Author: c.bunce

The Humanitarian Fallout from Cameroon’s Struggle Against Boko Haram

1.6 million people in the Far North of Cameroon are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. The government is focusing military efforts on fighting Boko Haram and offering little support to the impoverished population and refugees affected by the conflict. Several international institutions and agencies have stepped up to help provide aid to thousands of refugees displaced by Boko Haram, including 60,000 Nigerian refugees at the Minawao camp. Minawao camp, which was visited by the former head of the UNHCR, benefits the most from international aid.

A lack of government experience and support as well as insufficient funding present the biggest challenges to providing humanitarian aid to both refugees and inhabitants in the Far North. Three million residents in the Far North lived below the poverty line prior to the crisis and a recent influx of refugees to the region has greatly increased the need for help.

The mayor of Calais, Natacha Bouchart, signed a mayoral decree which bans refugee charities from handing out meals to migrants in the town. Bouchart argued that it poses a security threat, but it is also part of a larger effort to prevent refugees from building camps in Calais after the destruction of the “Jungle” refugee camp in late 2016. Despite the ban, several charities said that they will continue to provide food and other aid to refugees who continue to flee to Calais.

The UN supported the demolition of the “Jungle” and relocation of migrants living in the Calais camp due to poor living conditions and concerns over safety. It will be interesting to hear the UN’s response to Bouchart’s ban as European leaders struggle with how to handle the refugee crisis.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) provides some startling facts and figures on their website about the global refugee crisis. The most recent data available shows 65.3 million people displaced. More than than half of the refugees in the world come from three countries – Somalia, Afghanistan and Syria.

The work of the UNHCR requires the collaboration and cooperation of the international community in order to help millions of refugees worldwide. Eighty-six percent of the agency’s funding comes from governments and the European Union. Recent actions by governments and leaders, including Trump and his immigration ban, are only further provoking the humanitarian crisis and preventing much needed aid and relief to refugees.

Plagued by years of civil war, thousands of people in South Sudan are suffering from an “entirely man-made humanitarian tragedy”. More than 100,000 people in the country are affected by a famine and an additional 1 million are close to starvation. The United Nations previously accused South Sudan’s government of blocking aid delivery, but President Salva Kiir remarked at the transitional national assembly that they would ensure full access for aid workers. The European Commission also pledged 82 million euro towards an emergency aid package.

The attitudes of South Sudan’s government towards the international community has been hostile, affecting aid access for thousands of suffering people in their country. The U.S. also condemned the South Sudanese leaders for putting their political ambitions ahead of humanitarian aid and relief.

Now that a famine has been declared, will President Kiir acknowledge the severity of the crisis and get people the help that they so desperately need? The United Nations and other international agencies are working together to provide humanitarian relief, but need the support of South Sudan’s government in order to succeed.

Can E.U. Shift Migrant Crisis to the Source? In Libya, the Odds Are Long

At the European Union summit, pledged to fund and train the Libyan coast guard as a strategy to stifle Europe’s migration crisis. Italians recently trained 89 officers in the Libyan Coast Guard to intercept and rescue migrant boats in Libyan waters bound for Europe. In addition to funding and training the Libyan Coast Guard, Italy has agreed to provide needed resources and set up migrant holding centers in Libya. More than 180,000 Libyans crossed the Mediterranean into Italy last year and nearly 5,000 migrants died trying. Just this week, the bodies of more than 70 migrants washed up on the shore of Libya after smugglers removed the boat’s engine.

The UN-backed Libyan government is on the verge of collapse and many are skeptical of the operation since much of the Libyan coastline is under the control of militant and criminal groups. Furthermore, human rights groups argue that migrants are trying to flee threats of violence and dangerous living conditions and sending them back to Libya will only further escalate the humanitarian crisis.

Was this initiative set up to fail? Thousands of migrants make the dangerous Mediterranean crossing to seek a better life, but it seems as though their lives are never considered.

 

http://time.com/4665125/dadaab-camp-refugee-camp-open-ruling/

Last week, the Kenyan courts blocked the government’s order to shut down the world’s largest refugee camp. More than 200,000 refugees are staying at Dadaab Camp in Kenya after fleeing Somalia which is under constant threat from terrorist attacks by al-Shabab. The judge ruled in favor of several rights groups, arguing that the government’s order to close the camp violates the Kenyan constitution and international treaties that protect refugees fleeing from war-torn areas. Somalia was one of the countries affected by President Trump’s temporary travel ban and 140 Somali refugees scheduled to travel to the United States were sent back to the camp.

Last week, the UN Security Council met to discuss the humanitarian emergency developing in eastern Ukraine as a result of renewed conflict between government-controlled Kyiv (supported by the West) and separatist rebels (backed by Russia). The Security Council was briefed on the conflict and the potential for a humanitarian crisis should fighting continue. More than 10,000 explosions over the course of 24 hours threatened to damage critical infrastructure and access to basic necessities, including heat and hot water, for nearly 1 million civilians in Donetsck City. According to the International Crisis Group, 3.8 million people are displaced in the country and approximately 2,000 civilians have died since the conflict began. The UN pledged its full support to peace efforts in Ukraine by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

At the meeting, Ukraine claimed that Russia violated the Minsk Agreements and escalated the conflict. The U.S. representative called for Russia to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and cease its occupation of Crimea before it would consider lifting any sanctions.

The conflict in Ukraine brings about several questions regarding the role of international relations, particularly between the United States and Russia, and the UN in how to best address the conflict and help prevent a humanitarian crisis from escalating.

 

This video series by Nicholas Kristof, New York Times columnist, shares the stories of refugees all over the world. It really puts things into perspective, especially given the current state of the world and Trump’s recent policies aimed at banning refugees from entering the U.S.

This New York Times article discusses a recent phone call between President Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull which illustrates the impact that Trump’s refugee policies are having both at home and abroad. The reportedly tense phone call was over a previous agreement by the Obama administration for the U.S. to accept 1,250 refugees being detained on Manus Island. A rift with Australia, one the United States’ longstanding allies, could be detrimental for international relations. Trump openly expressed his anger over Twitter and tweeted that he would review the “dumb” deal. Although Australia stated that the U.S. has agreed to uphold the agreement, what impact will Trump’s policies and twitter “rants” continue to have on U.S. foreign relations?