US Group Highlights Plight of World's Refugees | Voice of America - English
A U.S. humanitarian advocacy group says in a report the number of refugees around the world continues to grow. It says refugees are facing mistreatment and a lack of assistance in dozens of countries. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from Washington, the report was issued on the eve of World Refugee Day Friday.The U.S.
The U.S. Committee forRefugees and Immigrants, or USCRI, estimates the number of refugees hasincreased in the last year to more than 14 million people worldwide. Much of the recent growth comes from vast numbers of Iraqis, more thantwo million in all, who continue to flee violence and bloodshed thathas gripped the country since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. MostIraqi refugees have settled in Jordan and Syria, where they areprohibited from working legally, according to USCRI President LaviniaLimon. "You have 40 percent of the professional class of Iraqwho have left the country," Limon said. "How many teachers,doctors, engineers, who speak the same language, who have commonculture and religion to Syria and Jordan, and if they were allowed towork they would be contributing to those economies, instead of beingengaged in underground work where they are exploited?" Limon wasspeaking on Capitol Hill. She was joined by several U.S. lawmakers whoaccused the Bush administration of failing to do its part to welcomerefugees from Iraq, especially those who once served as translators forU.S. troops and contractors performing missions in Iraq. "When you look at a country likeSweden, that has nine million people, and in 2007 alone relocated18,000 Iraqis, and then you look at the United States, which hasrelocated around 5,000 [Iraqis] since 2003, you wonder as to thecommitment our country has made to take care of people that we put atrisk," said MarylandDemocratic Senator Ben Cardin. The U.S. State Department says itaims to relocate 12,000 Iraqi refugees this year and is processingapplications as quickly as possible. In its 2008 World RefugeeSurvey, USCRI lists nine countries it deems the world's "worst placesfor refugees." They include Bangladesh for its treatment of Rohingyarefugees, China for its spurning of people fleeing North Korea, Russiafor returning some refugees from Uzbekistan, and Thailand for expellingtens of thousands of Burmese refugees. The report alsocriticizes many European nations for making it difficult for refugeesto gain entry, as well as Kenya and other countries for confining vastnumbers of refugees to sprawling, semi-permanent camps - a practiceUSCRI refers to as "warehousing." "The question now is: are we really protecting refugeesby keeping them in camps at all? We saw what happened to the Darfurianrefugees in Chad," said Merrill Smith, who edited USCRI's 2008survey. "They were attacked repeatedly.Camps become notoriously infiltrated by guerrilla forces. It is aninhuman situation. It is not an appropriate response to refugeeprotection." The report does note some encouraging signs,including the formation of coalitions in Israel to advocate on behalfof refugees from Sudan's Darfur region, and similar pro-refugeeinitiatives in Thailand, Tanzania, and elsewhere. USCRI arguesthat refugee rights are human rights, and that all nations have a dutyto accept and look after people fleeing violence and danger in otherlands. The organization acknowledges that burdens are inevitably placedon host countries, but that those costs must be defrayed throughfinancial contributions and other assistance from the broaderinternational community.