FizzingWhizzbees
ONE love, blood, life
Y'know how 1000 posts = refugee status? Well, that's got me thinking about refugees, asylum seekers, asylum rights in Western countries etc. So I thought I'd just post a few links on the subject because it's something we're not hearing a huge amount about right now because of people's pre-occupation with the attack on Iraq.
To start with, how many people are aware that there are almost 20 million refugees or internally displaced people in the world? Have a look at UNHCR's (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) webpage on this subject here.
Those of us living in Europe are probably used to hearing our government's scaremongering about refugees. They tell us we're being "flooded" with asylum seekers. If you're British, you've heared Blunkett telling you that GPs surgeries are being "swamped" by asylum seekers and you've heard the government threatening to withdraw from international human rights legislation in order to avoid its obligation to refugees. All of that is absolute NONSENSE: Less than 2% of all the refugees in the world ever come to Western Europe. The vast majority stay either in their home country, or flee to impoverished countries bordering it. Western Europe doesn't have a "problem" with refugees, we have government's who are unwilling to protect and provide for some of the most vulnerable people in the world, those who are fleeing from the threat of torture, persecution and war.
On the subject of what life is like for refugees in most countries, have a look at this site: USA for UNHCR and read the journals by Angelina Jolie who is a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and has travelled to refugee camps in many countries around the world. Reading her account of what life is like for refugees in Africa, in Pakistan and in South America is just heartbreaking in places but its so worthwhile reading it because it opens people's eyes to the reality of life in refugee camps.
And finally, have a look at UNHCR's website for more general information about refugees and asylum seekers. Anyway, I'll stop boring you all now, I hope some people find those links interesting.
To start with, how many people are aware that there are almost 20 million refugees or internally displaced people in the world? Have a look at UNHCR's (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) webpage on this subject here.
Those of us living in Europe are probably used to hearing our government's scaremongering about refugees. They tell us we're being "flooded" with asylum seekers. If you're British, you've heared Blunkett telling you that GPs surgeries are being "swamped" by asylum seekers and you've heard the government threatening to withdraw from international human rights legislation in order to avoid its obligation to refugees. All of that is absolute NONSENSE: Less than 2% of all the refugees in the world ever come to Western Europe. The vast majority stay either in their home country, or flee to impoverished countries bordering it. Western Europe doesn't have a "problem" with refugees, we have government's who are unwilling to protect and provide for some of the most vulnerable people in the world, those who are fleeing from the threat of torture, persecution and war.
On the subject of what life is like for refugees in most countries, have a look at this site: USA for UNHCR and read the journals by Angelina Jolie who is a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and has travelled to refugee camps in many countries around the world. Reading her account of what life is like for refugees in Africa, in Pakistan and in South America is just heartbreaking in places but its so worthwhile reading it because it opens people's eyes to the reality of life in refugee camps.
And finally, have a look at UNHCR's website for more general information about refugees and asylum seekers. Anyway, I'll stop boring you all now, I hope some people find those links interesting.