Is the Rwandan Genocide Continuing?

The world watched in horror (and unfortunately did little else) during the Rwandan genocide of 1994.  Since that time, Rwanda has seemed to settle down and begin to rebuild.  Many refugees have either returned or been resettled, and the country is now seen as one of the most economically and politically stable in the region.  Much of this stability has been attributed to the presidency of Paul Kagame. He has been looked upon as the ideal leader for a nation that only 15 years ago was on the brink of total chaos.  Now, however, the world is taking a second look – both at the perceived peace in Rwanda and at the man who is leading it.

A United Nations investigation recently leaked to the public outlines how Mr. Kagame's army swept into bordering Congo and perpetrated what can be described as a retributive genocide on refugees scattered throughout the countryside.  These allegations, combined with recent accounts of political intimidation and the assassination of opponents, are quickly marring the once pristine image of president Paul Kagame.  It appears that the Rwandan genocide may not yet be over, but may have rather just gone into the jungles of the Congo where no one can see it.  

For a more in-depth report, please view the Economist article HERE.

-B.H.

Global News Roundup

Here at Global Neighborhood, we have friends who come from all over the world.  Though they now live in the U.S. much of their hearts and most of their families usually still remain in their countries of origin.  Thus, we work to expand our view of the world and take into consideration the events that are shaping the lives of people in parts of the world that don't get much press on CNN headline news. 

 Here are a few news stories from the past week for you to look at…

Burundi Coffee Output May Be 26% Below Forecast After Drought - Coffee production in Burundi, which relies on the crop for half its export earnings, may be as much as 26 percent less than forecast this year after a drought cut yields, the industry regulator said.

U.S. Combat Troops Leave Iraq – Come September 1st, the U.S.' presence in Iraq will be one of diplomacy rather than security.

Upcoming Elections in Burma - In it latest report on Burma, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), an influential London-based think tank, said it sees little chance that the country's coming election will be free, fair or inclusive

-B.H.

Burma War Crimes Investigation?

Burma Update:

Recently, President Obama's administration has come out in support of the creation of a United Nations investigation into war crimes committed by Burma's ruling military junta.  This is welcome news.  For years (even decades) the ruling generals of Burma (also known as "Myanmar") have eliminated free elections, staged violent crackdowns on peaceful protests, and carried out a campaign of violence and ethnic cleansing against many of the hill-tribe people.  These tribes, which include the Chin and Karen have been forced to flee and many have become refugees. 

My hope is that this UN investigation will actually be carried out, and that its results will have some teeth.  The Obama administration has done an admirable job of combining sanctions and negotiations in Burma, but until the violence and oppression ends, there is always more to be done.  

Read more on this story HERE.

-B.H.

Dire Situation in Refugee Camps of Pakistan

The UNHCR is working very hard to provide assistance to Afghan refugees who have been displaced due to major flood damage in Pakistan. The situation is grave, as one refugee reports, "Only God knows what will happen to us."

Read here for the complete story.

Afghani Refugees Suffer From Flooding

The recent flooding in Pakistan has left a deep mark on it's people and land. The damage is devastating. Not only are the people of Pakistan suffering, but also those people who have found safety within Pakistani borders. 40,000 Afghan refugees who resided in refugee camps within Pakistan are now homeless yet again, as their refugee camps, particularly the Azakhel Refugee Camp, have been destroyed. 

Click on this link to read more about the story.

No Entry!

What happens when a country closes it's borders to refugees who need a safe place to resettle? Kenya's border is potentially closing in response to the large influx of Somali refugees who are flooding it's camps- pushing the already overpopulated camps to numbers around 230,000. 

Click here to read the official UN policy.

-A.H.

Abandoned Upon Arrival – A US Senate Report

Recently, Senator Richard Lugar, who sits on the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released a report outlining the desperate situation of refugees in America.  The title of his report sums it up well: Abandoned Upon Arrival: Implications for Refugees and Local Communities Burdened by a U.S. Resettlement System that is not Working. In his report, Senator Lugar refers to refugee resettlement as one of our nation's "noblest humanitarian traditions," but he also goes on to say that the Federal system currently in place to support refugees is woefully inadequate.  He says,

"Some resettled refugees are illiterate in their native language or suffer from severe physical or mental ailments and many are ill-equipped to secure employment in an increasingly competitive job market.  The financial and mentoring assistance  required to help this population achieve self-sufficiency exceeds the resources currently provided by the Federal Government."

Senator Lugar seems to have the experience to back up his report.  He is from Indiana, home of the greatest concentration of Burmese refugees in the country.  Though I could discuss the report further, I would recommend you read it for yourself – it is quite informative.  Mr. Lugar gives 7 criticisms and 7 recommendations that, if followed, could make a lot of refugees' lives a lot better.

You can read the report in its entirety HERE.

-B.H.

Bhutanese Birthday Traditions

Birthday traditions vary greatly between countries and cultures. I recently had the pleasure of attending a Bhutanese girl's 5th birthday celebration. Similar to wedding ceremonies, the one being celebrated (in this case, the birthday girl), is seated at a table adorned with candles lit by her father, flowers, and cake. Each family member walks up to the girl, and places a tika on her forehead (a mixture of red dye and white rice), whispering, singing, or shouting a blessing for the child. It is especially important for the child's mother and father to give a blessing, although everyone in the room will provide some sort of blessing and gift (usually monetary) for the child.

Here is the tika mixture that is applied to the forehead of the child.

A wonderful, life-giving practice that perhaps Americans could learn much from.

The DR Congo in Pictures

This year marks the 50th year of the Democratic Republic of Congo's independence from Belgium. While many people are celebrating, life after a western presence in their country left many of the people hurting and struggling. This interesting collection of pictures shows small "snapshots" into the lives of individuals- rich and poor- in the independent country of the DR Congo.

The DR Congo in Pictures

Innovative Pre-Resettlement Training

Before refugees come to America, they are given training in American culture.  This training, however, is notoriously inadequate – a fire-hose of information about a completely foreign place that only goes on for a day or two.  This small amount of training is obviously not enough to prepare people for a new home in America.  Apparently, though, there is a pilot program going on in a Burmese refugee camp in Thailand that shows  a lot of promise.  Refugees in this program are given 6 weeks of training on how to work in an office job in America.  They learn everything from how to use a photocopier to how to buy lunch in a cafeteria.  While its no cure-all, innovative approaches like this are necessary if there is going to be any change in the horrific unemployment problem facing the refugee community in the United States (see previous post).

You can find the whole story HERE, on the UNHCR website.

-B.H.