Regional Instability Leaves No Room for Refuge
By Limnyuy Konglim Fri, 12/18/2009 - 22:02
The conflicts in central and eastern Africa are so intertwined that I sometimes confuse myself when taking in my daily dose of displacement and humanitarian news. For example, this week, MINURCAT, the UN peacekeeping force in the Central African Republic (CAR) and Chad, deployed peacekeepers to a town in northeast CAR to protect Sudanese refugees from a Central African rebel group. Similarly Uganda’s national army has been allowed to operate in the CAR, Sudan, and DRC in an effort to track down the Ugandan-bred Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group. Throughout 2009 and with increasing intensity in recent months, the LRA has attacked villages and camps in southern Sudan, DRC, and CAR. CAR, itself is host to refugees from Sudan, Congo, and Chad, despite the fact that internally displaced Central Africans have described their current situation as one in which, “God alone is watching us. There is no security.”
Chad: Changes in Climate Limit Resources For Refugees
By Camilla Olson Fri, 10/09/2009 - 17:06
Since the creation of the Ken and Darcy Bacon Center for the Study of Climate Displacement, I’ve thought about how displacement caused by climate change fits with the long-term focus of Refugees International -- to advocate for solutions to displacement crises caused by conflicts.
Peacekeeping: RI Testifies on Capitol Hill
By Pamela Snyder Thu, 07/30/2009 - 18:01Refugees International was back on Capitol Hill yesterday, as Peacekeeping Advocate Erin Weir testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The purpose of the hearing was to discuss the challenges currently facing peacekeeping and possible improvements to the operations, said committee chairman Rep. Howard Berman. A distinguished group of witnesses gathered for the hearing, including Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr.
Ante Up for Africa Does It Again
By Megan Fowler Fri, 07/03/2009 - 14:17
Las Vegas doesn’t seem a likely place for an event focused on the atrocities in a remote region of Sudan. And yet, the Ante Up for Africa tournament held yesterday in Las Vegas brought out hundreds of people -- celebrities, poker players, media and spectators – with the sole purpose of raising awareness and funding to end the crisis in Darfur and other conflicts in Africa.
Chad: Protect Children from Rebel Recruitment
By Camilla Olson Wed, 06/24/2009 - 01:00
When my colleague Erin Weir and I visited refugee camps in eastern Chad this past May, we heard repeated concerns of child recruitment by armed groups, including both rebel groups and the Chadian National forces. This was a particular issue in the Oure Cassoni camp near Bahai.
Oure Cassoni lies very close to the border with Sudan, a fact that has long worried many of the organizations that work there, since it has led to problems within the camp related to the presence of armed groups – in particular, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).
Oure Cassoni lies very close to the border with Sudan, a fact that has long worried many of the organizations that work there, since it has led to problems within the camp related to the presence of armed groups – in particular, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).
Chad: "We Would Like Some English Dictionaries"
By Camilla Olson Fri, 06/05/2009 - 01:00Two years ago I tried to visit Darfur to conduct an assessment mission with Refugees International, but was blocked from traveling there by the government of Sudan. Now, on the other side of the border in eastern Chad, I’m finally getting a chance to speak with people from Darfur, forced to flee their homes because of the conflict in the western part of Sudan.
Chad: The Politics of Instability
By Erin Weir Tue, 05/26/2009 - 17:13
I am writing from Bahai, a village in eastern Chad right on the border with Darfur. Camilla Olson and I have trekked all the way out here, to what may be the most remote place I have ever visited, to understand the dynamics that make humanitarian assistance so hard to deliver.
Sudan: Needing a New Portmanteau
By Ron Capps Fri, 04/17/2009 - 17:25
In the midst of the Obama administration's policy review on Afghanistan a new word was born: Afpak, meaning Afghanistan and Pakistan. Strategists want to encourage the executors of strategy and policy to think of Afghanistan and Pakistan as a unified theater of operations. The border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan demands a unified approach if NATO and the U.S. are to defeat the Taliban. So, Afpak it is.
Chad: Keeping the Peace Afloat
By Ron Capps Fri, 03/13/2009 - 16:00Am Nabak is a fine place for camels. It is rocky and dry, and getting drier. The water table can't support the current population of a few camels and around 17,000 refugees from the war in Darfur, so water is brought in overland by truck. The camp is situated scant 25 kilometers from the Darfur border. This is too close to the war zone by United Nations standards; it was only supposed to be a transit camp through which refugees passed on their way to more permanent and secure camps. But the refugees have settled in at Am Nabak and, despite the urging of the UN Refugee Agency, prefer to remain close to the border.
Darfur: The Main Thing
By Ron Capps Fri, 02/27/2009 - 18:59Nicholas Kristof's recent blog post took the United Nations to task for cancelling a security detail for him and his traveling partner, actor and activist George Clooney, on their recent trip to eastern Chad. Actually, Kristof said that his complaint with the UN is not the lack of security but rather the sudden reversal of position by high-level UN officials. Kristof claims UN leadership worried that Clooney might condemn the actions of Sudanese president Omar al Bashir as genocide, thereby worsening already tense relations between Khartoum and New York. A note: Mr. Clooney was travelling as a private citizen (albeit a very high profile private citizen), not in his role as a UN Goodwill Ambassador.
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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.