UN Must Act for Families Trapped in Syria
By Michael Boyce Tue, 08/21/2012 - 11:45
Today, RI and allied organizations submitted an open letter to the members of the UN Security Council. The letter states that with the UN Supervision Mission in Syria now shutting down, and efforts to get aid into the country foundering, it is time for renewed Council action to help the 1.5 million internally-displaced Syrians. RI and its allies are asking the Council to pressure all sides in Syria to prevent displacement, protect those who have fled, and grant immediate humanitarian access. The full text of the letter is as follows:
August 21, 2012
August 21, 2012
Time for U.S., Colombia to Deliver for Conflict Victims
By Marc Hanson Tue, 07/31/2012 - 11:40This post originally appeared at The Hill's Congress Blog.
“I will never be the same. I am not the same as before. That’s the hardest thing.” With these lines Paula, one of Colombia’s more than 4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), started to recount the most excruciating part of her life’s story.
As Olympics Begin, a Reason to Celebrate
By Michael Boyce Thu, 07/26/2012 - 17:43By now you may have heard that refugee marathoner Guor Marial, who was featured on this blog last week, has been allowed to compete as an independent athlete at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The decision, which was confirmed to RI in a letter from International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, is a triumph for Guor and his supporters - some of whom worked tirelessly for months to make his Olympic dream a reality.
Colombia: Can One Law Rebuild Millions of Lives?
By Marc Hanson Mon, 07/23/2012 - 11:33
Last week, an episode of heavy conflict in southwestern Colombia displaced several hundred people. This was followed by a short-lived revolt in an indigenous village, with farmers briefly forcing FARC militants and soldiers to vacate land they had occupied.
As Region Scrambles to Shelter Syrians, Israel Shuts the Door
By Michel Gabaudan Fri, 07/20/2012 - 15:17Yesterday's showdown over sanctions in the UN Security Council demonstrated once again that the world can't agree on how to stop the bloodshed in Syria - which begs the question, "Whither Syria?" Or, perhaps more importantly, "Whither the Syrians?"
Time for Khartoum to Recount the Cost of War
By Michael Boyce Wed, 06/27/2012 - 14:33The protest movement that is now surging through Sudan has been building gradually for months. In the last two weeks, however, public outrage against the government has boiled over – not only in Khartoum, but in other major cities as well.
Bangladesh Breaks the Law by Turning Back Rohingya
By Melanie Teff Thu, 06/21/2012 - 13:44One of the most persecuted groups in the world is now facing more violence and suffering, yet help is being denied them.
In recent weeks, Bangladesh has turned back more than 2,000 people seeking refuge from communal violence in Burma’s Rakhine State. These refugees were fleeing targeted attacks on the Muslim Rohingya community, and refusing them entry puts Bangladesh in violation of international law.
Senate Bill Makes Displaced a Priority
By Marc Hanson Wed, 05/23/2012 - 16:49Yesterday, we got a preview of a rare good-news story out of Congress: If the Senate has its way, America won’t abandon its commitments to the world’s most vulnerable and persecuted.
While President Obama recently received praise for reducing the rate of U.S. government spending, it’s Congress that must that must make the hard decisions about to how to prioritize funding trade-offs.
Little Comfort for Mali’s Refugees in Bleak Burkina Faso
By Mark Yarnell Mon, 05/21/2012 - 15:44This post originally appeared on UN Dispatch.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) now estimates that there are about 60,000 Malian refugees spread out across multiple sites – formal and informal – in northern Burkina Faso.
Climate and Conflict in the Sahel
By Mark Yarnell Mon, 05/14/2012 - 17:59The Sahel region of West Africa is facing a major food crisis for the third time in seven years. The region has suffered from poverty and vulnerability for generations, but now drought, poor harvests, high food prices, environmental degradation, and decreased remittances from Libya and Cote d’Ivoire are putting millions at risk.
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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.