tagged w/ refugee camps
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Thirty years after 1,700 Palestinians were killed at the Sabra and Chatila refugee camps, Robert Fisk revisits the killing fieldsThirty years after 1,700 Palestinians were killed at the Sabra and Chatila refugee... more
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Amid the graves of Somalia's children
CNN...
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Burying a child: A mother's unending grief
Sanjay Gupta MD
By Sanjay Gupta, M.D., Chief Medical Correspondent
August 11, 2011 11:25 a.m. EDT
Fight to save Somali kids
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Gupta's visit with Somalian refugees brings disturbing memories
He recalls the grieving mother of a boyhood friend who died
Thousands of Somalian parents have buried their children this summer
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Editor's note: Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes you deep inside the misery of the largest refugee camp in the world, "SGMD," Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET
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Dadaab, Kenya (CNN) --
When I was in the third grade, a classmate of mine died of leukemia. None of us knew he was sick, only that his mother hadn't let him attend school in a while.
More than 30 years later, I still remember the awful day my mom told me my friend had passed away. I made a card for his mother, and walked to their house to deliver it. She was too overcome to take any visitors, but thanked me and took the card. I can recall her broken up face when she shut the door.
Over time we lost touch, but during the holidays a couple of years ago, I stopped by her home to pay a visit. She recognized me right away, smiled and invited me in for a cup of coffee. And then, while hanging my jacket, she began to tremble and cry.
So many years later, the sorrow was just under the surface. The experience left an indelible impression on me, one that I better understood after becoming a parent myself. It violates a natural order of life to bury your own child, and I am not sure the grief ever goes away.
That's the position 30,000 Somali parents found themselves in this summer. And, 600,000 more children may be buried before the end of the year. In just about any other place on Earth, those numbers would scream out from international headlines, but not here in East Africa.
Inside the Dadaab Refugee Camp, a mass burial site sits within walking distance of the close cluster of tents. Amin Hassan took me to see the tiny burial site of her 1-month old daughter, Addison.
It was nearly lost among all the other shallow, hastily dug graves. Small sticks mark these raised plots of dirt with nothing else except bits of colored plastic trash stuck in the ground and blowing in the wind.
There are no nameplates, no flowers and no reminders of their lives. People here just vanish.
"She was perfectly healthy when she arrived," Amin told me.
They had left Somalia in search of food and water, and felt relief when they finally reached the camp. It may have been contaminated water that caused little Addison's intractable diarrhea and vomiting or an overwhelming infection.
Pertussis or whooping cough is something they see quite often here. "And measles," one of the doctors told me.
Many of these infections are wildly contagious, especially among the hundreds of thousands of un-vaccinated kids in these camps.
As I stood and spoke to Hassan, with all those tiny burial sites around us, I couldn't help but think of my friend and his mother. I thought of that unnatural order of parents burying their children.
I thought about Hassan's lifelong grief.
Amin Hassan dug the grave for her daughter by herself.
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.Amid the graves of Somalia's children
CNN...
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Burying a child: A... more
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Youth at Dzaleka Refugee Camp near Lilongwe, Malawi find a creative outlet through hip hop and dance. A piece by Mitchell Armentrout and Shireen Mirza. Find more at www.refugeelives.orgYouth at Dzaleka Refugee Camp near Lilongwe, Malawi find a creative outlet through hip... more
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Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations hung in the balance Monday as Israel ignored international pressure to extend a 10-month freeze on Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank.Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations hung in the balance Monday as Israel ignored... more
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What's the only thing that can tarnish your Presidential campaign as the leader who brought the end of a thirty year civil war? Is it allegations of human rights abuses? No, it's being challenged by the only other person who has a better claim to that title: your top general.
That's what's happening in Sri Lanka right now as voters head to the polls tomorrow. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is facing off against General Sarath Fonseka, the former commander of the Army. The poll so far has been marred by violence:
More than 800 violent incidents and five deaths have been recorded in the run-up to the election, according to the independent Centre for Monitoring Election Violence.
What the poll seems not to have been marred by, however, is any sort of criticism of the government's conduct of the end of the war with the Tamil Tigers. Or of their so-far sketchy plans to provide resettlement to the thousands of Tamil refugees currently living in camps.
The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence is mapping reports of violence during the poll. (h/t Global Voices)
View Presidential Elections - January 2010 (Violence during campaign) in a larger map
For some background on the situation Sri Lanka finds itself in as it casts its vote for a new leader, this is Vanguard: Sri Lanka: Notes from a War on Terror:
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- Supreme Court opens doors to corporate moneyWhat's the only thing that can tarnish your Presidential campaign as the leader... more
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Riding a huge wave of popularity after defeating the insurgent Tamil Tigers this year, Sri Lanka's government has called early elections. From the BBC:
Mr Rajapaksa, who is hugely popular among the Sinhalese majority, is likely to score a clear victory.
The opposition is weak and the president is hoping for a two-thirds majority which would enable him to change the constitution, possibly making provision for more than two successive presidential terms.
He has said that he will wait until after the vote to introduce political reforms aimed, for instance, at addressing Tamil grievances.
The Tamil minority will probably not be happy waiting that long to have their greivances addressed, especially with over 200K Tamils still in refugee camps that are likely to flood with the coming monsoon season. If the government waits too long could they kick off another Tamil insurgency? It's a danger they might be running. And after a thirty year war, it's probably something they should be concerned about.
The new season of Vanguard features a report by Mariana van Zeller on Sri Lanka's fight against the Tigers: "Sri Lanka: Notes from a War on Terror". She looks at what it took for the Sinhalese majority to finally stamp out an incredibly resilient insurgency - and what counter-insurgency campaigns the world over can learn from their efforts (and what not to do).
Mariana's first report in the new season airs tomorrow night on Current at 10pm ET and again at 10pm PT. It's called The Oxycontin Express and deals with prescription drug abuse in the US. You can also catch her on Dr. Phil today talking about what she learned on that story.
Related posts:
- Sri Lanka’s refugee camps face dangerous mosoon season - Current News Blog
- Sri Lanka's Civil War - The group on Current News
- Demise of the Tamil Tigers? Perhaps, but an Appreciation - Current NewsRiding a huge wave of popularity after defeating the insurgent Tamil Tigers this year,... more
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Amazing pictures from the BBC of Menik Farm, the refugee camp in Sri Lanka currently housing over 240,000 Tamils.
Check out their slideshow over here.
You can follow news out of Sri Lanka on the Current News group: Sri Lanka's Civil War.
Recently on Sri Lanka's Civil War:
- "A View Framed by Barbed Wire" Economist on Sri Lanka - On Current News
- Sri Lanka's refugee camps face dangerous monsoons - On Current NewsAmazing pictures from the BBC of Menik Farm, the refugee camp in Sri Lanka currently... more
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As Sri Lanka's civil war came to an end earlier this year, camps in the north of the country overflowed with refugees fleeing the fighting. The camps, though they're only to be temporary, have drawn criticism from human rights groups for their conditions and for the fact that some of them will not let refugees leave. Now, after massive flooding in August, officials are rushing to get the camps ready for monsoon season:
In August, sudden storms flooded many of the vast camps, submerging toilets and contaminating water.
Thousands of makeshift homes were also damaged in the rainfall.
Now the Sri Lankan government says it is rapidly installing drainage systems in the camps ahead of the monsoon.
About 10% of refugees have been allowed to leave, and the government says it intends to resettle most of the others by the end of this year.
The camps are helped in great part by international funding - but some critics abroad are less than enthused with the Sri Lankan's government reluctance to allow refugees to return to their homes or villages. The UK has recently announced its intention to withdraw all but emergency funding for the camps, saying that about 70% of the inhabitants could leave.
The announcement came after the UK Development Minister Mike Foster visited the biggest camp at Menik Farm.
He said 70% of people should be able to leave and stay with host families.
Refugees say conditions are poor, with inadequate drinking water and drains, and illness due to the hot conditions. Many are pleading to be allowed home.
The government's treatment of the Tamil refugees is a cause of concern for international observers, particularly after the devastating end to the civil war. Will Sri Lanka come through on its promises to treat the refugees humanely and restore civil government to the formerly rebel-controlled regions?
As a part of our upcoming Vanguard season, Mariana van Zeller reports from Sri Lanka on the civil war.
Related items:
- Evidence of war crimes in Sri Lanka? - Vanguard blog
- Current Group: Sri Lanka's Civil War - Join the group, follow developments.As Sri Lanka's civil war came to an end earlier this year, camps in the north of... more
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19-year old jane, not her real name, fled her home in sudan several years ago and ended up in Kakuma refugee camp along with thousand sof other refugees. It's the same story for Anne and Lucy, (again not their real names) they've been chased away by their families and forced to live together in a one-roomed hut. All of them are prostitutes.19-year old jane, not her real name, fled her home in sudan several years ago and... more
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From the News Blog: http://blogs.current.com/news/2010/01/25/sri-lanka-goes-to-the-polls/
What's the only thing that can tarnish your Presidential campaign as the leader who brought the end of a thirty year civil war? Is it allegations of human rights abuses? No, it's being challenged by the only other person who has a better claim to that title: your top general.
That's what's happening in Sri Lanka right now as voters head to the polls tomorrow. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is facing off against General Sarath Fonseka, the former commander of the Army. The poll so far has been marred by violence:
From the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/25/sri-lanka-presidential-election
"More than 800 violent incidents and five deaths have been recorded in the run-up to the election, according to the independent Centre for Monitoring Election Violence."
What the poll seems not to have been marred by, however, is any sort of criticism of the government's conduct of the end of the war with the Tamil Tigers. Or of their so-far sketchy plans to provide resettlement to the thousands of Tamil refugees currently living in camps.
The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence is mapping reports of violence during the poll: http://cmev.wordpress.com/maps/
For some background on the situation Sri Lanka finds itself in as it casts its vote for a new leader, below is Vanguard: Sri Lanka: Notes from a War on Terror:From the News Blog:... more
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(CNN) -- Yemeni officials accused rebels of using civilians as human shields and urged people to flee to refugee camps as fighting intensified in the country's north, state media reported Tuesday.
Yemen's official news agency SABA reported the government had set up four refugee camps as fighting intensified in the northern part of the country but warned the pathway to these safe havens has been dangerous.
Houthi rebels have been kidnapping civilians, using them as human shields and planting land mines, the agency reported.
In the past, the group Human Rights Watch has said Yemeni government forces and rebels have endangered civilians during the fighting.
In a report released in July, Human Rights Watch said its researchers found "allegations of serious laws of war violations by both sides, including the use of children under 18 in combat, use of anti-personnel land mines in civilian areas, and taking civilians hostage."
Battles between Yemeni forces and Shiite Houthi rebels in the north have raged intermittently for five years. A government offensive launched this summer has recently caused more bloodshed.
The conflict is considered to be both separatist -- over who will assert authority in the area -- and sectarian -- whether Shiite Islam will dominate in majority Sunni Yemen.
The rebels are supporters of slain Shiite cleric Hussein al-Houthi.(CNN) -- Yemeni officials accused rebels of using civilians as human shields and urged... more
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Amazing pictures from the BBC of Menik Farm, the refugee camp in Sri Lanka currently housing over 240,000 Tamils.
This is just one of the camps in the country housing Tamil refugees who fled the fighting in the country's north earlier this year.
(This photo is not from their set, but is from Menik Farm. Click through for their photos.)
The question for these refugees is how soon will the government let them return to their homes and villages?Amazing pictures from the BBC of Menik Farm, the refugee camp in Sri Lanka currently... more
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As Sri Lanka's civil war came to an end earlier this year, camps in the north of the country overflowed with refugees fleeing the fighting. The camps, though they're only to be temporary, have drawn criticism from human rights groups for their conditions and for the fact that some of them will not let refugees leave. Now, after massive flooding in August, officials are rushing to get the camps ready for monsoon season:
"In August, sudden storms flooded many of the vast camps, submerging toilets and contaminating water. Thousands of makeshift homes were also damaged in the rainfall. Now the Sri Lankan government says it is rapidly installing drainage systems in the camps ahead of the monsoon. About 10% of refugees have been allowed to leave, and the government says it intends to resettle most of the others by the end of this year."
The camps are helped in great part by international funding - but some critics abroad are less than enthused with the Sri Lankan's government reluctance to allow refugees to return to their homes or villages. The UK has recently announced its intention to withdraw all but emergency funding for the camps, saying that about 70% of the inhabitants could leave.
"The announcement came after the UK Development Minister Mike Foster visited the biggest camp at Menik Farm. He said 70% of people should be able to leave and stay with host families. Refugees say conditions are poor, with inadequate drinking water and drains, and illness due to the hot conditions. Many are pleading to be allowed home."
The government's treatment of the Tamil refugees is a cause of concern for international observers, particularly after the devastating end to the civil war. Will Sri Lanka come through on its promises to treat the refugees humanely and restore civil government to the formerly rebel-controlled regions?
As a part of our upcoming Vanguard season, Mariana van Zeller reports from Sri Lanka on the civil war. Make sure to check it out.As Sri Lanka's civil war came to an end earlier this year, camps in the north of... more
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It's an animated film in appearance, but in reality it is a rigorous documentary by Israeli director Ari Folman on the 1982 Lebanon war, in which he was a soldier, and the terrible massacre at Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. The title Waltz with Bashir comes from one of the episodes narrated in the film, an Israeli soldier who begins to fire on snipers moving as in a waltz in front of the giant poster of murdered Lebanese president, Bashir Gemayel.It's an animated film in appearance, but in reality it is a rigorous documentary... more
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More blood on the hands of this government as we continue to allow the same untested methods that will only bring more terrorism and destruction to this region. How many refugee camps and dead innocent civilians around the world do we need in order to see that this does not work?More blood on the hands of this government as we continue to allow the same untested... more
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Human Rights Watch on Saturday accused Sri Lankan forces of repeatedly striking hospitals in the northern war zone with indiscriminate artillery and aerial attacks that have killed scores of people, a charge the military denied.
The New York-based group claimed military commanders responsible for ordering or conducting such attacks "may be prosecuted for war crimes."
The accusation came amid growing international concern for an estimated 50,000 civilians caught in the fighting between government forces and the separatist Tamil Tigers.
In the latest clashes, naval vessels destroyed two rebel boats after a sea battle off the northeast coast Saturday, killing at least 14 rebels, a military statement said.
On Friday, troops pushed further into the rebel territory, capturing an earthen fortification. The military said soldiers found 35 bodies of rebel fighters killed in the fighting.
There was no comment from rebels and it is difficult to verify the military's claims because reporters and independent observers are barred from the war zone.
Government troops in recent months have ousted the rebels from their strongholds across the north and say they have cornered the Tigers in a sliver of land just 2.4 miles- (four kilometers-) long on the northeast coast.
Human Rights Watch said Saturday it has information "about at least 30 attacks on permanent and makeshift hospitals in the combat area since December 2008" and blamed government forces.
"Hospitals are supposed to be sanctuaries from shelling, not targets," Brad Adams, the group's Asia director, said in a statement.Human Rights Watch on Saturday accused Sri Lankan forces of repeatedly striking... more
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