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Colombia: Displaced Need Equal Attention
Thu, 07/31/2008 - 19:01
The recent visit of presidential candidate Senator John McCain to Colombia, the dramatic rescue of 15 hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and a subsequent visit to the United States by Colombian Defense Minister Santos, have all placed the Colombian Government and its approach to dealing with the violence in that country in the media spotlight.
Uganda: Donors must step up to help agencies address domestic violence
Tue, 07/29/2008 - 03:30
On our mission to northern Uganda we were told that the biggest immediate danger for women in the displacement camps is domestic violence. My colleague, Camilla Olson and I heard that the stressful overcrowded conditions in camps and the lack of livelihood opportunities for men and women contribute to this violence, which puts the physical and mental health of so many women at serious risk.
Chad: Bring us security to return home
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 03:40
Within the past three years, insecurity remains the primary obstacle to the return of Chadians who have been forced to flee their villages, located in the south-eastern areas of Chad bordering Sudan. Insecurity and violence are also increasingly hampering the provision of assistance to the people displaced as aid agencies come under recurrent attacks by armed men on the roads or in their compounds.
Northern Uganda: Real Options for Returning Home
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 03:28
Displaced people in northern Uganda are slowly starting the process of returning home after two decades of conflict between government forces and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), which forced over 1.5 million people to flee their homes. In June, I traveled with my colleague Melanie Teff to the Gulu, Kitgum, Pader, and Adjumani districts in northern Uganda to meet with displaced people and find out from them what the return situation is like.
President’s Corner: Foreign Confusion about U.S. Policies and Values
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 01:58
On Monday I met with about 30 teachers from around the world who are spending the summer here learning about and trying to understand the United States. They are intelligent, well read and, quite frankly, puzzled by what they are seeing and learning.
The militarization of aid to Africa
Fri, 07/18/2008 - 00:00What do you get when, at a 17 to 1 ratio, US spending on the Global War on Terror far outweighs the funding for diplomatic, development and long-term capacity-building programs, combined?In a report released yesterday by RI’s peacebuilding program manager Mark Malan, we outline exactly what’s happening now, and what’s at risk of happing in the very near future.
Frogs, not chocolate: Post-cyclone survival in Burma
Tue, 07/15/2008 - 19:30
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.
President’s Corner: ICC Case Against Bashir is Risky but Right
Mon, 07/14/2008 - 04:12
As the head of a humanitarian organization, I worry that Monday’s decision to seek charges of genocide against the president of Sudan will complicate efforts to achieve peace in Darfur and interrupt flows of lifesaving aid to millions of people. Despite these risks, I believe the effort to bring Sudan’s leader to justice is correct and necessary.
President's Corner: Facing up to Iraqi Displacement
Mon, 07/07/2008 - 03:08
Everyday I survey a selection of websites, looking for updates on news of displaced populations around the world. The news is seldom cheery, particularly when it’s about Iraq. Two new reports highlight the plight of internally displaced Iraqis.
Chad: Before the Rainy Season
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 03:33
"The music has played again as is the case almost every year before the rainy season starts in eastern Chad.” This was a metaphor used by a Chadian in eastern Chad last month to describe the recent attacks by rebel groups against the government’s forces. The latest attack is one of many that has contributed -- together with ethnic tensions and the spill over of Sudan’s Darfur crisis -- to destabilizing eastern Chad in the last five years.
