Even after four years of field missions with Refugees International, I had never seen anything like it. Around midday, we were driving high along the hills of the northern coast of the Greek island Lesvos, with the Turkish mainland in the foreground. As we descended closer the shoreline, our interpreter pointed out little black specs, tinged…
“We want to rebuild our lives.”
Each year throughout the May to October monsoon season, Myanmar experiences increased rainfall and flooding. This is a part of life. However, in late July and early August 2015 record-level rainfall, worsened by tropical Cyclone Komen, led to unprecedented levels of flooding and subsequent landslides, forcing the government to declare a state of emergency.
Burundi’s Once and Future Refugees
Being forced to flee your home is a life-altering experience. Packing a bag, bidding farewell to your land and livelihood, and leading your children into the unknown – all of this can indelibly divide a life history into ‘before’ and ‘after.’ Many people never get over the trauma of flight, and never give up hope…
Improving Humanitarian Aid: One Former Refugee’s Perspective
The needs of refugees and displaced people are outstripping the resources and capacities of the existing humanitarian system. The World Humanitarian Summit is an initiative of the UN Secretary-General to seek solutions to improve the humanitarian system, thereby reducing human suffering. It will be held on May 26-27, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Displaced Ukrainians Find Refuge
The 18 month, Russian-backed rebellion of eastern Ukraine has displaced more than 1.4 million people, cost nearly 7,000 lives, and brought the economy of eastern Ukraine ̶ the economic and industrial heartland of the country ̶ to a standstill. Two million civilians remain in homes devastated by shelling on the line of contact, what is…
Iraq’s Invisible IDPs
Over the course of the past decade, millions of Iraqis have been forced to flee their homes. Prior to 2014, approximately one million Iraqis were internally displaced, mostly due to the sectarian conflict of 2006 – 2008. Since January 2014, millions more have been uprooted by government-militant violence and the advance of the group known…
Life in “The Devil’s Door”
It is a Saturday evening in El Salvador, and my Refugees International colleague and I are riding in the back of a car with our heads on our knees. We are on our way to meet with a displaced family who are being hidden in a “safe house.” We have been asked to stay undercover…
“What Will Happen to Me?”
We are in the refugee camp of Touloum in eastern Chad and the sun is bright. The camp is surrounded by desert for miles in every direction. It is quiet in the camp as we walk through, except for a small group of children who are playing outside and the occasional sound of a donkey…
The Many Faces of CAR’s Displaced
Muslim and Christian, men and women, young and old, urban and rural. My colleague Mark Yarnell and I have spent the last two weeks meeting with internally displaced people (IDPs) across the Central African Republic and with those living across the border as refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We’ve visited those living…
For Many in the Central African Republic, the War Isn’t Over
The Central Africa Republic has been embroiled in civil conflict since a rebel movement from the north descended on the capital, Bangui, and overthrew the government in December 2013. While stability has since improved in some parts of the Central African Republic, the situation in the town of Bambari remains volatile. The UN Refugee Agency…