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Important Organizations that Are Helping Burundian Refugees

Refugees in Burundi

In September 2017, at least 36 Burundian refugees that were attempting to leave the violence inside their home country were killed in Congo, informed The New York Times. Since 2015, when President Pierre Nkurunziza was re-elected for a third term in a highly controversial election, 300,000 people have abandoned Burundi pursuing freedom.

Despite a decade of peace that Burundians saw after the civil war between the Hutus and Tutsis ends in 2005, 66.9 percent of the population in the Eastern African country are below the national poverty line. This problem makes conditions for refugees worse, as they lack basic services like water, shelter and health care. Four out of every 10 Burundians have been displaced from their country by the violent ethnic conflict.

However, several organizations provide aid to refugees fleeing Burundi. The following foundations work on assisting conditions in the African nation and are always accepting help from volunteers or donors.

  • The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) fights to provide better living conditions for the refugees, improving things such as shelter, health care and education. Also, the organization uses advocacy to direct public policy in certain countries to ensure the protection of refugees.
  • International Rescue Committee, like the UNHCR, provides education, safety and health aid to Burundian refugees. The organization believes in empowerment through education so that refugees have the proper information to help them make accurate decisions about their future. Through this strategy, the Rescue Committee ensures a better future for refugees still in Burundi and those who have already fled.
  • Help Age International is an organization that focuses on direct contact with the refugees. So far, its team has supported more than 14,000 vulnerable people in Mtendeli and Nduta, Burundian refugee camps in Tanzania. The work Help Age has accomplished includes giving rations cards and cash payments and highlighting issues such as domestic violence.
  • Other organizations aim to reduce poverty in Burundi, like Concern Worldwide, an organization that focuses on the health and nutrition of the citizens of Burundi.

Some countries have adopted public policies that ensure the welfare of refugees around the world, especially after the crisis in the Middle East in 2011. For example, Germany offers asylum applications for refugees, and Sweden provides refugees with rights like the immediate capacity to work and the possibility to choose a place of residence. Countries in Africa surrounding Burundi must adopt similar policies to allow the Burundian refugees a safe environment to shelter themselves and their families.

– Dario Ledesma

Photo: Flickr

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Addressing the Violence Against Rohingya Refugees

Cycle of RefugeesThe Rohingya are the most persecuted people in the world. The population has lived in Myanmar for centuries, but the government continues to view the people as illegal immigrants. Across the border, Bangladesh believes the group is Burmese. Thus, the population is stateless.

Since August of 2017, the Rohingya people have been forced to flee Myanmar to Bangladesh due to intense persecution and attempted ethnic cleansing. Human Rights Watch recently released new satellite imagery showing 62 villages in northern Rakhine suffering from arson attacks. The U.N. Human Rights Chief, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, describes the violence as “crimes against humanity, systematic attacks and forcible deportation of civilians.”

What is the reason for so much anger and violence? According to MSN, the answer is “nationalism-fuelled racism.”

The majority of the Rohingya refugees arrive in Bangladesh on foot, crossing a border lined with landmines by the Myanmar army. The government denies reports of landmines despite numerous claims from NGOs, such as Amnesty International. Other refugees have used small boats to flee. However, some of the passengers have drowned or the boats have sunk. Accounts have been devastating for many of the refugees at sea.

These allegations made by the international community are horrific, and they paint a picture bordering on genocide. Myanmar’s government responded to these claims, stating its military was fighting a terrorist insurgency.

In July of 2017, Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army claimed responsibility for attacks with machetes and rifles in Myanmar. This single attack is believed to have triggered the mass violence and cleansing of the Rohingya population within Myanmar. The government of Myanmar has chosen to view the whole population as a terrorist organization, instead of locating the terrorists within the population.

The situation has become so extreme, the U.N. Security Council publicly rebuked the violence. The council acknowledged attacks on Myanmar security forces, but condemned the violence in response, urging for steps to end the violence.

The stateless people simply want a home, a land of their own. “We want to live peacefully in our native land. We don’t want to be on the strain of other countries,” Tun, a U.K. based activist, told MSN.

The international community wants to see urgent action to protect the welfare of the Rohingya refugees, as well as plan for the future. Formal recognition of the Rohingya as a minority in Myanmar is vital to prevent this cycle of violence. Provision of humanitarian aid and dispatch of U.N. peacekeepers are vital to the health and safety of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

– Danielle Preskitt

Photo: Flickr

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Yemeni Refugees in Oman: Finding a Welcome Home

Yemeni Refugees in OmanOman is a coastal nation that sits on the Arabian Peninsula, south of Saudi Arabia and east of Yemen. In light of the Syrian civil war and refugee crisis, as well as the ongoing conflict in Yemen, Oman hasn’t been as prominent in the news. However, Yemeni Refugees in Oman are faced with a stark reality.

Oman has taken in many refugees from its neighbor Yemen, which is currently experiencing a civil war sparked by a rough transition of power from longtime authoritarian leader Ali Abdullah Saleh to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, in 2011.

The Houthi rebels, representing Yemen’s Shi’a minority, took advantage of the chaos and seized large swathes of territory, including the capital of Sana’a, while Hadi fled to the coastal city of Aden. Al Qaeda, which has long had a foothold in the region, has also been involved in the conflict. As of May 2017, the U.N. estimated about 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen, mainly civilians.

In response to the increasing instability in Yemen, an eight-nation coalition of Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia, launched Operation Storm of Resolve against the Houthis. Oman, while a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council alongside the Saudis, is one of the few nations in the region in the region and the only one in the council not to intervene militarily. Instead, it has opted to support Yemen through humanitarian aid and taking in Yemeni refugees.

 

Difficult Conditions Facing Yemeni Refugees in Oman

 

Officially, the Omani government refuses to give the exact numbers of refugees it takes in, but its officials estimate about 2,500 Yemenis live in the country, many illegally. Many of the refugees have lost their families, or come to Oman in search of adequate medical care. According to the U.N., only 45 percent of Yemeni hospitals are fully equipped. By March 2017, about 1,200 Yemeni refugees in Oman have received medical treatment at Omani hospitals, according to Oman’s health ministry.

Oman forbids refugees from working in the country, but many do to send money back home to families who desperately need it, with Omani authorities often turning a blind eye. However, the strain the intake of Yemeni refugees puts on the country has not gone unnoticed. “It is definitely going to be a burden to Oman if the war situation escalates in Yemen,” political analyst Khalfan al Maqbali saisd.

Still, as of now, there are no plans for Yemeni refugees in Oman to be turned away or removed. For the near future, Yemeni refugees in Oman are here to stay.

– Andrew Revord

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Dominican Refugees

10 Facts About Dominica RefugeesNations such as the Commonwealth of Dominica, and in the Caribbean in general, have become increasingly popular for those seeking asylum throughout the world, demanding an understanding of refugees throughout Caribbean nations. Here on ten facts about Dominican refugees.

  1. Dominica does not actually have a significant refugee problem. In 2015, The World Bank recorded there to be 38 Dominican refugees. Comparatively, it reported that there were almost five million Syrian refugees, and even 4,832 American refugees, showing the Dominican refugee population to be rather small.
  2. Because the population of Dominican refugees is so small, there is little to no data about them.
  3. Dominica is not involved in any military operations and does not actually have a regular military force. Dominica’s only security force is its Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force. Due to the lack of internal and external military conflicts, there are no Dominican refugees fleeing from war.
  4. It is likely that refugees from neighboring islands use Dominica as a stop along their routes. The UNCHR believes Dominica could be a “point of transit” for Haitians traveling to the French territories of Guadeloupe and Martinique.
  5. In 2016, 26 people from Dominica applied for asylum in the United States, United Kingdom and France. All were rejected.
  6. The government of Dominica is committed to providing the necessary provisions to those seeking asylum in Dominica, but due to common economic migration movements throughout the Caribbean, as nationals of different islands travel to work, it is difficult for the government to know who is a refugee that needs aid. The UNCHR has highlighted this issue as key to the protection of refugees seeking asylum in Dominica.
  7. It has been proposed that Dominica could serve as the location for a “refugee nation,” an internationally recognized state for the settlement of refugees. Jason Buzi leads Refugee Nation, a project aimed at petitioning the UNCHR to charter a new country for refugees. Buzi proposed Dominica as an example of a prospective location for a refugee nation because it is an island with a small population that could accept a great influx of people. The goal of Refugee Nation is to establish a new nation by 2020.
  8. The numbers of refugees seeking asylum in the Caribbean continued to rise between mid-2015 and mid-2016. It has been shown that there was a 257 percent increase in asylum seekers in the Caribbean during this time period. Most of these refugees come from other Caribbean nations such as Cuba and Haiti, but others come from Venezuela, Syria, Sri Lanka and other South American, African, Asian and Middle Eastern nations.
  9. The current influx in refugees to the Caribbean poses issues for small Caribbean governments that have limited resources to support refugees, as the UNCHR highlighted with Dominica. However, refugees also bring skills and manpower to the economy, making them positive additions to small Caribbean countries.
  10. Refugees travel to the Caribbean seeking asylum due to the historical culture of immigration and mixed communities within the Caribbean, and the high level of human development in many Caribbean countries. Dominica is 96th, ranking high for quality of life on the UNDP’s Human Development Index.

– Mary Luft
Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Refugees From The Comoros

Comoros Refugees

The U.N. Human Rights Council estimates that, currently, there are over 21 million refugees. While coverage tends to be concerned primarily with those from Syria, Somalia and Afghanistan, because of their large refugee populations, a smaller, ongoing crisis exists in the Comoros Islands, off the cost of Mozambique, where people flee economic hardship. Here are the 10 facts about refugees from the Comoros.

  1. Many refugees from the Comoros Islands flee to one of the nation’s smaller islands, called Mayotte. This island lies to the southeast of the rest of the Comoros Islands – Moheli, Anjouan, and Grande Comore.
  2. The Comoros at one time belonged to France, but the three major islands gained independence, while Mayotte is still a French territory.
  3. In 1995, the French government made traveling between the islands without a visa illegal, leading to major problems with illegal immigration.
  4. As much as 40 percent of Mayotte’s population are considered illegal immigrants, according to estimates by the French government.
  5. Those living illegally in Mayotte face severe prosecution and deportation. Authorities have stepped up patrols in order to detain and deport those without proper papers. Mayotte deports as many as 20,000 illegal immigrants a year.
  6. Immigrants detained in Mayotte face what a 2008 Council of Europe Human Rights Report deemed “unacceptable” holding conditions, yet many still make the trip seeking better education and healthcare. Detained persons stay in overcrowded rooms and often face inhumane treatment by guards.
  7. Desperation by those leaving the major Comoros Islands has resulted in many tragedies in the ocean. Official numbers from France state that there have been less than ten thousand deaths from the Comoros to Mayotte since 1995. However, governor of Anjouan, Anissi Chamsidine, puts the number at an alarming 50,000.
  8. Although many Comorians travel to Mayotte to find a better life, many who do reach there are disappointed. Those who have left for Mayotte still live in poverty, fearful of deportation. The Red Cross estimates that immigrants working in agriculture or fishing make an average of only $370 a month, while local citizens make $958.
  9. Some Comorians who leave the country will flee to France, although at much fewer rates. In 2016, 294 Comorians applied for asylum in France. Only 16 percent of applications were accepted.
  10. Over 150,000 people with Comorian citizenship live abroad, largely in France, where they can find better access to jobs, education and healthcare.

These facts about refugees from the Comoros Islands illustrate a situation that is in dire need of a solution. The international community must take a stand in assisting to lift the Cormorian people out of a circle of poverty and deportation.

– Selasi Amoani

Photo: Flickr

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Learning From the History of Refugees

History of RefugeesWhile it is apparent there has been an increase in refugee traffic over the last few decades, the history of refugees extends much farther back in time. There are some important messages contained within these mass movements that can help explain why refugees are displaced to begin with, what human rights refugees have, why it has been challenging to integrate refugees into society once displaced and the major social advantages in doing so. Furthermore, the history of refugee movements is not localized to any single region, but rather it is a global crisis that involves every member of the planet.

A common question is whether an individual is a migrant or a refugee, and the difference is force versus choice. Being a refugee means having been forcibly pushed out of a community or home, usually by violent means. On the other hand, a migrant makes the conscious decision to leave one’s home and seek a better life. However, these words have recently been used more interchangeably, which has led to failures in international treaties, in the view of government intervention and in the role of the public at large in amending refugee crises.

Upon investigating the definitions of refugee and migrant, there are several examples of forced movements of groups of people throughout history. The post-war movement following WWII has been one of the largest in history, coming second to present-day examples in the Middle East. The WWII refugee movement spawned several ideas surrounding the human rights of refugees, most importantly, the Common Asylum System out of the Geneva Convention. This grants international protection to anyone that meets the criteria of a refugee. However, current political structures and views of refugee-receiving nations have been less than ideal despite treaties that grant asylum, which has perpetuated poverty crises and large death tolls.

It is important to learn from the history of refugees the facts and lessons surrounding current and future refugee movements. The major factors leading to these movements are poverty and political corruption, whether from the government or from radical groups. However, the most important takeaway is of human rights for the innocent, usually dynamic members of society who are willing to integrate into safer living situations and have proved to be productive and non-violent in their new homes.

– Casey Hess

Photo: Flickr

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The Benefits of Art Therapy for Syrian Refugees

Art Therapy for Syrian Refugees

Non-governmental organizations around the world have been using art therapy for Syrian refugees as a way to deal with trauma.

One of the non-governmental organizations using art therapy for Syrian refugees is Global Humanitaria, based in Spain. According to HuffPost, the organization has partnered with Bader Medical Center in Jordan to help Syrian refugees create artwork. These art pieces will be displayed in Madrid and Barcelona and sold online. The proceeds from these will support the artists.

More than the monetary value, therapy using the arts helps Syrian refugees express the horrors that they have experienced in Syria. According to Al Jazeera, many of the Syrian children are too young to verbalize what they went through. Others are too traumatized to talk about the things that they have seen. Art therapy for Syrian refugees gives children a nonverbal way to work through their thoughts.

Many Syrian children draw things that they have witnessed. These things often include bombs, severed limbs and tanks. Other children draw happier pictures to signify a happier outlook.

Art therapy for Syrians seeking refuge also gives children an opportunity to talk about their trauma on their own terms. According to Al Jazeera, Syrian children often become belligerent or withdrawn when asked about the situations that they have faced. Art helps them process these experiences.

Syrian refugees experience many of difficulties beyond escaping from the country. Several of the children at the Bader Medical Center have lost limbs, for example. Others must deal with a lack of education, employment and permanent housing.

In spite of the benefits of art therapy for Syrians seeking refuge, there is not much of funding for it. Al Jazeera discusses how little non-governmental organizations receive for art therapy. A lack of funds leads to not having enough patient time to make a long-lasting improvement.

This being said, even short-term art therapy for Syrian refugees has had a positive influence on the refugees exposed to it.

– Cortney Rowe

Photo: Flickr

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How to Help Rohingya Refugees

How to Help Rohingya Refugees
Myanmar’s treatment of their Rohingya population is under investigation for human rights violations. Approximately 1.1 million Rohingya, an Muslim ethnic minority, live in the Myanmar (also known as Burma), a predominantly Buddhist country. Many in Myanmar view Rohingya as intruders from Bangladesh. Though Bangladesh does host many Rohingya refugees, they do not recognize them as citizens. The Rohingya are a stateless people.

Almost all of Rohingya live in Rakhine state in northern Myanmar. With rising violence in Rakhine in 2016, Myanmar’s government increased its military presence. The UN recorded details of alleged abuses by security forces in Rakhine, which included mass gang rape, killings, beatings and disappearances. Some UN officials have characterized the abuses as ethnic cleansing. With recent increases in military deployment, thousands of Rohingya have fled across the border into Bangladesh.

The Rohingya people, who historically lack allies, are experiencing extreme abuses. This can change. Here are some ways to help Rohingya refugees.

  1. Call Congress. The United States has a relationship with Myanmar that could be crucial in addressing these issues. Since 2012, the United States has provided development assistance to Myanmar to help their democratic transition. Over 3.8 million dollars were committed in the past few years. In 2016, President Barack Obama terminated the state of emergency that had been in place since 1997 with respect to Myanmar. This lifted a range of economic and financial sanctions, and made way for a bilateral economic relationship between the two countries.Constituents have the ability to voice their concerns, requesting that this relationship should be contingent on ending the persecution of Rohingya. You can voice that the Myanmar government must be held accountable.
  2. Donate. There are several organizations working to help Rohingya refugees. In collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Islamic Relief USA is working to provide relief and humanitarian assistance to internal refugees in the Rakhine State. This relief includes health services, emergency shelter and food aid.Burma Task Force USA is a united effort of American Muslims advocating for Rohingya refugees within the U.S. They meet with American officials, do media and cultural outreach, hold conferences and meet with human rights leaders.

     

    There are also larger organizations like UNICEF, Save the Children and World Vision working to help refugees    worldwide.

  3. Spread the Word. “The Rohingya are probably the most friendless people in the world. They just have no one advocating for them at all”, said UNCHR spokeswoman Kitty McKinsey in 2009.The refugee crisis, especially in the Middle East, is a widely publicized topic, though the persecution of the Rohingya people has not received the same attention.

    To draw attention to the current crisis, people who want to help Rohingya refugees can speak up about the situation in Myanmar when discussing refugee rights. Ways to help Rohingya refugees include sharing links on social media, staying informed on current events and getting involved with migrant advocacy.

It is possible to help end the years of persecution face by the Rohingya people. The international community has the power to hold the government of Mynmar accountable and provide resources for refugees.

Domestically, we can protect and advocate for our refugee programs. From 2008-2014, more than 117,000 refugees from Myanmar were resettled in the United States. As a country, we have the ability to provide shelter for vulnerable and abused people the world over.

– Hannah Seitz

Photo: Flickr

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New Crowdfunding App for Refugees

Crowdfunding App for Refugees

EdSeed, a new crowdfunding app for refugees, connects education facilities, donors and displaced university students on mobile phones. The app offers refugee students an opportunity to raise the money they need to attend an acclaimed university. It also provides an accessible and reliable method for people and corporations to donate to refugees in a way that will help them become self-reliant.

There is an estimation that, of the 65 million refugees in the world, only 1 percent have access to higher education. At least 200,000 Syrians had their post-secondary education interrupted when they had to flee their home country. No longer on the path to a degree, most of these previous students now find themselves struggling economically in a world that values educated workers.

The app gives students a social media-style profile where they supply details such as degree, university, career aspirations, past academic performance and personalized videos and pictures. Donors can filter their search to find the type of students they wish to support. Individuals can choose between $10 to $100 donations, while corporations can donate from $10,000.

Students can share their edSeed profiles on other social media sites, and the app will also campaign for specific profiles monthly who aren’t receiving as much attention. The students can also monitor their funding process and amounts.

EdSeed partners with universities and scholarship foundations who will verify student profiles and will receive the funds directly, providing a trustworthy platform for donors. The app hopes to raise 6,000 scholarships within three years.

Since its start in April, 500 students have already signed up and 12,000 individual and 3 corporate donors have expressed interest. However, edSeed hopes to accelerate its growth to handle more traffic.

EdSeed hopes to expand beyond higher education and provide funding for apprenticeships, mentoring organizations and other types of degrees that will provide refugees with a quicker route to economic independence. This crowdfunding app for refugees is on its way to help thousands of students worldwide.

– Hannah Kaiser

Photo: Flickr

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The Situation of Refugees in Tonga

Refugees in Tonga
The southern Pacific, Polynesian country of Tonga has become a popular tourist destination over the years for its serenity and beauty. What most people don’t know, however, is the exclusive and tight nature of the country’s natives. Given that its primary economic driver is remittance from Tongans that are working abroad, there isn’t enough capital, nor desire, to sustain refugees in Tonga.

To become more acquainted with the condition of refugees in Tonga, below are 10 facts:

  1. As of 2014, Tonga houses 22 total refugees. This is more than double the number in 2010, which was only six.
  2. Tonga is not interested in providing a home to displaced persons.
  3. The U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) requires that Tonga take care of one refugee and his daughter, by derivative status. The country must satisfy this condition to be included in the 1965 Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
  4. The Nationality Act in Tonga states that, in order for a Tongan-born child to be a citizen, their parent must also be of Tongan nationality. If both parents are foreigners, then the child will be stateless.
  5. Tonga has never implemented a law that would compel the country to give asylum or refugee status to any individual.
  6. However, if a person’s life or freedom is threatened, then the country does not force them to leave by deporting them back.
  7. The few migrants that live there have very few political rights and know that they are not very welcome. In fact, Tongan-born kids that have stateless or migrant parents usually have to leave the country at the age of 21. Some can continue to stay if they are able to obtain a passport.
  8. Whether someone receives asylum or not is completely in the hands of the government. The government usually requires the applicant to prove that there is harm in living in their home country.
  9. Ironically, in the past Tongan exiles often fled to Fiji. Now, it is more common for Fiji natives to find refuge in Tonga.
  10. Climate change has impacted Tonga significantly, and many Tongan natives are finding asylum elsewhere in response.

A plethora of refugees in Tonga is not something that is anticipated in the near future. Although it is hoped that Tonga will embrace refugees more readily, it is understandable that it does not want to take on more than it can handle until it can diversify and strengthen its economy.

– Tanvi Wattal

Photo: Flickr