04/09/2009
The number of displaced Iraqis remains high, both inside the country and in neighboring ones. They remain reluctant to go back due to lack of security, the creation of ethnically cleansed neighborhoods, and poor government services.
04/03/2009
Somalia remains the site of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with
regional consequences that require greater international attention. The
formation of a new government has so far meant little to the more than
three million Somalis in need of emergency assistance inside the
country. Aid agencies are struggling to respond to the needs of more
than 500,000 refugees in neighboring countries. Donor governments need
to be more generous in responding to refugee needs, especially in
the Dadaab camps in Kenya, while also strengthening the African Union
peacekeeping mission, AMISOM, to perform its limited mandate inside the
country.
03/26/2009
International engagement is urgently needed to rescue south Sudan from
the brink of an unfolding crisis. The perilous situation is being
ignored amid the focus on the indictment of President Al-Bashir by the
International Criminal Court. Approximately two million people have
returned to south Sudan since 2005 to extreme poverty. Social services
and livelihood opportunities for communities remain minimal while
tribal tensions and localized conflicts are on the rise. South Sudan is
also facing an economic crisis due to the drop in oil prices, creating
the potential for new insecurity. If these threats are not addressed,
the implosion of the south will shatter any realistic prospect for
peace in Sudan as a whole, including the Darfur region.
03/18/2009
In the past year, humanitarian assistance to Burma has been primarily focused on victims of Cyclone Nargis, which struck the Irrawaddy delta on May 2, 2008. Though the initial delivery of assistance was hampered by government obstruction, the aid programs that have since developed in the delta have benefited from an ease of operations unseen in other parts of the country.
03/04/2009
With the recent shift in the security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) must quickly reorient their strategies to assist and protect vulnerable people. Ongoing violence and a lack of access to basic services are taking their toll on the Congolese people and a more aggressive humanitarian response is now needed. The UN mission to the DRC (MONUC), working closely with UN agencies and NGOs, must also be more proactive in fulfilling its commitment to protect civilians.
03/04/2009
Il est urgent que les agences des Nations Unies et les organisations non gouvernementales (ONG) remodèlent leurs stratégies d’aide aux populations vulnérables dans l’est de la République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) qui a récemment connu un changement dramatique dans sa situation sécuritaire. La violence et l’accès limité aux services minimum ont déjà fait de nombreuses victimes au sein de la population congolaise, et une réponse humanitaire plus agressive est maintenant primordiale. La mission des Nations Unies en RDC (MONUC), en lien étroit avec les agences de l’ONU et les ONG, doit être plus proactive dans le respect de ses engagements en ce qui concerne la protection des civils.
01/26/2009
The humanitarian situation has severely deteriorated over the past year in Afghanistan and Pakistan, creating more displacement and vulnerability. To promote stability, the international community must better balance development and humanitarian assistance and target returnees to Afghanistan as well as displaced people in both countries. Donor governments must allocate budgets based on need, not on political objectives. The UN must raise its voice on concerns related to protecting civilians. Whether by establishing an independent OCHA office or appointing dedicated senior humanitarian staff, the UN must talk to all factions and send a clear message that it is determined to fulfill its humanitarian mandate.
01/15/2009
Donor governments, international agencies, and national leaders should seize the current opportunity to break the cycle of violent conflict and sow the seeds for a steady recovery in the Central African Republic (CAR).
01/15/2009
Les gouvernements donateurs, les agences internationales, et les
dirigeants nationaux devraient saisir l’occasion qu’ils ont aujourd’hui
de mettre un terme au conflit afin que la République Centrafricaine
puisse se rétablir progressivement. Le processus de paix progresse et
des milliers de personnes déplacées qui avaient fui la violence et le
banditisme de grand chemin ont pu rentrer chez eux. Mais on estime à
209 000 les Centrafricains toujours déplacés à l’intérieur du pays, ou
réfugiés dans les pays voisins tels que le Cameroun, Tchad et Soudan.
Plus d’un million de personnes vivent en état de pauvreté chronique et
d’insécurité. Pour que les Centrafricains puissent rentrer chez eux et
reprendre leur vie en paix, il faudra non seulement un effort soutenu
pour mettre un terme au conflit, atténuer les effets de la pauvreté qui
en découlent et de la faiblesse structurelle de l’état, mais également
un effort de développement socio-économique.
01/07/2009
Sudan is entering a volatile period in the implementation of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The risk of violent outbreaks is acute.
The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) was deployed with a mandate to observe
and monitor CPA implementation, and is therefore both ill-equipped and
ill-disposed to engage in civilian protection efforts. Given the
heightened risk of violence, the UN Secretariat must insist that UNMIS
concentrate on proactive measures to prevent conflict and protect
civilians. The mission must develop a more comprehensive and inclusive
protection planning mechanism. Finally, the Department of Peacekeeping
Operations must establish clear rules of engagement to empower UNMIS
troops.
12/18/2008
Among Burma’s ethnic minorities, the Rohingya, a stateless population,
stand out for their particularly harsh treatment by Burmese authorities
and their invisibility as a persecuted minority. Despite decades of
severe repression, there has been minimal international response to the
needs of this extremely vulnerable population compared to other Burmese
refugees. The United Nations (UN) and donor governments should
integrate the Rohingya into their regional responses for Burmese
refugees. Host countries should allow the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
and implementing partners to provide basic services to all the Rohingya
and officially recognize them as a refugee population.
11/25/2008
Having fled killings, kidnappings, torture, and death threats, about
3,000 Palestinian refugees from Iraq are currently stranded in three
camps along the border between Syria and Iraq. Denied asylum and
refugee rights, they are extremely vulnerable in poorly situated camps.
The Syrian government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
are both open to third country resettlement on humanitarian grounds and
on the basis of individual choice.
11/19/2008
Somalia is the world’s worst humanitarian disaster and aid agencies are
unable to respond to the immense scale of needs. The insecurity
preventing assistance is a consequence of failed international
political and diplomatic efforts. To stabilize the situation in south
central Somalia, U.S. policy requires a complete overhaul, prioritizing
humanitarian concerns over narrow counterterrorism objectives.
11/06/2008
The UN peacekeeping mission in the DR Congo (DRC) is stretched beyond all reasonable expectations. The force has responded in earnest as several hundred thousand Congolese have fled homes and displacement camps, intent on escaping the violence that has reignited in the North Kivu province in recent days. But the UN force, known as MONUC, will continue to be incapable of protecting civilians and stabilizing the province without greater international military support; a clear, well-resourced mandate; an enhanced ability to interact with local communities; and, above all, the guarantee of sustained, high-level political support.
11/05/2008
La mission de paix de l’ONU en République Démocratique du Congo a été mise à rude épreuve. Alors que plusieurs centaines de milliers de Congolais fuyaient leurs foyers et les camps de réfugiés pour éviter la violence qui reprenait dans le Nord-Kivu, la force a fait son possible pour répondre aux demandes pressantes de la population. Mais la MONUC (Mission des Nations unies en République Démocratique du Congo) n’aura toujours pas les moyens de protéger les civils, ni de maintenir une stabilité dans la Province, sans une aide militaire internationale accrue; un mandat clair et bien documenté; une capacité renforcée pour interagir avec les communautés locales; et, surtout, la garantie d’un soutien politique continu de haut-niveau.
10/30/2008
Two million Iraqi refugees are increasingly desperate and
few of them are willing to return home. Although the United Nations and donor
governments have dramatically increased their response to Iraqi refugees' needs,
these efforts must be expanded as refugees are increasingly vulnerable due to
depleting assets and rising costs.
10/08/2008
Un effort soutenu pour remédier aux problèmes d’accès par la route dans le Nord du Katanga pourrait accélérer la création de services de base et stimuler les activités économiques. La région est connue pour son isolement géographique, ses infrastructures délabrées et ses besoins humanitaires chroniques. Malgré tout, la sécurité s’est améliorée, les réfugiés sont bien accueillis par les communautés et par ailleurs, les autorités locales se sont engagées à aider les rapatriés et les communautés d’accueil : autant d’éléments positifs pour la création de projets de relèvement économique. Les autorités congolaises, les donateurs internationaux et les agences de développement devraient saisir cette occasion pour reconstruire la région et réduire les risques d’un retour de la violence.
10/08/2008
A concerted effort to tackle aggressively road access issues in
northern Katanga can accelerate the creation of basic services and
stimulate economic activities. Improved security, communities’
welcoming attitudes towards returning refugees, and a commitment from
local government officials to help returnees and residents provide an
opportunity in an area known for its geographic isolation, battered
infrastructure and chronic humanitarian needs. Congolese authorities,
international donors and development-oriented agencies should seize
this opportunity to rebuild the region and reduce the risk of a relapse
of violence.
10/01/2008
Le Burundi doit faire face à d’importants défis pour réintégrer les réfugiés qui ont passé des décennies en exil. Pour assurer une stabilité durable, le gouvernement du Burundi devrait aborder de façon plus volontariste les questions relatives à la terre et à la propriété entre les rapatriés et les résidents; de même, les pays donateurs devraient renforcer les strctures gouvernementales locales et les aider à relancer les services et les activités de subsistance pour les rapatriés.
10/01/2008
Burundi is facing enormous challenges reintegrating thousands of
refugees who spent decades in exile. To ensure long-term stability, the
government of Burundi should address more vigorously land and property
disputes between returnees and residents, and donor countries should
strengthen local government bodies and help them boost services and
livelihood opportunities for returnees.
09/25/2008
For the first time since Bangladesh gained independence in 1971, Urdu
speaking minorities will be eligible to vote in December’s
parliamentary elections. A High Court judgment last May confirmed the
group’s rights to Bangladeshi citizenship, ending nearly four decades
of political and socio-economic exclusion.
09/17/2008
Kuwait must begin immediate and transparent reviews of all
bidun cases towards providing naturalization and at the same time
consider undertaking a tolerance campaign to address discrimination in
the society at large.
Kuwait should provide civil registry and social services equitably,
particularly ensuring that birth certificates, inclusive of name, are
provided for all children. The Government of Kuwait must move to
resolve statelessness within its borders.
09/04/2008
Three months after Cyclone Nargis, the
world has an outdated image of the situation inside Burma. Although aid
agencies delivered assistance within days after the storm and continue
to do so, the story of a recalcitrant government that rejects aid from
the generous nations of the world has not been updated.
08/04/2008
To promote peace and stability in the region, donors should provide increased funding to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) so that Sudanese refugees who wish to return home from Uganda can do so safely, voluntarily, and in dignity. Assistance will also be needed for those who wish to integrate locally. At the same time, the threat of new violence in south Sudan requires ongoing space for refugees to seek asylum in Uganda. This will be enhanced by ensuring that former refugee settlement areas are rehabilitated and handed over to the local authorities in good condition.
07/29/2008
Increasing numbers of Colombians are fleeing their homes in several regions of the country and continue to face serious vulnerability. Despite greater security in urban centers and improvements in funding and the legal aspects of the government’s emergency response system for new displacements, the large numbers of newly displaced people are overwhelming the capacity of the government and humanitarian agencies.
07/29/2008
Se incrementa el número de colombianos que escapan de sus casas en varias regiones del país y siguen afrontando un alto grado de vulnerabilidad. A pesar que hay mayor seguridad en centros urbanos, más recursos financieros y un gran marco normativo que incluye un sistema de respuesta para la emergencia en caso de nuevos desplazamientos, la gran cantidad de personas recién desplazadas desborda la capacidad de las agencias de gobierno y humanitarias. Los presupuestos de las administraciones locales y sus infraestructuras afrontan esa enorme tensión y las distancias de las áreas donde ocurre el desplazamiento también complica la respuesta humanitaria.
07/24/2008
Malgré la présence d’une force militaire de l’Union européenne à l’est du Tchad, des mouvements rebelles, la violence intercommunautaire, des attaques transfrontalières et le banditisme sont endémiques. Les civils et le personnel humanitaire sont régulièrement attaqués et une insécurité continuelle entrave la distribution de l’aide humanitaire. Pour augmenter la stabilité au Tchad, le Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies doit renforcer la mission de maintien de l’ordre de l’ONU (MINURCAT), augmenter les efforts pour la réforme du secteur de la justice et donner la possibilité au responsable civil de la mission de l’ONU de s’engager dans des efforts politiques en vue de la stabilisation et de la réconciliation.
07/24/2008
Les agences d’aide internationale et les pays donateurs devraient
développer des stratégies pour promouvoir des solutions durables pour
les personnes déplacées internes (PDI) dans l’est du Tchad et pour
diminuer la dépendance des réfugiés soudanais à l’assistance
extérieure.
07/24/2008
Despite the presence of a European Union military force in eastern
Chad, rebel movements, inter-communal violence, cross border attacks
and banditry are rampant. Civilians and humanitarian staff are
routinely attacked and ongoing insecurity is hampering the delivery of
humanitarian aid. To increase stability in Chad, the United Nations
Security Council must strengthen the UN policing mission (MINURCAT),
increase efforts for justice sector reform and give the civilian head
of the UN mission the ability to engage in political efforts towards
stabilization and reconciliation.
07/24/2008
International aid agencies and donor
governments should develop strategies to promote durable solutions for
internally displaced people (IDPs) in eastern Chad and to decrease
Sudanese refugees’ dependence on outside assistance.
07/21/2008
Peace negotiations over the past two years between the Government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have produced tangible gains for the north which must not be lost. Despite the fact that LRA leader Joseph Kony has not signed the Final Peace Agreement, improved security has meant that many internally displaced people (IDPs) can now access their farm land and begin rebuilding their homes. The situation remains fragile, however, and many of the displaced keep a foot in two places – one in the original camp or transit site and one in their home land – in case security deteriorates.
05/30/2008
Despite strong historic and ethnic ties,
relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia have rarely been smooth. As a
result, and particularly over the past decade, nationality rights of
residents of both countries have been at risk.
05/28/2008
On May 16, President Leonel Fernandez won a further term in office using the electoral slogan "Pa'lante"
("moving forward") with a campaign message of modernization and
development for the country. But the Dominican Republic is not
utilizing all its human resources to move forward. An illegal
retroactive application of nationality laws is leaving increasing
numbers of Dominicans of Haitian descent functionally stateless.
05/28/2008
Cientos de miles de personas han quedado en un limbo legal y, en práctica, una gran mayoría de ellas se ven sin acceso ni a la nacionalidad dominicana ni a la haitiana. El pasado 16 de mayo el Presidente Leonel Fernández renovó su mandato haciendo uso del slogan electoral "Pa’lante" (hacia adelante), transmitiendo durante su campaña un mensaje de modernización y desarrollo para el país.
05/23/2008
The ethnic divides that Kenya’s election
crisis brought to light overshadow
another longstanding form of marginalization: obstacles to citizenship
faced by minority groups such as the Nubians, Kenyan Somalis, and
coastal Arabs in the national identification (ID) card registration
process.
05/20/2008
La communauté internationale doit aller au-delà du fait de répondre aux besoins basiques immédiats et développer une stratégie pour traiter de façon complète les dynamiques de l’actuelle crise des déplacements dans l’est de la République Démocratique du Congo (RDC).
05/19/2008
The international community must move beyond providing immediate basic services and develop a strategy to deal comprehensively with the dynamics of the current displacement crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Despite a precarious security situation, internally displaced people in North Kivu and the communities that host three-quarters of the total displaced population are trying to move forward with their lives, and they are doing so with or without the support of the international community. In addition to aid that meets basic needs, displaced and host communities require access to livelihood programs and education for their children given the protracted nature of the displacement crisis.
05/07/2008
On May 2, 2008, Cyclone Nargis swept through Burma’s delta region, devastating a country that was already on the brink of a humanitarian crisis. The death toll is likely to mount to over 70,000, and as many as two million people have been displaced from their homes. There are alarming reports of entire villages destroyed, their populations missing. The international community must rally around a UN-led response to the crisis, set aside political disputes with the government of Burma, and begin preparing for not only immediate assistance, but also medium- and long-term stabilization and reconstruction plans.
04/10/2008
Yemen is one of the least developed
countries in the world, ranking 153rd in the Human Development Index.
In the north of the country, a localized conflict has displaced tens of
thousands of civilians since 2004. In the past few years the arrival of
large numbers of Ethiopian and Somali migrants and asylum seekers has
further jeopardized the economy and stability of the country.
03/31/2008
Somalia is without a doubt the most neglected crisis in the world
today. Over the past seventeen years, Somalia has been subject to
ongoing civil wars, droughts and floods. Most observers agree that the
crisis has never been as acute as it is today. The immense gap between
the level of need and the corresponding humanitarian response is
striking. Agencies struggle to provide food, water, health care, and
other basic assistance to one million internally displaced people
because of the worsening security crisis.
03/25/2008
Economic difficulties drove the dramatic September 2007 protests in Burma. In their aftermath, the international community is beginning to respond to the humanitarian needs of ordinary Burmese. The U.S. is a critical exception. While most analysts, including Refugees International, believe only a change in political leadership can address the structural causes of poverty in Burma, few forecast an end to the country’s political stalemate. The international community must do more to address the humanitarian needs of Burma’s 55 million people in the absence of political progress.
03/17/2008
In 2007, the international community
finally started responding to the plight of Iraqi refugees in the
Middle East. The attention to the crisis resulted in increased funding
that allowed the UN—particularly the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)—and
non-governmental organizations to develop and expand their programs.
Still, much more remains to be done to identify and meet the particular
needs of refugees from mixed socio-economic backgrounds living in
developed urban areas.
03/04/2008
Three years after the signature of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the Government of Sudan and
the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A), adequate access
to basic services and creation of sustainable livelihoods remain
elusive for most Sudanese people. Since 2004, an estimated 2 million
southern Sudanese, either exiled in neighbouring countries or displaced
within Sudan, have returned home, with more than 90% having done so
spontaneously. Only a fraction has received adequate assistance.
01/22/2008
The Central African Republic (CAR) faces
political instability and chronic poverty that demand a long-term
concerted effort from the international donor community, the United
Nations and international NGOs. Several positive steps have been taken
in the last few months, but more can be done to assist the government
in tackling the crisis in the northwest that is at the heart of massive
displacement.
11/28/2007
The recent government crackdown on demonstrations by monks and common people inside Burma focused the world’s attention on the ongoing human rights and humanitarian catastrophe there. After years of internal conflict and repression, 500,000 have been displaced internally and an estimated three million seek sanctuary and livelihoods in neighboring countries. Thailand and other countries in the region are already straining to handle the Burmese exodus.
10/11/2007
09/17/2007
Iraqis are now the third largest
displaced population in the world, after Palestinians and Sudanese.
Their number will likely continue to grow as violence in Iraq shows no
signs of diminishing.
Estimates identify 2.5 million refugees, with Syria and Jordan, two
countries with sizeable Palestinian populations as well, hosting the
vast majority. Lebanon, Egypt, Iran, and Turkey have also received
significant flows of Iraqi refugees.
08/02/2007
07/25/2007
The Arabic word, “bidun,” meaning “without” and short for “bidun jinsiya” (without citizenship), is used to denote longtime residents of Kuwait who are stateless. The estimated number of bidun in Kuwait ranges from 90,000 to 130,000, less than half the number who resided in the country prior to Iraq’s invasion in 1990. Those who remain are subject to systematic discrimination and their future is uncertain.
06/13/2007
Decades of irregular migration to Sabah in eastern Malaysia have resulted in large numbers of undocumented children of migrants from the Philippines and Indonesia who are potentially at risk of statelessness. Undocumented migrants in Malaysia are targets for arrest and deportation, which in some cases has left their children alone on the street.
05/23/2007
Burmese refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia are facing increasing threats to their security. Starting in March 2005, the Government of Malaysia launched a nationwide operation targeting undocumented migrants in the country. This operation has led to serious human rights violations against Burmese in Malaysia, who the government classifies as illegal migrants rather than refugees or asylum seekers.
05/21/2007
The ongoing resettlement from camps in Thailand is giving Burmese
refugees a chance at a durable solution for the first time, yet the
policies of some countries resettling the refugees are creating
complications for those who will remain in the camps. An estimated 150,000 Burmese refugees, largely from the Karen ethnic
group, have lived in camps in Thailand, often for more than a decade.
Colombia: Deficiencias En El Registro De La Población Desplazada Conduce A La Denegación E Servicios
04/16/2007
03/09/2007
La violencia en Colombia continúa y en ciertas regiones del
país está incrementando a pesar de la retórica del
gobierno de que está tomando el control sobre el conflicto
interno que ha plagado a la nación por las últimas cuatro
décadas. Equipos de expertos de Refugiados Internacional (RI) visitaron los
departamentos de Nariño y el Chocó en junio de 2006 y
febrero de 2007 y hallaron que las condiciones de seguridad han
empeorado notablemente.
09/23/2006
Preparations for upcoming national elections in Bangladesh are providing a unique opportunity to resolve the protracted predicament of the country’s stateless Biharis, estimated to number as few as 240,000 and as many as 500,000, especially those who want to become citizens of Bangladesh.
06/21/2006
The Burmese military regime carries out systematic repression and human rights violations against the Rohingya ethnic minority living in Burma's northern Rakhine State. The Rohingya also continue to be denied Burmese citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship Law which renders them stateless. Consequently many Rohingya asylum seekers flee to neighboring Bangladesh where the government, fearing a "pull-factor", has become increasingly reluctant to harbor them.
11/10/2005
In 1962, when a census was conducted in the Hasakeh governorate under Decree No. 93, an estimated 120,000 people or about 20 percent of Syrian Kurds lost their citizenship, a number which has since more than doubled. Many persons who lost their nationality also later lost rights to their property, which was seized by the government and used for the re-settlement of displaced Arabs.
12/13/2004
In 2004 the already desperate living conditions of the stateless Biharis in Bangladesh have continued to worsen. This year alone, they have lost their government-subsidized food aid, and many families have lost their homes to tornado, fire, and eviction. They continue to eke out an inhuman existence in their camps of decaying squalor. The situation is critical and requires immediate attention.
12/09/2004
When Estonia joined the European Union on May 1, 2004, over 160,000 Russian-speaking non-citizens remained in limbo. These individuals are being forced to choose between learning a new language and passing an exam to acquire Estonian citizenship; applying for Russian citizenship and thus surrendering the benefits of EU membership; or remaining stateless with limited political access and foreign travel restrictions.
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