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Thein Sein Should Send Suu Kyi to Rakhine
December 17, 2012 Melanie Teff Bangladesh, Burma, Humanitarian Response, Asia, Protection & Security, Statelessness

This article originally appeared in The Bangkok Post.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been more successful in mobilising Myanmar's people for change than any figure in recent history. Through her perseverance, she convinced her compatriots that with time, effort and unity of purpose, reform really was possible. The odds were long, but eventually she won and was proved right.

As Abyei Deadline Passes, Risks Rise for Mediators - and Civilians
December 12, 2012 Caelin Briggs Africa, South Sudan, Sudan

Wednesday, December 5th, marked the deadline given by the African Union (AU) for the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to reach agreement on the contested border state of Abyei.

Throughout repeated rounds of Juba-Khartoum negotiations (and despite the efforts of the AU and U.S. mediators), the dispute over Abyei has remained intractable. As Wednesday’s deadline came and passed, the two countries remained just as gridlocked as they were in early September, when this most recent round of talks began.

Stateless in America: Part I
December 10, 2012 Avy Mallik Americas, Asia, Statelessness

Exactly one year ago, a historic summit took place in Geneva on the rights of refugees and stateless people. On December 9, 2011, the United States and 154 other nations met to discuss the importance of the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1954 and 1961 Statelessness Conventions. But what made the conference historic was not the debate, but the pledges.

Mali: A Strategic Minefield for the Security Council
December 05, 2012 Michael Boyce Africa, Burkina Faso, Climate Displacement, Mali, Niger, Humanitarian Response, Protection & Security

This post originally appeared at UN Dispatch.

S. Sudan Takes Vital Step to Prevent Statelessness
November 30, 2012 Sarnata Reynolds Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Statelessness
South Sudan opened its second Nationality Directorate on November 28, and the government expects that offices will be opened in all 10 South Sudanese states by the new year. This is a tremendous step for the world's newest country and should greatly decrease the risk of statelessness.
Fall of Goma Shows MONUSCO's Failings
November 20, 2012 Caelin Briggs Africa, DR Congo, Rwanda, Humanitarian Response, Protection & Security

At 4:00am on Saturday, the rebel group known as M23 attacked the town of Kibumba in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. Equipped with new night vision goggles and 120mm mortars, the rebels quickly overwhelmed the Congolese army (FARDC) and United Nations peacekeeping forces defending the town, which sits just outside the provincial capital of Goma.

Hidden Victims: Mali’s Internally Displaced People
November 14, 2012 Alice Thomas Africa, Climate Displacement, Mali, Humanitarian Response, Protection & Security, Women & Children

This post originally appeared at Think Africa Press.

In a darkly-lit house on a dusty, garbage-strewn street on the outskirts of Bamako, an elderly couple and a man in a white robe are seated on the floor. Amadou, the owner of the home, is approximately 70 years old and a retired gardener. He says that since rebels took over northern Mali last April, 16 members of his extended family have come to live with him, having been forced to flee their hometown of Timbuktu.

DC Circle Highlights RI's Work for Syrian Refugees
November 09, 2012 Refugees Intern... Syria, Humanitarian Response, Middle East, Protection & Security

Mariella Trager serves as chair of Refugees International's Washington Circle.

By Mariella Trager

Friends of Refugees International came together on Thursday, October 25, at the beautiful Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, DC. Around 100 people gathered for the luncheon, where they explored the ongoing displacement crisis in Syria and RI’s advocacy efforts there.

Burma Raises Prospect of Rohingya Citizenship
November 02, 2012 Sarnata Reynolds Bangladesh, Burma, Humanitarian Response, Asia, Protection & Security, Statelessness
In an interview with The Hindu newspaper this week, Burmese Minister of Information U Ang Kyi said that his government is attempting to address the ongoing violence in Rakhine State through the development of a "win-win solution for all stakeholders." Acknowledging that treating the stateless Rohingya as trespassers was an underlying problem that needed to be addressed, he said the government was considering a process whereby “third-generation” R
Syrian Refugees: Who Will Tell Their Story?
November 01, 2012 Refugees Intern... Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Humanitarian Response, Middle East, Protection & Security, Women & Children

Michael Hawkins is Secretary of the Board of Refugees International. Mr. Hawkins visited Syrian refugees in Jordan as part of RI's most recent mission to the region.

By Michael Hawkins

Syrian Refugees Face a Difficult Winter
October 25, 2012 Daryl Grisgraber Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Humanitarian Response, Middle East, Women & Children

This post originally appeared on The Hill's Congress Blog.

When you think of getting ready for winter in D.C., it seems straightforward enough: you pull out a heavier coat, a hat and gloves; throw a comforter on the bed; and set the climate control to 68 degrees. Quick and simple, right? But for the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who are receiving humanitarian assistance, winter is a much more ominous prospect.

How Blaming the West Hides a War on Women
October 24, 2012 Refugees Intern... Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Middle East, Women & Children

Roya Hakakian is a member of the Board of Refugees International. This post originally appeared as an op-ed in The Washington Post.

By Roya Hakakian

RI Honors Amanpour at Record-Breaking New York Circle
October 23, 2012 Adelaide Belk Somalia, Syria, About RI

View our photo report from last week's event!

On the evening of October 16th, Refugees International celebrated the 10th anniversary of our New York Circle. Each year since the Circle was founded by Peta Roubin and Natacha Weiss, guests have come together to show their enthusiasm and support for RI’s lifesaving advocacy. This year, friends and supporters joined RI at Unilever’s New York apartment on Columbus Circle on a beautiful autumn night.

For Syrian Refugees, Life at Home May Be Hell, But Camps Are No Haven
October 19, 2012 Marcy Hersh Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Humanitarian Response, Middle East, Protection & Security, Women & Children

This post originally appeared at UN Dispatch.

Hannan, four years old, squirms on her pink hospital bed, covering her face with her hands as if I cannot see her that way. When she thinks I’m not looking, she peeks up at me between her fingers and I give her a quick smile. She smiles back, and then immediately rolls over, hiding from me and my colleague.

Syria's Children: A Damaged Generation
October 16, 2012 Daryl Grisgraber Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Humanitarian Response, Middle East, Protection & Security, Women & Children

This post originally appeared on The Hill's Congress Blog.

Burma's Rohingya: Beyond the Communal Violence
October 15, 2012 Avy Mallik Bangladesh, Burma, Humanitarian Response, Asia, Statelessness

On Tuesday, October 9th, the Open Society Foundations and Refugees International co-hosted an event on the ongoing inter-communal violence in Rakhine State, Burma, which has displaced thousands of stateless Rohingya. The event brought together representatives of the U.S. government, civil society, and the media to review recent developments in Burma and Bangladesh.

We Can Do More. We Must Do More.
October 11, 2012 Caelin Briggs Africa, DR Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Humanitarian Response, Protection & Security, Statelessness, Women & Children

I am excited to be joining RI as the new advocate for DRC and the Sudans. With the presidential election now approaching, and renewed Congressional interest in the conflicts of Sub-Saharan Africa, it is an exhilarating time to be joining the organization. 

Stealing From Those Who Have Nothing: The ‘Gatekeepers’ of Mogadishu
October 09, 2012 Mark Yarnell Africa, Somalia, Humanitarian Response, Protection & Security

Mogadishu is being revitalized. During the five days I spent in the Somali capital last week, I saw first-hand the city’s development and increasing vibrancy. New businesses are popping up around every corner, local markets are buzzing with commercial activity, and there are traffic jams on the streets again.

Syrian Students Tested by Refugee Life
October 05, 2012 Marcy Hersh Syria, Turkey, Humanitarian Response, Middle East, Women & Children

This post originally appeared at Reuters AlertNet.

The fall semester is well underway back in the United States. Students are breathing in the smell of freshly sharpened pencils, carrying backpacks across leafy college campuses, making new friends, and feeling nervous and excited at the prospect of raising their hand and expressing newly-formed opinions.

From Refugee to IDP in Somaliland
October 03, 2012 Mark Yarnell Africa, Somalia, Humanitarian Response

This post originally appeared at UN Dispatch.

“What we need most is to have our own land.”