| Project Updates | |
| Sudan: JRS changes approach to ensure quality education Europe: conference on destitute migrants |
| Dispatches is a fortnightly e-mail bulletin of the JRS International Office. It features refugee news briefings and project updates from our people in the field. |
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Sudan: official results confirm independence hypothesis
Juba, 8 February 2011 – The people of Southern Sudan have voted for independence from Sudan according to the final referendum results announced in Khartoum on Monday, 7 February. The results show that 98.83 percent voted for secession from Sudan, with formal independence for Africa's newest state scheduled this July. "As soon as people here heard the announcement of the result over the local FM radio station, they started celebrating," said Anyanzo Charles Jacob, JRS Peace Education Coordinator in Nimule, Southern Sudan. "Soldiers fired bullets in air, people danced and sung songs of praises to God, beating drums, and playing other local musical instruments. It went on throughout the night," Mr Anyanzo added. However, key challenges remain to be negotiated before independence. It will depend on the two ruling parties – the north's National Congress Party (NCP) and the south's Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) – to agree on solutions. Key issues that need to be negotiated Sudan's north-south border remains un-demarcated, and progress on fixing the boundaries remains slow. Negotiations are based on colonial-era maps reflecting Sudan's 1956 borders. As the north-south border crosses oil and mineral rich areas, particularly in Abyei, the issue is contentious. The status of the contested border region of Abyei was to be determined in a separate referendum scheduled for early January last; however, the referendum did not take place and progress on the vote remains deadlocked. A deal needs to be negotiated as to how the two parties will share the oil revenue. Oil reserves lie in the south but all pipelines run north. Both sides largely depend on oil income, with 98 percent of the southern government's budget coming from oil revenue. Another precious resource is water; the future sharing of the Nile water also has to be agreed. A solution has to be found regarding the citizenship for the many Sudanese living in border areas, and southerners and northerners living in the "other" side of Sudan. Alternatively, the south wants people to have a possibility of holding dual citizenship, an option the north has been reluctant to accept. Expectations remain high The referendum was the climax of a 2005 north-south peace accord that set out to end Africa's longest civil war in which two million people died and four million were displaced within and outside Sudan. "Southerners have fought 21 years for this liberation. They have high expectations regarding the democratisation process, a reform of the judiciary, establishment of the rule of law and the efficient provision of services," said Mr. Anyanzu. "If these expectations are not met, Southern Sudan will continue to experience conflicts," he added. "We will only truly be liberated if we have peace, democracy, good governance, financial accountability, if we manage to eradicate poverty and manage our resources responsibly, if the civil society is involved in political processes and women participate in decision making," said Mr. Anyanzu. JRS accompanied Southern Sudanese in various locations throughout the referendum process, providing education on the voting process and on conflict resolution within local communities. South Africa: refugee documentation remains an issue
Johannesburg, 11 February 2010 – Refugee documentation remains a concern in South Africa, as demonstrated recently in a legal battle in the Cape Town High Court. Refugees and asylum seekers who are unable to pay the 250 euro (2,500 South African Rand) fine for the late renewal of their permits are now liable to having their documents confiscated. Asylum seekers are required to renew their permits every three months. Yet, refugees in Cape Town argue that the reasons for late renewal stem from the lengthy queues at Home Affairs processing centres. In addition to this, the centres often take weeks to process applications. The University of Cape Town Law Faculty's Refugee Rights Project is currently representing eight applicants on behalf of a further 59 who find themselves vulnerable to arrest and deportation, due to the confiscation of their permits. Problems with documentation are also evident in other major urban centres. Towards the end of 2010, Lawyers for Human Rights in Johannesburg won a battle allowing the use of refugee permits as valid identification documents for accessing banking services. Prior to this, refugees were being denied additional banking services and access to any accounts held in their name. This was due to changes in financial legislation which prohibited the use of a refugee permit as valid documentation. Despite this victory refugees in Johannesburg are still denied services from some banks. Right to travel Travel permits for refugees raise another concern: the delay in providing refugees with machine-readable travel documents means many refugees are unable to leave South Africa. Pie-Pacifique Kabalira-Uwase, a refugee from Rwanda, currently working in the financial sector in South Africa, waited more than nine months for a document that would allow him to travel for work. "I am sure you would understand how frustrating it would be if I cannot deliver on my job, because I cannot leave South Africa", said Mr Kabalira-Uwase. He further explains that he returned his original travel document due to a misspelling of his name in December and did not receive a new one for 12 months. Permits and documents are essential for refugees and asylum seekers to live, work and partake in the economy of their host country. JRS South Africa reports all cases of refugees unable to access their legal rights to Lawyers for Human Rights (South Africa) and the Wits Law Clinic. Thailand: Shan refugees eking out a living
Bangkok, 10 February 2011 – Despite being forced to flee their homeland, more than 130 Burmese refugee families live in a temporary shelter in the hills on the northern Thai border. In 2001, families from four Shan villages crossed the border to Thailand and lived on the grounds of a monastery. The next year they were allowed to set up a temporary shelter for themselves. But, because it is not a refugee camp, the Thai authorities can come at any time and force them back into Burma. As the shelter is considered temporary, they receive little outside assistance, and are not allowed to build permanent structures nor seek employment in the country. As they are not recognised as refugees, they are not eligible for resettlement in a third country, such as the US or Australia. The refugees' homes, school and community buildings are made of bamboo, and the only work they are allowed to undertake depends on opportunities they create for themselves – mainly traditional weaving. They live far from urban areas, and to get to the shelter they must travel long distances on inadequate roads and in severe weather conditions. According to Sei Lang, the community leader at Krung Jor shelter, ethnic Shan fleeing violence are considered in need of temporary shelter. However, Mr Lang does not foresee things changing in Burma any time soon. Instead, he sees more Shan people fleeing to Thailand as political tensions rise and Burma's military regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), clashes with insurgent groups. "We would like to return to (Burma's) Shan State but not now. Not during the current situation. If the situation changes then we would like to return, but it has to be real change," he said. "They came to our villages, arrested some and killed others. They destroyed our buildings and houses. We were unable to stay and had to flee to Thailand," said Mr Lang. Mr Lang, a former soldier, said the Burmese military believed the refugees supported a Shan military faction. Surviving in limbo "Seventy-five percent of the Shan people live in the countryside so they are not educated. They wouldn't be able to explain the causes of the conflict with the Thai authorities. So the authorities haven't granted them permission to stay here", he said. Some refugees work illegally in garlic fields or doing manual labour, others work in the camp. JRS has been working with shelter residents for nine years, helping to provide livelihood opportunities, including mushroom growing, sewing and weaving. "The weaving is the most successful income generating activity (IGA) in the camp. When the project started they would earn only 30 baht [0.7 euro] for one days work. Now they earn around 120 baht a day", Mr Lang said. "JRS helps us monitor the quality of our products and find markets [nearby] in Mae Sot. We have had a number of special orders for New Years and Christmas", added Mr Lang. While life is difficult in this small community – no real work opportunities are available, rations are cut because of a lack in funding, and many residents are unsure of what the future holds for them – this camp leader only requested one thing: "We want to live in safety here until we can return. Haiti: Inter-American Commission urged US to suspend deportations
Washington DC, 4 February 2011 – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) urges the United States to suspend deportations to Haiti. This applies to all persons of Haitian origin who are either seriously ill or who have family members in the US. Following the earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January 2010, the US government suspended the deportation of Haitians with criminal convictions and charges. According to information the Commission has received, the government announced on 9 December 2010 that it would lift the moratorium on deportations, and last month, the media reported that deportations of Haitians with criminal records resumed. Considering the poor conditions in jails, prisons, and detention centres, as well as the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country, the deportations to Haiti significantly jeopardise the lives of individuals who are seriously ill. According to the IACHR, detention centres in Haiti are overcrowded, and the lack of drinking water and adequate sanitation contribute to the transmission of cholera, tuberculosis, and other diseases. The IACHR is also concerned about the conditions these seriously ill persons may find themselves in upon their arrival in Haiti; they could remain in detention without access to food, drinking water, and adequate medical treatment. For instance, US immigrant advocacy organisations informed the Commission that a person of Haitian origin deported last month recently died in a local prison after showing symptoms of cholera. No ties to Haiti Furthermore, the IACHR has received troubling information regarding persons being processed for deportation who have immediate family members, including children, in the US. In some cases, those awaiting deportation do not have any family members in Haiti. In light of these circumstances, the IAHCR has urged the government to suspend the deportation of Haitians who are seriously ill or who have family ties in the United States. "This moratorium should be maintained until such time as Haiti is able to guarantee that detention conditions and access to medical care comply with minimum standards", said Wooldy Edson Louidor, JRS Latin America Communications and Advocacy Officer for Haiti. "This should continue until the procedures in place to determine and review deportations can adequately take into account the right to family life and family unity in the US of those subject to removal", added Mr Louidor. Sudan: JRS changes approach to ensure quality education
Kajo Keji, 8 February 2011 – JRS is working towards improving their education project following an external evaluation of JRS activities in Kajo Keji county, near the Ugandan-Sudanese border. The external evaluators also noted several problems in the local schooling system. These include: poor management by head teachers; frequent absence of teachers; and a lack of focused instruction and learning in core academic subjects. By adopting a new approach to the situation, JRS can help rectify the situation. "Based on the results of the evaluation, the JRS Primary Education Team has refocused its efforts and is now working more closely with the county education office," said Londo Edward Eliason, JRS Primary Education Coordinator in Kajo Keji. Previously, the JRS team had addressed these issues through meetings and training sessions with head teachers, supervisory visits and teacher training workshops. However, according to the evaluators, this approach was too general for too small a team. Instead, the result of the evaluation suggested a partnership with country officials and more focused support to teachers. Working with county officials Following the discussion of the evaluation results, JRS and the country officials identified priorities for 2011, such as offering better support for head teachers at the county level, addressing the frequent absence of teachers and creating better learning environments through managing the class size, using learning aids and including incidental learning tools. The frequent absence of teachers is one of the main problems in Kajo Keji's primary schools and reasons for this vary. "Teachers feel powerless, they don't get paid regularly, get transferred randomly, are rarely consulted. They are not enjoying their work because they are not confident … In many cases teachers are the only source of information for the class, yet they themselves are weak in knowledge. They do not see a career ahead of them," states the evaluation report. Reducing the frequent absence of teachers With the support of JRS, the county has now introduced an incentive plan, wherein teachers who are absent without prior permission, will lose a percentage of their pay for that day. The money will be given to the school instead, to be used for payment of volunteer teachers or those who helped while the teacher was absent. In addition, JRS will give more direct support to teachers. Head teachers will receive particular support in skills such as budgeting and working with parent- teacher associations, while classroom teachers will receive more support regarding student learning. In practice, this means school visits will be longer and more frequent and inspectors will look at both teachers' plans and pupils' notes to ensure that no child is being left behind. Feedback about the visits will be shared at the county level, to ensure that the difficulties noted will be followed up. "We hope that by implementing this new approach, Kajo Keji county will be better able to meet the learning needs of the students, and to continue providing quality education after JRS closes its projects here in 2012," said Mr Edward. JRS staff will regularly team up with sub-county inspectors to visit and supervise schools. During these visits, the focus will be specifically on classroom instruction and subsequent learning, rather than on managerial issues or compound maintenance. Inspecting teams will look at the use of learning materials and at whether students are making progress in their knowledge of the curriculum. Europe: conference on destitute migrants
Brussels, 11 February 2011 – Throughout Europe, thousands of forced migrants are deprived of their basic needs and denied their fundamental rights. On 29 March 2011, in cooperation with a number of organisations, including Caritas, European Trade Union Confederation and the UN refugee agency, JRS will organise a one-day conference on destitution of forced migrants. The participants, from a wide range of civil society organisations, will share good practices and try to identify practical steps to alleviate the situation of forced migrant destitution in Europe. The laws and practice of many EU states has made forced migrants destitute: depriving them of food and shelter, and access to education and health services. Forced migrants are also prohibited from taking up paid employment. Consequently, their exclusion from society creates new, invisible borders that separate this population from local communities, regions, and countries. Over the last five years, JRS Europe has undertaken research into the living conditions of forced migrants, and examined state policies that have contributed to this situation. Building on its latest report, Living in Limbo, JRS seeks to develop communications strategies to explain the reality of forced migrants to European decision makers and their respective publics, helping to overcome obstacles and better the lives of forced migrants. The conference The conference will feature speeches by Gabriele Erpenbeck from Lower Saxony (German Länder) Commissioner for Migration, and the member of the European Parliament for the Green Party, Jean Lambert. These will be followed by the premiere of a short film on migrants in Europe, entitled Someone Among Us. JRS staff members from offices in Germany, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, and the United Kingdom will be in attendance. Other aspects of the conference are to discuss the major factors of destitution in their respective countries, and the steps they have taken to address it. The conference will cover a range of topics which deal with migrant destitution, as well as developing common strategies on education, health care, housing, social services and wages. |
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| JRS DISPATCHES is sent from the International Office of the Jesuit Refugee Service, Borgo Santo Spirito 4, 00193 Rome, Italy. Tel: +39-06 68977468; Fax: +39-06 6897 7461; Email: dispatches@jrs.net; JRS online: http://www.jrs.net; Publisher: Peter Balleis SJ; Editor: James Stapleton; Translation: Carles Casals (Spanish), Edith Castel (French), Simonetta Russo (Italian). JRS Dispatches No. 294 Editor: James Stapleton |
