Crises

Democratic Republic of Congo

Beyond emergency needs in DRC< (IRIN, 30 May 2013)

Humanitarian response in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) should broaden beyond emergency needs to encompass underlying dynamics of conflict, according to a report by the international refugee NGO Norwegian Refugee Council.

“The chronic and extreme violence in the eastern DRC poses a stark challenge to traditional humanitarian ‘urgent response mode’ approaches. The humanitarian service machinery has become a virtually permanent fixture in the region, serving victims of multiple displacements and repeating cycles of violence for two decades… Protection in this conflict cannot be achieved solely by providing services to victims,” says the report.

Syria

Syria: EU split over push to lift rebel arms embargo< (The Guardian, 27 May 2013)

British efforts to persuade the European Union to lift the arms embargo to Syrian rebels are facing defeat, with strong opposition from EU members alarmed that weapons could fall into the wrong hands.

The foreign secretary, William Hague, joined the French on Monday in arguing that supplying arms to "moderate" opposition forces would lead to less killing in Syria. Others argued the opposite, saying that arms supplies would only escalate the conflict.

EU commissioner criticizes Greece for refusing Syrians asylum< (Reuters, 14 May 2013)

The European Union's top immigration official criticized Greece on Tuesday for refusing asylum to Syrian refugees and detaining other migrants that flock to its borders under "unacceptable" conditions.

Greece, the main gateway into the EU for migrants from Asia and the Middle East, arrested more than 8,000 Syrian refugees last year for illegally crossing into the country.

US, Russia and UN to meet on Syria peace talks plan< (AFP, 30 May 2013)

A preparatory meeting for a proposed international conference on the conflict in Syria will take place in Geneva next week, the United Nations said Thursday.

"We can confirm that on 5 June 2013 in Geneva, US, Russian and UN officials will hold a three-way meeting to further the preparations for the international conference on Syria envisioned under the US-Russian initiative," a statement said.

UNHCR concerned about Syrians stuck at border, reiterates call for international support <(UNHCR, 24 May 2013)

The UN refugee agency on Friday called on countries around Syria to keep their borders open for refugees while stressing that "urgent and robust" international support for host countries and aid organizations was vital.

Nearly 60,000 Syrians return home from Jordan as its resources to cope with crisis dwindle <(The Washington Post, 29 May 2013)

A Jordanian official says nearly 60,000 Syrian refugees have left the kingdom to go back home, some to fight President Bashar Assad’s regime and others because living conditions in their camp became too difficult.

South Sudan

South Sudan’s humanitarian crises overshadow development needs <(IRIN, 27 May 2013)

A 2005 deal to end decades of civil war in southern Sudan led many to hope that conflict-related humanitarian relief would gradually give way to the peace dividend of development aid and economic growth. Eight years later, emergency needs in the now-independent South Sudan remain overwhelming, with aid agencies calling for more than a billion dollars to tackle them in 2013.

Migration

Migration will matter more after 2015 <(Bangkok Post, 29 May 2013)

In 2015, the Asean single economic space will exist, opening up free movement for certain classes of workers across 10 very different Asian nations. At the end of 2015, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the shared vision of the international community since 2000, will expire.

There can be no doubt that the MDGs have lifted millions out of chronic poverty, empowered women and granted greater access to education and health care. But we must now look at how development happens, and not dodge the complex question of migration.

<Asylum seekers: deterrence policies won't stop the boats< (The Guardian, 28 May 2013)

The Australian has yesterday reported on a spike in boat numbers, and that the election “has supercharged the people-smuggling industry”. The department of immigration and citizenship is worried that more women and children are getting on unseaworthy boats. But is enough being done to give would-be asylum seekers meaningful options before they leave the docks?

Q&A: Legendary British runner and politician recalls World Refugee Year< (UNHCR, 29 May 2013)

Sir Christopher Chataway first came to world attention in 1952, when he fell on the last turn of the 5,000 metres final in the Helsinki Olympic Games while vying for the lead with the legendary Czech runner, Emil Zátopek. Two years later, Sir Chris broke the 5,000 metres world record while narrowly beating the Soviet runner Vladimir Kuts at London's White City stadium. In the late 1950s he embarked on a political career after a spell in broadcasting and in 1958 he became a Conservative Party member of parliament and also helped launch the phenomenally successful initiative that became World Refugee Year (WRY).

Is the integration of immigrants failing?< (The Economist, 25 May 2013)

HUNDREDS of cars set on fire, a school in flames and angry youths hurling stones at the police. This is not the banlieue in France but suburbs in supposedly peaceful Sweden. Six nights of arson and violence in Stockholm’s poorer suburbs, where a majority of residents are immigrants, have shaken the Nordic country and created international headlines.

For much of this year, discrimination of immigrants and racism have been hotly debated in a country where 14% of its 9.6m people are foreign born. Now the riots could make immigration and integration the pivotal debate in Swedish politics.

A Great Migration: Spain needs its young people to create new businesses< (The Economist, 1 June 2013)

THE Atlantic crossings made by Europeans to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were one of the great migrations in history. Much less noticed was the flood of people into Spain in the first decade of the 21st.

Spain absorbed an extra 5m immigrants between 2000 and 2009. By the latter date, the proportion of immigrants in the population was 13.8%, not far short of the proportion in the United States in around 1900. The country is now dealing with the aftermath of that remarkable shift. Many of those immigrants worked in the construction industry, which has collapsed since. With jobs now scarce, the flow has turned from net immigration to net emigration: Spain’s population fell by more than 200,000 last year.

Video:

Displaced in Yemen: A Life on Hold< (IRIN, 27 May 2013)

IRIN's film, A Life on Hold, tells the story of Qasim and his family, who for the past three years have been living in a camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in northwestern Yemen.

Years of conflict in the region between the Houthi tribe and government forces has led to the displacement of more than 300,000 civilians, who have to cope with a decline in health and educational services. Malnutrition is common in the IDPs camps, as well as in the apartments, mosques and schools where many have found shelter.

Authorities have tried to encourage the displaced to go back to their homes, but renewed clashes in 2012 actually increased the IDP numbers in the north. Extensive damage to houses and infrastructure, continuing insecurity, fear of reprisals and the lack of livelihood opportunities and basic services all serve as deterrents to return.

Thailand ignoring slaves at sea, says EJF report on Burmese migrants< (The Guardian, 29 May 2013)

Thailand is facing fresh allegations of using slave labour in its fishing industry with the launch of a new investigation into the sale, abuse and exploitation of migrant workers on Thai fishing ships.

The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), an environmental and human rights NGO, highlights the case of 15 Burmese men who had been rescued from boats in its report Sold to the Sea: human trafficking in Thailand's fishing industry (pdf). All of the men claim to have been deceived by labour brokers and forced to work up to 20 hours a day for months at a time with little or no pay on shrimping boats in Kantang, a city in the south of Thailand.

The other side of Sweden< (Aljazeera, 23 May 2013)

Sparked by the death of an immigrant man, protests in Sweden have spread, turning violent and destructive. The country has long been considered a haven of equality and generous social welfare, but ongoing riots have many examining just how integrated the country is. They’ve also exposed unemployment and discontent among the country’s immigrant youth. Is Sweden’s model of multiculturalism and open borders broken?

Jordan paying high price for compassion <(CNN, 24 May 2013)

Christiane Amanpour speaks with Prince Zeid al-Hussein about how the Syrian war might destabilize Jordan.

Photocredit © UNHCR / B.Malum/ March 2013
Photocredit © UNHCR