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News 17/11/11 – Sudan/South Sudan Border Battles

Nov17
2011 Written by admin

Two Countries Now But Tensions Remain

Most observers probably didn’t expect the independence of South Sudan to solve the tensions and violence which have dogged this area of East Africa for decades and those expectations are slowly being realised.  We have reported recently on the situation on the border between the two countries in Unity State, Blue Nile and the Upper Nile areas.

Bombing runs have been happening for some weeks now in these areas and the flow of refugees into the refugee camps in Ethiopia has been steadily increasing as the situation there becomes untenable.  Sudanese officials in Khartoum not surprisingly deny that they are behind the bombing, especially following the direct attack on the Yida camp in Unity State on Thursday 12th November.  Juba, the capital of South Sudan, says Sudan is trying to drag the area back into a “meaningless war“.

The Yida Refugee Camp - bombed recently

The Yida Refugee Camp - bombed recently

A more disturbing suspicion is that Khartoum is supporting disparate rebel groups in the South and there have been a number of attacks in areas, particularly in Unity State and Upper Nile, where oilfields are located.  For it’s part, Sudan’s government in Khartoum accuses Juba of supporting anti-government rebels in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions in the border areas of Sudan.

South Sudan Liberation Army

What’s in no doubt is the fact that the rebels exist, at least in the South;  the South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA) maintain that they are fighting against mismanagement of oil revenues as well as government corruption and a lack of progress.  It’s an easy step to suggest that Sudan is supporting this group to attempt to destabilise the new country and to disrupt what should be a lucrative oil industry.

Many of the problems arise from issues which are still unresolved following the independence of South Sudan.  Some of the areas between Sudan and South Sudan have undetermined border demarkations and the destination of oil revenues has yet to be satisfactorily determined.

 

Posted in Africa, News - Tagged , , , , , , , ,

News 8/11/11 – Angolan Refugees Return From DRC

Nov08
2011 Written by admin

Angolan Refugees Repatriated From DRC

Angola is by no means a democratic, prosperous nation,  In 2008 it was ranked 44th out of 48 African nations in 2008 on the Ibrahim Index of African Governance.  In recent years the political system has become less democratic as President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has tightened his grip on most aspects of Angolan life.

However, when one compares the situation now with the violent conflict which blighted the country for almost three decades pre-2002, it is undeniably a better place.  In that year the two main factions, UNITA (National Union for the Total independence of Angola) and the MPLA (The People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola – Labour Party) agreed a ceasefire which largely ended the civil war which had raged for the previous thirty years.

So it’s still a pretty desperate place but one which Angolan refugees are increasingly keen to return to.  Last week the UNHCR began a programme of repatriations that will result in the return of more than 40,000 Angolans to their home country by the end of the project.  The focus is currently on refugees who been resident in the west of the Democratic Republic of Congo, some for several decades.  Around 80,000 are resident in the country in total.  So far about 20,000 Angolans have signed up to take part in the process.

Angola’s infrastructure is poor and one of the reasons why previous attempts at repatriation have struggled.  An earlier project stalled in 2007 because of logistical problems.  This project has been jointly organised by Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the UNHCR and the UN involvement will consist of 18 months of checks and monitoring to ensure refugees receive the help and support they have been promised.

UNHCR Monitoring

The Angolan authorities have promised to provide support via several methods including micro-credit, housing and vocational training and it is these that will be monitored.  In what looks to be a piece of political opportunism, the first group to be bussed across the border to the Angolan town of Luvo were greeted by Angolan Minister for Assistance and Social Reintegration Joao Baptista Kussumua who said that:

“We are starting today the repatriation process which will result in the return of 43,000 refugees.  We have a responsibility to the children who return today to make sure they will be able to study.”

Angolan Minister Joao Baptista Kussumua

Angolan Minister Joao Baptista Kussumua

 

Returnees are first taken to the Kimpese transit centre on the DRC/Angolan border where they sign voluntary repatriation forms which will act as a temporary Angolan ID. At Kimpese they also undergo medical screening and receive vaccinations.

Neighbouring Countries

The Democratic Republic of Congo is not the only country in the region to be sheltering Angolan refugees; Congo, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia all have smaller amounts resident within their borders.  The UNHCR has been undertaking fundraising efforts to help in the repatriation of these refugees in recent years and some have already been helped to return from Zambia while others are preparing to return from the Congo.

Kimpese Transit Centre

Kimpese Transit Centre

 

 

Posted in Africa, News - Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

News 21/10/11 – Big Rise In Asylum Claims In 2011

Oct21
2011 Written by admin

2011 has proved to be something of a busy year in terms of asylum seekers from all over

Antonio Guterres

Antonio Guterres

the world.  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has just released it’s report entitled Asylum Levels and Trends in Industrialised Countries which covers the first six month of the year up to 30th June.

The report says that the number of asylum seekers heading to Western idustrialised countries has risen 17% compared to the same period last year and estimates that if the trend continues, more than 400,000 applications for asylum could be lodged by the year’s end.

Interestingly the Arab Spring, which dominated the beginning of the year and still continues today in Bahrain and Syria (and looks to have been successful in Libya), did not produce as many asylum seekers as one might imagine.  Presumably this is because most of those who fled from their home countries left with the intention of returning and therefore had no need to apply for asylum.  Although many Tunisians made their way to Italy via Lampedusa, many returned when the situation became calmer.  Others fleeing internal conflict tended to head to neighbouring countries for shelter rater than make longer journeys further afield.  The report goes on to say that most applications are continuing to arrive from the usual areas such as China and Afghanistan.  The list of the top 5 countries from which applications are received are as follows:

  • Afghanistan – 15,300
  • China – 11,700
  • Serbia/Kosovo – 10,300
  • Iraq – 10,100
  • Iran – 7,600

The destinations of most asylum seekers remain the same with Europe accounting for 73% of the global total although the United States has the highest number of applications per country.  The list of favoured destinations and the number of application requests is as follows:

  • United States – 36,400
  • France – 26,100
  • Germany – 20,100
  • Sweden – 12,600
  • United Kingdom – 12,200

Antonion Guterres, current UN Refugee Commissioner said that “…2011 has been a year if displacement crises unlike any other I have seen in my time as High Commissioner.”

 

 

 

Posted in News, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - Tagged , , , , , ,

News 17/10/11 – Sri Lanka Refugees Returning Home

Oct17
2011 Written by admin

Sri Lankan Refugees Returning Home

Refugees from Sri Lanka have long been spread around the world and several generations now reside in a number of Western countries.  Following the independence of the country from British rule in 1948, long suppressed ethnic tensions bubbled to the surface.  The violence that was generated over the subsequent decades led to a consistent stream of refugees to various countries around the world, ensuring a sizeable Sri Lankan diaspora.

The refugees returning home now are not those expats however, they are the victims of the recent conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil National Alliance. Following the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, it emerged that almost 300,000 pople had become displaced, mostly from the formerly Tamil controlled areas in the North of the country.

Many of these have been resident in camps in the Tamil Nadu region of Southern India

Sri Lankan Refugees

Sri Lankan Refugees

since they fled.  The conflict ceased in 2009 and some are now beginning to return home as Sri Lanka enters a period of sustainable peace and economic development for the first time for 26 years.  Most refugees were of course resident in camps within Sri Lanka itself but outside the conflict areas but those who felt most vulnerable went abroad.

The significant thing about the current returnees is that they are travelling by ferry, meaning that they can carry their household goods with them, the intention being to resettle and stay.  Apart from the obvious obstacles of providing themselves with food and shelter on their return, the UNHCR is providing some help.  A voluntary repatriation grant is available for returnees to help establish themselves and there are also several UNHCR offices in the affected region which will provide families with a free kit of basic household supplies.  Less obvious benefits are available, such as land mine awareness courses and legal advice.

Anyone wishing to take advantage of returnees benefits is advised to approach the nearest UNHCR office where they are currently resident.

 

Posted in Asia - Tagged , , , , , , ,

News 11/10/11 – Blue Nile Refugees & Pakistan Floods

Oct11
2011 Written by admin

First New Refugee Camp Opens In Ethiopia

As the low level conflict in the Blue Nile state of South Sudan drags on, the UNHCR has opened up its first refugee camp in neighbouring Ethiopia.  Three border crossings have been processing Sudanese nationals as they enter Ethiopia and these are Kurmuk, Bamza, and Almahal.

The new venue is called Tongo refugee camp and has been under construction for two

Sudanese refugees

Sudanese refugees

weeks, which is certainly an impressively short amount of time in which to develop a camp which will host 3000 people.  The UNHCR and the Organisation for Migration have been bussing people to Tongo from the border crossings since it opened.

Since the beginning of September, around 27,000 Sudanese have crossed one of the official borders and Ethiopia and the various aid agencies are keen for them to move on from these areas – Kurmuk especially has witnessed bombing just across the border – to maintain Ethiopian security and keep the refugees safe.

Previously, Sudanese fleeing violence in their home country have been sheltered at the Sherkole refugee camp about 50 km from the border and since the worst of the conflict in Sudan finished in 2005, Sherkole has retained a permanent population of about 4000 who preferred not to return home.  It has now reached its 8000 person capacity and it remains to be seen whether any more new camps will be set up to cope with the overflow.

Pakistan Floods Receding

With other global affairs dominating the news, Pakistan’s recent disastrous flooding has gone relatively unnoticed but the fact remains that 400 people have been killed and at least 7 million have been affected by monsoon rains.  Balochistan and Sindh provinces have been worst hit and many of those affected were still recovering from last years rains.

Inevitably, with the loss of housing and shelter, many families are living in tented villages with food and provisions provided by various agencies and the Pakistani government. Although the rain has stopped, the water left behind is not expected to recede for many weeks, meaning that refugee operations will continue for some time to come.

Posted in Africa, Asia, News - Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
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