President’s Corner: Saffron Robes in Wyoming
By Kenneth Bacon Mon, 08/04/2008 - 04:18
"What do they think when they see me?” asked the Venerable Kovida, a Buddhist monk from Burma. Given that he was dressed in bright saffron robes and flip-flops while hiking in the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, the question made sense.
In fact most of the hikers who passed Kovida walking in the new Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve last week seemed quite nonchalant. Maybe they were too busy looking at their feet on the path. But for those of us from Refugees International—both staff members and board members--walking with Kovida, the hike was anything but routine.
In fact most of the hikers who passed Kovida walking in the new Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve last week seemed quite nonchalant. Maybe they were too busy looking at their feet on the path. But for those of us from Refugees International—both staff members and board members--walking with Kovida, the hike was anything but routine.
Frogs, not chocolate: Post-cyclone survival in Burma
By Joel Charny Tue, 07/15/2008 - 20:30
On May 30th, four weeks after Cyclone Nargis struck Burma, the New Light of Myanmar, one of the government’s propaganda mouthpieces, ran a particularly nasty editorial, accusing the international aid community of being stingy in response to the disaster while assuring the world that the Burmese people were tough enough to survive. “Myanmar people are capable enough of rising from such natural disasters even if they are not provided with international assistance,” the commentary stated.
Burma: Need for Aid Trumps Political Goals
By Joel Charny Fri, 06/13/2008 - 01:30
After the destruction wreaked in Burma by Cyclone Nargis, the United States made the wise decision to set aside its political disagreements with the government of Burma to make every effort to ensure that humanitarian assistance reached those in need. As a result of this decision, the U.S. has been remarkably generous, donating almost $38 million to the relief effort, while playing an instrumental role in transporting goods into Burma, now having flown over 150 flights with emergency goods into the country on U.S. planes.
Burma: Refugees Stagnant in Malaysia
By Camilla Olson Tue, 05/27/2008 - 08:26
It’s been a year since I went on mission to Malaysia and sadly the situation for refugees in the country has not gotten any better.
The President’s Corner: The Right to Disaster Aid and Health Care in Burma
By Kenneth Bacon Mon, 05/19/2008 - 04:10
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I recently reread this seminal document, both to prepare for the celebration of its signing in December and to see how the Declaration applies to the tragedy in Burma.
Burma: What You Can Do To Help
By Joel Charny Wed, 05/14/2008 - 03:13
Cyclone Nargis has captured the attention of the world and focused it squarely on Burma. Just one month ago, Refugees International was engaged in an advocacy campaign to convince policy-makers here in the US that we should engage in humanitarian assistance work in Burma. Now, rather than debating the pros and cons of aid to the country, the US is rushing to work with anyone who has access to it.
President’s Corner: Our Responsibility to Help Burma’s Cyclone Victims
By Kenneth Bacon Mon, 05/12/2008 - 21:11Burma: Humanitarianism on the rocks?
By Joel Charny Thu, 04/24/2008 - 22:52
The following is an Alertnet blog post by Joel Charny, Refugees International’s vice-president who visited Burma to look at the growing lack of aid there.
Burma: Are solidarity and humanitarian response incompatible?
By Joel Charny Wed, 04/16/2008 - 02:45
I am new to work on Burma, but in my eight weeks of involvement to date I am finding the world of Burma advocacy rigid and doctrinal. There is just one overarching narrative: the struggle of the Burmese democracy movement, led by Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, against the repressive Burmese generals. It is a classic tale of good vs. evil, and thus perfect for political mobilization on behalf of a just cause.
Burma: Lifting Constraints through Coordination
By Wed, 03/26/2008 - 01:52
On March 20, Refugees International decided to hold an informal briefing on our recent mission to Burma for colleagues of fellow non-governmental organizations (NGOs). One of the main reasons we wanted to hold this briefing was because of the lack of information about the actual working conditions for non-governmental aid agencies and the UN inside the country. The briefing has reinforced the idea that more work needs to be done to share what’s going on inside the country.
 |
 |
 |
Refugees International (RI) advocates for lifesaving assistance and protection for displaced people and promotes solutions to displacement crises.
We are an independent organization, and do not accept any government or UN funding.
We are an independent organization, and do not accept any government or UN funding.