Sudanese refugees at risk under new Israeli plan

The Israeli government has instituted a new plan for dealing with refugees and asylum seekers who are in search of a safe haven from the continued violence and instability in Sudan, IRIN reported Wednesday. Experts say that the new plan puts refugees and asylum seekers from Africa at risk.

With the implementation of the new plan, Israel will force “infiltrators” to return to Egypt and would deny any asylum claims made by those crossing the border into Israel. Security forces have been ordered to arrest and deport all persons crossing the border from Egypt.

International rights groups such as Amnesty International have expressed concern over the plan. AI emphasized that the policy allows the government “to expel everyone in one sweeping move” rather than examining “each refugee claim carefully.”

Many refugees and asylum seekers have fled Egypt to escape ongoing discrimination. Egypt is also known for sending back refugees to their home countries prematurely. “Life is impossible for Sudanese like me in Cairo,” said Nadin, who had been discriminated against due to her dark skin.

“We are not asking for anything, just our basic refugee rights, and maybe a little help from the state,” said Nader, a refugee who had entered into Israel and will be affected by the new policy.

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Iraqi refugee assistance may come from oil revenue

With the latest estimates of internally displaced persons in Iraq set at over 2 million, and the figure for refugees standing at over 2.2 million, Iraq has decided to consider passing legislation what would use some of the nation’s oil revenue to help meet the needs of the displaced. The proposal would allocate three percent of Iraq’s oil export revenue to help those that need it the most, IRIN reported last week.

The head of the parliamentary committee for displacement and immigrants, Abdul-Khaliq Zankana, said that the refugees and internally displaced persons are “living in harsh conditions as their situation is deteriorating.” He also stressed that although the committee realizes this legislation will not solve the problems, they hope that it will help to ease the burden on the displaced.

Other options for assistance considered by the committee include food rationing and social protection services. Calls for legislation came as a result of visits and interviews with Iraqi refugees.

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Jarai men granted bail in refugee assistance case

Three men accused of human trafficking for assisting Montagnard asylum seekers escape Viet Nam have been granted bail, The Cambodian Daily reported Thursday.

On Wednesday, a provincial judge granted the three Jarai villagers bail, which must now be approved by the prosecutor. The men have been detained since April 23 on allegations of aiding a group of Montagnards escape Viet Nam.

Ny Chandy, attorney for Legal Aid of Cambodia, fears that the accused will face an unjust extension of jail time if the bail ruling is appealed. The maximum sentence for human trafficking is six months in prison.

Refugee restrictions increase burden on displaced Iraqis

It is estimated that at least 2.2 million Iraqi refugees are now in Syria and Jordan, having fled the ongoing civil strife in their homeland. Now, as Damascus and Amman look to manage the strain of the influx, the two governments are imposing new restrictions on refugees, IRIN reported Sunday.

In order to enter Jordan, refugees must be younger than 20 or older than 40, show proof of financial stability, and carry a new G-series passport. In Syria, it is slightly easier to enter, but refugees may only stay for a period of three months, after which they must renew residency by leaving and then reentering the country.

Because of the new restrictions, many families are being split up at the borders, with only those qualified being allowed to enter and the rest being forced to remain in Iraq.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has called on the international community to help with the Iraqi refugee surge, but unfortunately, assistance has been minimal. Bordering countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey and Iran have also done little to ease the burden on Syria and Jordan. UNHCR spokeswoman Jennifer Pagonis said that the agency has registered over 130,000 Iraqi refugees since the beginning of the year, but the daunting task of resettlement still looms.

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Afghan refugees urged to leave Tajikistan

Afghan refugees are calling for the Tajik government and international organizations to attend to growing discrimination in Dushanbe, IRIN reported Saturday.

According to the refugees, Tajik policemen are forcing them to leave Tajikistan’s capital city and return to their proper districts. While refugees arriving to Tajikistan during Afghanistan’s civil war were registered in Dushanbe, recent refugees had been registered in areas outside the capital city.

“My son was detained last night at 11pm by a policeman and then put under arrest,” said Guloba, one of the some 50 Afghan refugees stationed in front of the local Human Rights and Protection office in Dushanbe on Friday. Such use of power is a sign for the need to discuss the outdated refugee law which exists in Tajikistan.

As the refugees struggle with discrimination and poverty, many have flocked to the major cities in search of jobs. “We cannot live in the districts; we simply cannot survive there. Even local Tajiks themselves are leaving rural areas and migrating to Russia and the capital to earn money,” Khayri, an Afghan refugee, pointed out. “We cannot afford to travel to the capital every day. My son makes eight somoni [US$2.32] per day. That is not enough to travel daily to Dushanbe and back and support the entire family with food.”

According to the Human Rights and Protection Office, there are currently 1,300 Afghan refugees residing in Tajikistan.

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UNHCR briefs German official on Afghans in Pakistan

Amidst the buzz of the upcoming G-8 summit, officials from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have briefed German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on the status of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, the UN News Service reported last week.

Last Wednesday, Steinmeier traveled to the UNHCR voluntary repatriation office in Peshawar, Pakistan, and received briefings concerning the worsening refugee crisis. Kilian Kleinschmidt, UNHCR’s assistant representative, advised Steinmeier.

“Pakistan is home to the world’s largest refugee situation, the largest assisted repatriation in modern history and the largest registration of refugees ever conducted,” Kleinschmidt said. “More than 1 million Afghans have been processed by UNHCR through this voluntary repatriation centre in the last six years, which makes it the largest repatriation centre in the world.”

Within the context of the upcoming G-8 Summit, Steinmeier emphasized the role that the international community could play in managing the massive migration between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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Harsh conditions for detainees in Cambodian prison

The lawyer for three men awaiting trial for human trafficking has requested a cell change due to conditions of “punishment and torture,” The Cambodia Daily reports.

The three suspects are accused of aiding Montagnard asylum seekers and have been detained at Ratanakkiri Provincial Prison since April 23. Counsel for the suspects described the cell as a five-by-five meter space with 16 inmates and only small holes in the ceiling for air. The prison was built in 1985 and has been used for holding political dissidents. “It affects their health and human rights – dark prisons should not be allowed. I wrote a letter to the governor to help build a prison, or at least build windows,” Ny Chandy, counsel for the suspects, said.

The suspects were arrested on April 20 and accused of taking money from the Montagnards in return for aiding their effort to reach United Nations refugee officials for protection. Apparently, the men accepted $125 to buy food and supplies for the Montagnards as they waited for the U.N. to place them under protection in the forests of Cambodia. The U.N. human rights representative in Cambodia, Henrik Stenman, said that the agency was continuing to monitor the cases of the 3 detainees.

Pen Bonar, the adhoc provisional coordinator, added that “there are no standards for keeping prisoners, and there is not enough air coming in.” Conditions in Ratanakkiri Prison have been the focus of heavy criticism by NGOs since 2002.

UNICEF seeking increased support for Iraqi children

Forty-two million dollars has been requested by The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in order to aid Iraqi children affected by violence and displacement, UN News Service reported on May 23.

Since the beginning of Iraqi military operations, 15 percent of Iraq’s population have vacated their homes. Of those 4 million people, half are women and children. For the next six months, UNICEF hopes to provide critical relief for the 1.6 million displaced children living in Iraq, Jordan and Syria.

UNICEF put $10 million of its own money into the expansion of Iraqi child relief programs. The campaign is focused on protection, education and nutrition.

The call for donors to fund this endeavor was launched by Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, who has recently taken the post of UNICEF’s first Eminent Advocate for Children. “For many Iraqi children, the long-term future may be unclear, but their present needs – for education, for health care, for clean water and proper sanitation – are clear and must be met – now.” Queen Rania noted that what the Iraqi children need, above all, is a resolution to the crisis. “That has to be our ultimate hope,” she said.

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For more information on UNICEF programs, click here.

Iraqi refugee crisis influencing Syrian sex trade

Along with being forced to flee their homes and lifestyles, some Iraqi refugees have also been forced into the sex trade in Syria, The New York Times reported today.

Umm Hiba, an Iraqi refugee, was forced to flee Baghdad with her family due to increased militia attacks. With the rise in instability and violence, the number of Iraqi refugees in Syria has risen significantly, causing great tension in Syrian society.

Based on a recommendation by a fellow refugee, Umm Hiba took her daughter to interview at a dance club in Syria. To the surprise of many, the transition from refugee to prostitute is far too commonplace. With an increasing number of female heads of households fleeing the violence in Iraq, prostitution is the only way in which some can provide for their family.

As the economic status of the refugees continues to drop, some women are tricked into the industry or become involved as a last resort to feed their families. “So many of the Iraqi women arriving now are living on their own with their children because the men in their families were killed or kidnapped,” said Sister Marie-Claude Naddaf, a Syrian nun at the Good Shepherd convent in Damascus.

“We’re especially concerned that there are young girls involved, and that they’re being forced, even smuggled into Syria in some cases,” Dietrun Günther, an official at the United Nations refugee agency’s Damascus office, said.

The number of Iraqi refugees has grown at such a fast rate that countries such as Syria and Jordan have started to restrict access to the fleeing population. The bordering countries have not been able to provide adequate assistance even with U.N. refugee bodies present. Access to public services is an ongoing struggle as host governments begin to feel the strain of the refugee population amidst increased instability in Iraq.

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US policy change endangers the Montagnards of the Central Highlands

The US has changed its policy of offering a “second chance” to Montagnard asylum seekers who have been denied refugee status by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees according to Refugees International. As of May 1, rejected applicants must return to Vietnam to visit the US Embassy in Hanoi.

The State Department changed its policy due to ‘improved conditions for Montagnards’ in the Central Highlands. "We believe that human rights conditions are improving in the Central Highlands, a region to which UNHCR and other diplomatic missions have had increased access over the past year," Daigle wrote in an e-mail Thursday. "[We] have received assurances from the Vietnamese government that it will allow Montagnards to apply for refugee status at our embassy or consulate in that country. We have no reason to doubt these assurances.”

The change in policy has been highly criticized by Refugee International who categorized the policy shift as ‘weakening protections for Montagnards and possibly exposing Montagnards to new problems when forced home’.

In a June report, Human Rights Watch maintains that Montagnards in the Central Highlands continue to suffer serious human rights abuses and face torture and persecution. Similarly, ZOA Refugee Care acknowledges the ongoing ‘severe forms of religion-based punitive action’ such as beatings, forced labor, imprisonment, full-time surveillance and confiscation of property.

Despite continued documented discrimination against the Montagnards, the US policy shift was welcomed by the Vietnamese government: “Before [the US] had the wrong conception. People have religious freedom [in Vietnam]” A spokesperson of the Vietnamese government also added that the Montagnards are free to travel to complain to local authorities if they feel they are being mistreated.

Speculation of the policy shift points towards the upcoming visit by the Vietnamese president amidst increased relations with the US.

For the full article, click here.

For more information on Refugees International’s work concerning ongoing discrimination against the Montagnards, click here.

For more information concerning the Leadership Council for Human Rights projects in the Central Highlands, click here.

IDP and refugee crsis in Iraq

The reality of the number of internally displaced people (IDP) in Iraq represents the largest crisis of such magnitude since 1948. The response of the international community, up to this point, has been insufficient to meet the urgent need for humanitarian assistance. There are a total of 2 million IDPs and 2 million Iraqi refugees in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Iran. The majority of these refugees have sought refuge in Syria and Jordan despite increasing tension and lack of governmental interest in providing public services.

Despite rhetorical commitments to the refugee crisis, the 700,000-1 million Iraqi refugees in Jordan are refused access to public services on a practical level. While the Iraqi refugees in Syria have had access to public services up until this point, the 800,000 to 1.5 million refugees are starting to create tension within the Syrian government. The Syrians were previously very gracious with their support for the Iraqis as a sign of Arab solidarity, however, this is certain to change as the crisis in Iraq escalates and creates more refugees. The increasing poverty among Iraqi refugees also creates tension due to increased passport requirements by neighboring countries to ensure the ‘visitors’, as the Jordanian government refers to them, do not permanently relocate. Analysts also fear that the increased sectarian violence could, in fact, worsen if heavy arms make their way into factional conflicts. The likelihood of the sectarian violence spreading outside of Iraq is probable, especially if no additional actions are taken. As barriers for IDPs continue to increase and violence increases, the crisis is only exacerbated. Yielding an increase in IDPs and refugees would most likely cause Syria to halt access to public services by Iraqis.

For more information on the Iraqi refugee crisis, visit Refugee International here.

Information on UNHCR missions for Iraqi refugees, click here.

UNRWA Commissioner-General speaks at Wilson Center

Karen Koning AbuZayd, the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA), spoke at the Wilson Center today on the obstacles faced by refugees in the Palestinian Occupied Territories. UNRWA was created before the inception of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and its sole mandate is to provide for the humanitarian needs of Palestinian refugees as a result of the continued occupation and ongoing restrictions on movement.

AbuZayd advocated the closing of the gap between words and actions. She highlighted the ideals and values proclaimed by the international community but noted the lack of effective, practical actions taken on behalf of remedying the conditions brought on by 60 years of occupation. Although AbuZayd said there is still a lifetime of work to do, the educational programs in the region have had a significant impact as the Palestinian literacy rate is 92.4 percent, well beyond the Middle Eastern average of 64 percent. Regarding meeting the concerns of the 800,000-plus displaced Palestinians, as well as those living under occupation, she called for a focus on infrastructure development in order to create an environment that fosters peace and good governance.

The goal of UNWRA through its humanitarian assistance is to encourage the international community to change their strategy of isolation and exclusion as a means of creating and ensuring a sustainable peace process. As poverty rates have risen to 80 percent in Gaza, AbuZayd called for the international community to meet the obligations and promises of countless international agreements to ensure compliance with current, agreed upon, human rights conventions.

AbuZayd began her humanitarian career in Sudan in 1981. Since that time, she has served as the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and in various posts at UNHCR.

To view the video of the discussion, click here.

For more information on Mrs. AbuZayd and UNRWA, click here.

Afghan refugees in India stage protest outside UNHCR offices

Taliban victims in India are struggling to obtain refugee status as the Taliban continues to fight in Afghanistan. On Monday, many Afghan families met to protest in front of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in New Delhi, The Hindu reported.

Pashtoon, a 36-year-old mother of five, found herself on the run to India with her children after the Taliban beheaded her husband five years ago. Like many others, Pashtoon has been seeking refugee status in India for several years. Pashtoon and 53 others who fled Afghanistan and have been denied refugee status, began an indefinite sit-in outside the UNHCR office on Monday.

“I have been refused a refugee status on the ground that I made a mistake during the interview. I am alone with five children and no money, I saw my husband being beheaded. Do you think my mind is equipped to answer questions with accuracy?” Pashtoon said.

Despite living in India for the past 14 years, Ali Ahmed has yet to be granted refugee status amidst decreased instability.

"Some of us have been living in India for the past 14 years, but the UNHCR refuses to grant us refugee status. We live in constant fear of being deported back in the absence of documents. We can neither work nor send our children to school. Seeking refugee status has been more daunting than facing death in Afghanistan," Ahmed said.

A UNHCR spokesperson denied allegations of being “insensitive to their plight,” citing the use and necessity of refugee status determination (RSD), the protocol by which refuges status is determined.

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