Refugees

August 30, 2007 -- BOSTON—Thursday, August 30, 2007– Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. JudyAnn Bigby announced today that she has appointed Richard Chacón as Executive Director for the Office of Refugees and Immigrants (ORI). Mr. Chacón will begin this work on September 10.    » read more »

State assistance still available through I-KARE program to victims of Katrina trying to get back on their feet

August 29, 2007 -- CHICAGO – Marking the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Carol L. Adams, Ph.D. announced that state assistance is still available to help thousands of Katrina evacuees living in Illinois.    » read more »

21 August 2007 -- Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan is in London after meeting in Jordan with Iraqis working on the massive refugee crisis. Four million Iraqis have been displaced by the war. Half are refugees, mostly in Jordan and Syria. Tendai Maphosa attended a news conference held by Sheehan and has filed this report for VOA.

Cindy Sheehan first made headlines in 2004 when she set up a peace camp outside President George Bush's Texas ranch following the death of her son Casey, a U.S. soldier in Iraq.    » read more »

04 August 2007 -- Relief workers are struggling to help at least 20 million people affected by floods in South Asia. About 300 people have died during the past two weeks because of the floods caused by the annual monsoon rains in South Asia. Anjana Pasricha reports from VOA's New Delhi bureau.

As heavy monsoon rains continue to sweep India, Bangladesh and Nepal, government and relief agencies are battling to help the victims.

Devendra Tak, with the regional Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, paints a grim picture.    » read more »

06 July 2007 -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees -- or UNHCR -- estimates there are now 1.2 million Iraqi refugees in Syria, 750,000 in Jordan, 100,000 in Egypt, 54,000 in Iran, 40,000 in Lebanon, and 10,000 in Turkey. That does not include an estimated 1.9 million Iraqis who are internally displaced inside Iraq.    » read more »

June 28, 2007 -- Washington D.C.-Today Senators Kennedy, Smith, Biden, Hagel, Leahy, Levin and Lieberman sent the following letter Secretary Chertroff and Secretary Rice calling for immediate action to expand our government’s ability to process refugee applications for Iraqis and special immigrant visas for Iraqi and Afghan translators and interpreters:

June 28, 2007

Secretary Michael Chertoff
Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20580

Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Department of State
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Chertoff and Secretary Rice,    » read more »

"Laws Without Justice: An Assessment of Sudanese Laws Affecting Survivors of Rape"

06/28/2007 -- SANTA FE, NM -- Democratic Presidential candidate Governor Bill Richardson, while on a peace-promoting mission to Sudan in January raised concerns about reports of widespread rape in Darfur and the need for a complete analysis of the situation. As a result, Refugees International traveled to Sudan to study the issue further and 'Laws Without Justice' is the report from that mission.    » read more »

June 19, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C— Because of the war in Iraq, more than two million Iraqis have been internally displaced in their own country, and two million other Iraqis are in neighboring countries throughout the region, primarily Jordan and Syria. The United States has allowed less than 500 Iraqi refugees into the country since the conflict began – only 63 have been admitted this year.    » read more »

20 June 2007 -- In marking this year's observance of World Refugee Day, the U.N. refugee agency is warning more countries are closing their doors to refugees because of growing intolerance and a fear of terrorism. The agency says genuine asylum seekers are being turned away and refused a safe haven at a time when an increasing number of people are fleeing violence, persecution and oppression.    » read more »

Investigate Abuses at Three Detention Centers

(London, June 19, 2007) – Iran should immediately halt the mass deportations of Afghan nationals and investigate allegations that its authorities have abused numerous deportees, Human Rights Watch said today. Iran should also ensure that Afghans faced with deportation are given the individual opportunity to seek protection based on conditions in Afghanistan that would threaten their lives or freedom, Human Rights Watch said.    » read more »

June 19, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C— Because of the war in Iraq, more than two million Iraqis have been internally displaced in their own country, and two million other Iraqis are in neighboring countries throughout the region, primarily Jordan and Syria. The United States has allowed less than 500 Iraqi refugees into the country since the conflict began – only 63 have been admitted this year. The Judiciary Committee highlighted the urgency of this issue in January. Assistant Secretary Sauerbrey has said the U.S.    » read more »

19 June 2007 -- On the eve of World Refugee Day (June 20), the U.N. refugee agency says the number of refugees in the world is increasing dramatically, largely due to the crisis in Iraq. A new report shows the percentage of refugees rose last year by 14 percent, to almost 10 million, the highest level since 2002. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.    » read more »

19 June 2007 -- June 20th is International Refugee Day so we are turning our attention to the refugee situation in Iraq. The United Nations says nearly four million Iraqis have fled from their homes seeking refuge in either safer regions of their country or abroad. And every month at least 40,000 more people are displaced.

The United States faces increasing criticism for not doing more to solve the refugee crisis there or allowing more Iraqi refugees into the U.S. In 2006 the United States allowed only 202 Iraqi refugees into the country.    » read more »

20 June 2007 -- On this World Refugee Day, Tanzania, which is host to tens of thousands of refugees from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, said it will shut down its camps for Burundian refugees by the end of this year. Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who is on a three-day visit to Burundi, said Tuesday that there was no need for the refugees to continue to stay his country.

Since 2002, Tanzania has repatriated about 354 thousand Burundian refugees. The New York-based Human Rights Watch had called on Tanzania to stop what Human Rights Watch calls “forcible" expulsion.    » read more »

16 June 2007 -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is appealing for $85 million to assist hundreds of thousands of internally displaced Iraqis. It warns large numbers of people will be forced to flee Iraq's borders, unless the international community provides the cash needed to care for Iraq's desperate homeless.    » read more »