly gave the Uighurs hope of asylum and temporary relief from arrest.
  5. Palau made an official agreement with the U.S. in 2009 upon the arrival of the Uighurs that it would extend its small island to the refugees as home. A long-standing friendship with the U.S. aided President Toribiong’s acceptance of the Uighurs as part of both countries’ human rights system.
  6. Toribiong vehemently dismissed allegations upon the Uighurs’ arrival that the government of Palau accepted the 10 men and 1 woman as part of a reported pact between the U.S. and Palau, where the former would be paid $200 million. Toribiong claimed Palau’s goodwill was spurred only by its humanitarian nature.
  7. Palau’s reputation of accepting all displaced or endangered people is reflected in its population, which is comprised of 20,000 natives and some 6,000 foreign citizens, including 445 Bangladeshi Muslims.
  8. The UNHCR noted that Palau’s involvement with the Pacific Immigration Directors’ Conference will only increase the collective and national response to issues of refugee acceptance and protection.
  9. As a Pacific Island country, Palau remains under watch for its own displaced persons, due to climatic factors such as rising sea levels, frequent severe storms, and increased salinization. In the case of such an event, the population is protected by the IASC Pacific Humanitarian Protection Cluster, co-led by UNHCR and OHCHR to support the country in case of displacement.
  10. A recent 2016 Palau Human Rights Report states that Palau continues to respect the law of Freedom of Movement, Internally Displaced Persons, Protection of Refugees, and Stateless Persons. The law allows for internal movement, emigration, and foreign travel for all Palau residents.

It appears that Palau is doing well as it has low numbers of internal refugees, and welcomes others in need of assistance and asylum. The situation of Palau refugees shows that the country is progressing past the immigration turmoil of many other countries.

– Olivia Cyr
Photo: Flickr

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10 Important Facts About Refugees in Djibouti

Refugees in Djibouti
The plight of refugees is of interest currently both in political and humanitarian terms. Refugees suffer a great uprooting from their homes, from their lifestyles and often experience a cultural shock at refugee camps. At their most vulnerable point, refugees must depend on stop-gap solutions to see them through their temporary and difficult living situations.

Djibouti is temporary shelter to thousands of refugees, as they search for a home beyond Djibouti. A tiny country on the Eastern coast of Africa, Djibouti is at the point where three countries meet: Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea. A narrow part of the Red Sea separates Djibouti from Yemen. Here are ten facts about refugees in Djibouti:

  1. Annually, 100,000 people pass through Djibouti. Such a large number of refugees pass through Djibouti because of its location adjacent to three countries.
  2. The refugees predominantly arrive from several places: Yemen, Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Of these, 55 percent of those who arrive at Djibouti are Yemeni. Yemeni and Ethiopian refugees get usually placed in Markazi, a refugee camp located near Obock, a port in the northern part of Djibouti. Somalis and Eritreans get often put in Ali Addeh and Holl Holl, other refugee camps, in the south of Djibouti.
  3. Approximately 19,636 Yemeni refugees and 5,100 Ethiopian refugees have arrived or passed through Djibouti since 2015. Around 70 percent of the refugees, including Somalis and Eritreans, are women and children.
  4. Yemeni refugees are fleeing south because of war, while Ethiopian refugees are fleeing north because of drought. A militant group, Houthi Shia, overthrew the Yemeni government in 2015. Consequently, Saudi Arabia began a bombing campaign in Yemen. Ethiopians fleeing north towards Yemen are sometimes not aware of the conflict when they reach Djibouti and head towards Yemen.
  5. Refugees enter Djibouti via bus or boat as the most common mode of transport. Ethiopian refugees also travel to Djibouti on foot, though crossing the desert surrounding Djibouti is dangerous since temperatures may reach 130 degrees. After their journey on foot, Ethiopian refugees use smugglers’ boats to reach Djibouti.
  6. Djibouti has a population of about one million people. Around 400,000 permanent residents live in slums near the edge of the capital, Djibouti City, with little access to necessities such as food and water. The sudden influx of refugees has created difficulties in resource allocation between long-time residents and refugees.
  7. Approximately 5,963 children in the country are suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
  8. Refugees predominantly live in three camps: Ali Addeh, Holl Holl and Markazi. Markazi alone is a temporary home to over 1,400 refugees as of February 2017. The living conditions in the camps are arduous. For example, in Markazi, refugees live in tents and have thin sleeping mats. The camps are fenced in to protect the refugees from wild animals, but snakes and scorpions often enter the camps. Refugees in Markazi are also concerned about sandstorms: in the past, sandstorms have blown over their tents.
  9. Around 74 percent of the refugee population lives on less than $3 per day. Despite the poor living conditions, refugees still attempt to educate their children by sending them to temporary schools in the camps.
  10. The influx of refugees has helped expand business networks for permanent residents of Djibouti, boosting the local economy. The refugees and residents of Djibouti have developed strong, friendly connections. The government of Djibouti echoes the positive reception that refugees have received, calling the refugees “our brothers and sisters.”

These facts about the refugees in Djibouti show that they are suffering because of bloody conflicts and harsh environmental conditions, circumstances beyond their control. Fortunately, Djibouti’s welcoming of refugees underscores the importance of being open to those impoverished by their circumstances.

Through examining even 10 facts about the refugees in Djibouti, the realization of how refugees can positively contribute to business and social networks is emphasized. Ultimately, communities must fuse together to advocate for solutions to poverty.

– Smriti Krishnan

Photo: Google

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10 Facts About Refugees in Mongolia

Refugees in Mongolia

Mongolia is a landlocked country in Asia with a population of just over 3,000,000. This East Asian nation is home to a small, yet geopolitically significant refugee population. Here are 10 facts about those displaced refugees in Mongolia:

  1. The World Bank’s most current data shows that there were nine refugees in Mongolia in 2015. This obviously ranks Mongolia behind neighboring countries China and Russia, which both have around 300,000 documented refugees. However, this miniscule number does not reflect the reality of refugees in Mongolia.
  2. Refugees in Mongolia are mainly from North Korea. The North Korean defectors live there, often briefly, under a tenuous balance between Mongolia-U.S. diplomatic relations and Mongolia-North Korea diplomatic relations.
  3. Hundreds of North Korean refugees pass through Mongolia each month before being repatriated in South Korea. Refugees in Mongolia from North Korea choose one of two common paths to defect to South Korea. One option is to travel north from North Korea through China into Mongolia before flying to South Korea.  The other route they take is to go south through China and into Laos and Thailand before boarding a plane to South Korea. North Korea expert and head of the Institute of International Education’s Scholar Relief Fund Stephen Noerper once estimated that each month, 500 North Koreans pass through Mongolia.
  4. North Korean refugees must pass through China in secret before arriving in Mongolia. China’s alliance with North Korea means that North Korean defectors will be sent back to North Korea if caught in China. Defectors who are caught often face brutal treatment and forced labor in North Korean concentration camps.
  5. Their journey to Mongolia is treacherous. Besides having to sneak through China and past Chinese border patrol, refugees in Mongolia must pass through the Gobi Desert, a cold desert that stretches hundreds of miles.
  6. Mongolia has long said it will humanely treat North Korean refugees. Mongolian Prime Minister Nambaryn Enkhbayar has publicly sympathized with North Korean defectors.
  7. However, Mongolia’s position on North Korean defectors remains unclear. Mongolia has stepped up its border patrol in recent years and has several agreements with North Korea.  This includes accepting thousands of migrant workers from the one-party state.
  8. On the other hand, Mongolian border patrol agents have let North Koreans into the country, and Mongolia remains an ally of the U.S.
  9. Refugees in Mongolia from North Korea often make their way to the South Korean embassy. There, they are taken care of and able to book a flight from the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar to the South Korean capital of Seoul.
  10. The number of refugees in Mongolia from North Korea is decreasing. According to the Korea Herald, stricter North Korean border patrol has caused the number of North Korean defectors to drop 21 percent already in 2017.

Though their numbers may seem small, Mongolia still plays a crucial role in aiding North Korean refugees and defectors. Mongolia’s situation reminds us that even helping a handful of individuals has an impact on both personal lives and international relations.

– David Mclellan

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Uzbek Refugees

Uzbek Refugees
The Republic of Uzbekistan is a Central Asian country with a population of about 32 million. From 1924 to 1991, Uzbekistan was a constituent republic within the Soviet Union. Since gaining independence in 1991, the Uzbek people have been dominated by an authoritarian government. Here are 10 critical facts about Uzbek refugees from the former Soviet state:

  1. According to the World Bank’s most current released data, there were 4,205 Uzbek refugees spread out across the world in 2015. This fact makes Uzbekistan the largest source of refugees in Central Asia, ahead of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.  These are all former Soviet republics as well.
  2. The number of Uzbek refugees is decreasing. Despite the world’s refugee population growing by millions annually since 2011, the Uzbek refugee population has declined each year in the same amount of time. The Uzbek refugee population is about a third of the size it was in 2011.
  3. Uzbek refugees often flee what the Human Rights Watch has described as an “abysmal” state of human rights in Uzbekistan. The country does not allow independent criticism and denies Uzbeks fundamental freedoms in regards to religion and expression.
    Torture is commonplace in the Uzbekistan justice system, and adults and children are subjected to forced labor. Collecting data on Uzbekistan, especially on its human rights violations is difficult.  This lack of information is due to Uzbekistan refusing to allow U.N. human rights experts access to the country since 2002.
  4. Some Uzbek refugees leave Uzbekistan because of their sexual orientation. Homosexual relations carry a maximum prison sentence of three years in Uzbekistan.
  5. Many Uzbek refugees left their country after the 2005 Andijan massacre. In June 2004, 23 businessmen from the city of Andijan were arrested on baseless charges of “religious extremism.” About 10,000 people eventually filled the streets in protest when the businessmen were subsequently found guilty. In a violent suppression of the protests, the Uzbekistan military opened fire on the crowd. Estimates of the number of people killed during the Andijan massacre start at 187. According to the Uzbekistan government’s official count, potentially nearly 2,000 people died.
  6. Some of the Uzbek refugees are whistleblowers and former government officials. For example, in 2008, Ikrom Yakubov sought asylum in London. Yakubov worked as a spy for ten years in the Uzbek National Security Service, including two years on the president’s National Security Council. When he arrived in London, he had already been hiding out in Europe for months, fearing for his life. Yakubov says that he no longer wanted to work for “the executioner,” and has accused the Uzbekistan government of routinely murdering its citizens for political reasons. His estimated death toll of the Andijan massacre is 1,500 people.
  7. The authorities often harass the families of Uzbek refugees who stay in Uzbekistan. If the refugees leave for political reasons, such as those that did following the Andijan massacre, their families are put under surveillance, interrogated and threatened with criminal charges. Children in these families even get publicly shamed at school.
  8. Uzbek refugees often find that their families will no longer talk to them after they leave Uzbekistan. Due to threats from the government, families are often too scared to receive phone calls or letters from their refugee relatives. The government threatens to take the families’ homes away or beat them. According to one Uzbek refugee, Nodir N., authorities detain his brother back in Uzbekistan for several days before each holiday to ensure he does not protest.
  9. Uzbekistan’s government does not acknowledge its refugees as such. Uzbek refugees are branded as “traitors,” “criminals” and, above all, “terrorists” after leaving their homeland.
  10. Uzbek refugees still struggle with the Uzbekistan government after fleeing the country. The Uzbekistan government has surveilled people in the country for a long time, but Amnesty International says they have received reports of Uzbek refugees being spied on outside of Uzbekistan, likely by government hackers.

Some Uzbek refugees have had to bounce from country to country until they feel safe from the Uzbekistan government. Furthermore, countries like neighboring Kyrgyzstan, close to Uzbekistan geographically and culturally, deport Uzbek refugees in compliance with the Uzbekistan government’s request. Kyrgyzstan has never granted the request of an Uzbek refugee.

President Islam Karimov ruled Uzbekistan from its independence from the Soviet Union until his death in September 2016. The current president, Shavkat Mirziyaev, has vowed to bring human rights reforms to Uzbekistan. However, organizations like the Human Rights Watch say that there has been little to no progress thus far.

– David Mclellan

Photo: Google

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10 Facts About Syrian Refugees

10 Facts About Syrian Refugees
It has been six years since the outbreak of civil war in Syria that has resulted in a reported 470,000 Syrian deaths. The war began with anti-government demonstrations and escalated into armed opposition groups fighting the government after a violent crackdown on the protests. The ongoing threat of the civil war has caused 11 million Syrians to flee so far. Here are 10 facts about Syrian refugees:

  1. Of the 11 million people displaced by the conflict in Syria, five million Syrians are refugees. This means that the other 6.3 million are displaced within Syria.
  2. Four out of five Syrian refugees are children.
  3. In just over a year after the civil uprising began, 500,000 Syrian refugees had left their homes.
  4. Many Syrian refugees remain in the Middle East. They reside in countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt, although an estimated 10% have relocated to Europe.
  5. Many Syrians who fled into Northern Iraq are now trapped inside Iraq’s internal conflict. Because of the pre-existing conflict, Iraq struggles to meet the needs of the Syrian refugees.
  6. In order to flee, many Syrian refugees attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea. Not all of them make it across alive.
  7. In January 2016, a reported 2,647 refugees fled to the United States, amounting to roughly 0.06% of the total refugee population.
  8. Around 40,000 Syrian refugees have fled to Canada.
  9. Nearly the entire population of Syria lives in poverty, with about 70% lacking access to clean drinking water.
  10. In 2016, the U.N. declared that $4.5 billion was required in order to meet the urgent needs of Syrians, yet only $2.9 billion was actually received.

These 10 facts about Syrian refugees illustrate the always-escalating nature of the crisis, showing that aid is needed more than ever before.

– Danyel Harrigan

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Refugees in Uruguay

Refugees in Uruguay
Prompted by the Syrian refugee crisis, many countries have implemented stricter immigration policies. However, some Latin American countries, specifically those with a higher proportion of Muslims or Syrians, responded to the refugee crisis with more sympathy. Uruguay is one such country. Nestled in between Brazil and Argentina, the territory of Uruguay is roughly the size of Washington state and is home to only 3.4 million individuals. Here are some essential facts about refugees in Uruguay:

  1. Uruguay was the first country in Latin America that showed a willingness to receive refugees.
  2. According to one political analyst, Uruguay’s economy will largely be unable to assimilate refugees into their workforce.
  3. Refugees publicly lamented the country’s limited economic opportunity.
  4. According to the most recent statistics, Uruguay accepted 117 immigrants up to September 2015.
  5. Refugees now appeal to other countries and even to the United Nations to help them leave the country.
  6. Some refugees tried leaving the country, but such efforts failed because most countries do not accept their Uruguay-issued documentation and the immigrants also lack their Syrian-issued passports.
  7. Amidst such social discord, public opinion toward Syrian refugees began to sour. Many citizens felt that the refugees in Uruguay are ungrateful.
  8. Due to such public backlash, President Vasquez temporarily suspended any further allocation of Syrian refugees.
  9. The country’s first group of Syrian refugees was to take Spanish classes to help them assimilate.
  10. Uruguay hoped that, with their initial open-door policy, they would have a type of contagion effect on surrounding countries.

The following information about refugees in Uruguay reveals that countries with already suffering economies are, in many cases, unfit to offer refuge to large numbers of displaced persons. Therefore, more prosperous nations ought to show Uruguay’s initial willingness to accept refugees.

– Shannon Golden

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Portugal Refugees

Portugal Refugees
Far from the refugee camps of Eastern Europe, Portugal is rarely associated with the term “refugee.” Its location presented an obstacle for refugees fleeing countries such as Syria. But the Portuguese prime minister is determined to change the idea that Portugal is not a country welcoming refugees. With the help of the European Union, Portugal is increasing refugee quotas and welcoming unprecedented numbers. These 10 facts about Portugal refugees show the newfound commitment of the Portuguese to refugees.

  1. The European Union unveiled a new plan to relocate refugees from Italy and Greece to Portugal. This made Portugal third on the list of countries for the number of refugees it will welcome under the plan.
  2. In 2015, Portugal received 872 requests for asylum. Of these requests, 19 were from Syria, five were from Iraq, and four were from Afghanistan.
  3. Portugal is undeniably prepared to handle the increase in refugees as it was ranked second, behind Sweden, for its accomplishments for assimilating refugees into society.
  4. The World Health Organization (WHO) introduced a five-day course for medical professionals to educate them on refugee health. Portugal has sent representatives to the course in order to become prepared for the increase of refugees to which it has committed. The course will cover how to assist refugees in finding healthcare, why it is economically important to focus on the health of migrants and applicable strategies that focus on refugee populations.
  5. World Refugee Day ushered in opportunities all over the world for refugees. Starbucks announced its plan to hire 2,500 refugees all over the world, including in Portugal.
  6. Prime minister António Costa increased the number of refugees from 4,000 to 10,000 in an apparent effort to boost the economy. This has led to refugee relocation across Portugal in an attempt to increase job growth.
  7. Pão a Pão, a restaurant in Lisbon, gave refugees around the city a new start. The majority of its employees are refugees, cooking bread from their place of origin.
  8. Although Portugal became a rising star in terms of their commitment to refugees, some have criticized the move as simply a way to boost the population. The economic crisis sent many Portuguese citizens abroad in search of employment.
  9. Portugal is a widely Catholic country that listens intently to the words of the Pope, and thus takes his lead on various social issues. His recent interest in the refugee crisis contributed to Portugal’s willingness to accept more migrants.
  10. Portugal continually struggled to attract refugees as the location is distant from where they begin their journey. Many refugees aim for Central Europe because of the perceived wealth, with Portugal never appearing on their radar.

The experience of Portugal refugees shows that this Western European country could soon be center stage in terms of migrant numbers. Portugal is ramping up preparations to accept thousands of more immigrants and sees the refugee crisis as an opportunity to grow its population and economy. These facts about Portugal refugees prove that Portugal is a country refugees should be seeking.

– Sophie Casimes

Photo: Google