| News | |
| Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): more food aid urgently needed |
| Project Updates | |
| Kenya: we are our brother's keeper South Sudan: students from JRS schools obtain the highest grades |
| Spotlight | |
| Colombia: art in the midst of violence Colombia: outside the city, a different reality |
| Voices | |
| Syria: JRS centre offers a fresh start to Iraqis |
| Dispatches is a fortnightly e-mail bulletin of the JRS International Office. It features refugee news briefings, press releases, featured articles and project updates from our people in the field. |
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Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): more food aid urgently needed
Goma, 15 May 2012 – When we met 38-year-old Faida Zahir, she was breastfeeding one-month-old Dorica. She was seated on a bench in a small Protestant church in Mugunga, a few kilometres from Goma, the capital of North Kivu. Dorica and her mother were one of the 500 families who have found refuge in the church and the primary school next door. They were fleeing heavy fighting between the Congolese army and hundreds of deserters loyal to Bosco Ntaganda, the former general, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Mugunga condemned the almost total lack of humanitarian assistance, particularly the distribution of food. Living conditions of the displaced population in Mugunga are extremely precarious. "The last time that I ate, just a little corn, was more than 24 hours ago. Friends who live nearby gave me food, which I had to share with my seven children. But how can I continue to starve my family?" said Faida. Faida has been living with the IDPs in Mugunga since the end of April. In Kashebere, where she used to live, she had a small plot of land to cultivate and a house where she could easily get by with her family. The fighting between the army and rebels has taken everything away, even her husband, and left her with nothing. "At the moment we can't think of returning to our village: the area is full of dead bodies, the homes have been destroyed and security has not yet been restored", she explained, her eyes focused on the ground. Urgent JRS food distribution. Last 8 May in the aftermath of the latest wave of displacement in North Kivu, JRS distributed five tons of corn, two tons of beans and 250kg of salt for approximately 1,100 families in the church and school that day. "Apart from the JRS distribution, nobody has come to give us food. We are trying to find something to do, but it's really hard. We are suffering from hunger", said Masalio Chamolo, president of the displaced community. "Given the exceptional circumstances, we decided to try and meet the urgent and huge needs of this population. Now, however, we hope that they will be moved to the recognised UN camps where they can receive official assistance", explained Romeo Cagatin svd, JRS DRC Director. Since the JRS distribution last week, the number of families has fallen sharply, given that most have been able to return to their home villages, not far from Mugunga. The remaining families, according to plans adopted by the provincial authorities, should be able to move to Mugunga III, the official UN camp where more than newly displaced 2,000 families (totally nearly 9,000 individuals) recently joined the 565 families who have been hosted there for many years. The announcement of an official plan of assistance by the UN, including the distribution of energy biscuits, hot milk and other basic necessities, is expected in the next few hours. Thanks to an agreement with the director of the Lac Vert primary school, 120 displaced children will be allowed attend school. JRS has acted to ensure they are provided with school materials such as copy books and pens. However, displaced children in Mugunga III still have not been able to return to school. Kenya: we are our brother's keeper
Nairobi, 25 May 2012 – It is always possible to find a beam of hope, even when life seems too hard to bear. This is the message I heard from a group of urban refugees in Kitengela, Nairobi. The group members express their compassion for each other by meeting every two weeks for prayers and moral support. They embody the concept of being 'their brother's keeper'. Urban shift. With the cost of living becoming unbearable in Nairobi, urban refugees are moving to new areas, further and further from the city centre. Kitengela is one such area, located 30 kilometres from Nairobi. Benefits of living here include low rent and the availability of jobs at construction sites, as the area is developing rapidly. However, there are no services for refugees, and people are forced to travel to Nairobi to access NGO-run facilities in the city. There are only two government-sponsored schools, so refugee children have a long five kilometre commute by foot in the mornings. Local people face the same challenges; the area was formerly a pastoralist community with few existing public services. Such challenges have nonetheless have brought the refugee community together. Last month I attended a prayer meeting in Kitengela, in which 40 refugees participated. For the refugees in this group, prayers are their source of strength. They have so many needs and hopes, and prayer is a way to attend to those pressing needs through God. I heard prayers for peace in all refugee-producing countries, prayers for the Kenyan elections and prayers for the sick. After prayers, members contribute money to a fund for the neediest of the group. I heard the Chairman report back on how last meeting's money had been used to visit an elderly woman in hospital, and that she has now fully recovered. To me this was an extraordinary moment: even in the midst of their challenges, refugees are able to take care of each other. Kenyan hospitality. I was amazed to discover that two local Kenyan women were in attendance at the meeting. Mary has been attending the prayer meetings regularly and is known affectionately as 'our Mama' (Kishwahili for 'our mother'). That day she had brought along her friend. True to her name, she had brought large bags of beans and maize as a donation for the group. Mary finds great joy in being with the group and this is the only way she can share in their daily challenges. "I don't know how I would survive if I was to find myself in another country as a refugee, and therefore I'm called to be generous to refugees", she explained. At the end of the meeting, the members prayed the Lord's Prayer whilst holding one another's hands as a sign of unity. It was a wonderful scene and a sign of hope for both the refugees and the local community. Irene Waweru, Project Director, Nairobi, Kenya
South Sudan: students from JRS schools obtain the highest grades
South Sudan, 29 May 2012 – Many of the nation's highest achieving students attended schools supported by JRS, according to performance evaluations recently published by the South Sudan Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI). Results of the 2011 South Sudan Certificate in Secondary Education (SSCSE), released 20 April, revealed that six out of the top ten best performing students came from schools supported by JRS, as well as 72 of the top 100. In addition, JRS supported seven of the ten best performing schools. The outstanding performance of these students marks a significant step forward in the development of the education system in the world's newest nation, which previously relied heavily on examinations from neighbouring countries: Kenya, Uganda and Sudan. Of a reported 880 students who sat for the 2011 examinations, 12 of the top 20 best performing students (six boys and six girls) came from schools supported by JRS. Fulla Secondary school in Nimule was named the top performing school, and the top performing candidate with a mean score of 11.17 (A-minus) came from Magwi Secondary School in Lobone; both are schools receiving comprehensive educational support from JRS. "JRS has trained some of our teachers to prepare lesson plans and schemes of work. My school gets scholastic materials from JRS. These services have contributed to better performance of our students" said Head teacher of Lobone Secondary School, David Machar. The results also showed great progress addressing some of the challenges to education expressed by President Salva Kiir earlier in 2011, including the expansion of access to education and the construction of more school buildings. Student performance has risen in the country, according to a government report stating that 67 percent of candidates scoring at least a C-grade, compared with only 34 percent in 2010. A dual strategy for sustainability. The School Development Team (SDT) is one of the innovative educational initiatives introduced into schools by JRS to create long term sustainability. SDT teams comprise one head teacher and two outstanding teachers from the school, charged with mentoring, supervising and coordinating key education and extra-curricular activities, to ensure holistic school development. The School Development Support Team (SDST), comprising JRS education professionals and county/sub-country education officials, provide academic and moral support to the SDT. Promoting the increased attendance of girls at school is another important priority of JRS. Girls often struggle to complete school due to cultural norms (early marriage and lack of family support of education), as well as lack of suitable hygiene materials. JRS has tried to combat the high drop-out rate by providing girls with counselling, family guidance, hygiene comfort packages, as well as full school fees for some selected individuals. Efforts to encourage increased attendance seem to have paid off, as girls have placed high in the examinations and reap the rewards of their hard work and dedication. The third best performing girl in the country hailed from Kajo Keji Secondary school, and the fifth and tenth best performing girls came from Loa Secondary and Fulla Secondary, respectively; all three are schools supported by JRS. To read the story of Esther, a teacher at Fulla Secondary school, click here. Colombia: art in the midst of violence
Buenaventura, 29 May 2012 – Between the western range of the Colombian Andes and the Pacific Ocean in the region of Valle de Cauca lays Buenaventura – Colombia's principal port city, and also one of its deadliest. Few international headlines highlight the on-going nearly 50-year-long armed conflict which has caused the displacement of thousands of Colombians in recent years. Buenaventura is a strategic location for both left-wing guerrillas and right wing paramilitaries seeking to capture valuable drug, weapon and mineral shipping routes; it has one of the highest rates of intra-urban displacement and a 60% unemployment rate. The fear and violence is palpable as we walk through the neighbourhoods, and confirmed in meetings with our Jesuit Refugee Service colleagues, humanitarian organisations, Catholic Church partners, displaced residents, leaders of the local community and other NGOs. Kidnapped and terrified. We meet with one couple displaced from their farm on three different occasions in the last 11 years by illegally armed groups. During their last encounter with a paramilitary group, Don Jose* was kidnapped and tortured. His wife, Doña Diana*, seven months pregnant at the time, lost their baby two months after she was born and blames the stress of their trauma. They are still living the nightmare of their separation, unable to offer comfort to one another. As a psychiatrist who counsels the family explains, their case is emblematic of the trauma that haunts many of the displaced here. Continued violence and lack of resources for the affected individuals prevents these torture and trauma survivors from reaching full recovery, even years after the underlying events occurred. We learn that paramilitary groups, including the Black Eagles and the Rastrojos, control sectors of the inner city of Buenaventura, while the rivers and rural areas surrounding the town are controlled principally by the FARC, a left-wing illegally armed group. On the outskirts of the city we find illegal mining linked to the illegally armed groups has become an endemic problem, causing environmental devastation, while displacing families from their land. The government is said to have shut down a gang-controlled mine on three different occasions, equipment reappears and the mine is up and running again within a week of these government actions. Leaflets announcing the presence of these illegally armed groups regularly appear on the doorsteps of residents of Buenaventura’s poorest neighbourhoods. Pamphlets distributed by the Black Eagles targeting women and girls for violence, specifying the types of clothes women may wear and how late they may leave the house at night, are especially worrying. Our office has documented a surge in threats and violence specifically targeting students, community leaders, teachers, and those agitating for land rights or restitution. Targeted assassinations of community leaders and forced disappearances are also on the rise. Armed groups continue to demand vacunas, or war taxes from the residents of the town; those who refuse have been murdered, raped, or disappeared. Of particular concern is the targeting of youth and children vulnerable to coercion and recruitment. The arts of resistance. We meet with a group of young artists, Rostros y Huellas foundation, Afro-Colombian men and women in their twenties leading a movement to resist violence and displacement. JRS has partnered with this organisation in an effort to prevent the use and recruitment of children into armed groups. Inaugurated after a brutal massacre of athletes and artists in the Punta del Este community, the foundation is leading outreach efforts to elementary-aged children in Buenaventura, employing audio-visual tools to teach children about their right to live in peace and free from fear. One of the artists describes with horror the kidnapping and dismemberment of the young community leaders of this neighbourhood. "We decided we must find a way to resist," says one of the founders of Rostros y Huellas. "We use music, art, poetry, hip-hop and dance. Our goal is to show the young people of our city that there are better people to admire than the guerrillas, gangsters, and paramilitaries who run our town. This is our home, and we want a brighter future – a future free of femicide, of racial injustice, of displacement. We don’t believe that is too much to ask". Invoking the legacy of deceased Colombian Bishop Gerardo Valencia Cano, whose life's work centred around inclusion and justice for Afro-descent communities in the Pacific Coast of Colombia, the members of Rostros y Huellas express their hope for a future where their voices are valued, they can be free from the horror of violence, and liberated from the constant encroachment of government-sponsored development projects that would likewise leave their communities disenfranchised and homeless. "We seek to give voice to our reality", says another founder of the group, a young woman in her late 20s. Their mission strikes me as particularly important in the climate of fear created by the armed groups here, where assassinations, disappearances, and campaigns of terror have produced spaces of strained and bitter silence. Shaina Aber, JRS USA Associate Advocacy Director
*Their names have been changed for their protection. Colombia: outside the city, a different reality
Bogotá, 29 May 2012 – It is easier to be optimistic about the humanitarian situation in Colombia from within the confines of the vibrant city centres of Bogotá, Cartagena and Barranquilla. Thriving economies spurred by a surge in foreign investment, reports of a growing middle class and the general warmth of the Colombian people can lull you into feeling that all is well; the nearly 50 years of civil war have been left behind and shadowy illegally armed groups who leave terror in their wake have all but been defeated. But crossing just over the city limits of Bogotá into the sprawling urban environment of Soacha, walking the neighbourhoods of the bustling port city of Buenaventura and traversing the Calima and San Juan Rivers sheds light on a different story, one of a country still trapped in civil war where security – the basic human right to get through the day free from the threat of torture, kidnapping or death – continues to be a grave challenge. In Soacha, a suburb of Bogotá with a population of about 400,0001, more than 30,000 residents have been registered as displaced. They arrive from throughout the country, seeking the security and services of Bogotá but unable to afford rent within the capital. A community initiative. We met with the JRS team, and a displaced person who has been an instrumental leader, teaching a group of 26 women how to use organic farming techniques to improve food security for families in her neighbourhood. Each participating family now has a small plot of land on which they plant squash, fruit, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs and other staples. Listen to the audio: Sponsorship and accompaniment by Jesuit Refugee Service has also enabled the mothers of the community to take classes in emergency healthcare and contingency planning. We sit in Doña Katia's* large garden plot, surrounded by her orchids and bonsai trees, lemon balm, papayuellas, mint, squash and other crops; a verdant scene juxtaposed with the heavily eroded cliff-side that faces us over a dusty valley. Sandstone mining trucks are busily at work on the dirt roads in the valley, the combination of their open loads and churning tires kicks up filmy red-brown silt that soon coats our skin. Doña Katia sends a worried look in the direction of her ten-year-old daughter as the outgoing youngster clears her throat and produces a croupy cough. Many of the children in the community have lung problems, attributed to the constant dust from the 30-some mines that pepper the Soacha landscape. Only a handful of the mines have permits, the rest illegally plunder the minerals of the community while causing water contamination, erosion and subsequent vulnerability to flooding. We hear the story of the community’s civic engagement and their work with the local mayor's office to raise their burgeoning concerns surrounding threats and disappearances connected to paramilitary groups, and the problems wrought by illegal sandstone mining. Access to quality healthcare, adequate education and the services due to displaced people under Colombia's progressive legal framework are likewise principal concerns of the community. The FARC, a left-wing rebel group, are said to still be an ominous presence in the rural territories surrounding Soacha, preying on the local population, demanding war-taxes and attempting to forcibly recruit young people. As paramilitary groups encroach on more and more of the urban landscape, intra-urban displacement has become a growing problem. Shaina Aber, JRS USA Associate Advocacy Director
*Name has been changed for security reasons. 1.According to the 2005 census. Anecdotal reports gathered on this trip peg the population at closer to one million. Syria: JRS centre offers a fresh start to Iraqis
Aleppo, 28 May 2012 – After his daughter, Ghufran, was shot in the leg and his home and business attacked, Bassam Abdullah had reached his limit. Six days later he fled. In 2010, three years later, his wife and four children came across the JRS Deir Vartan Centre, a stroke of luck which changed his life. In Iraq, Basssam was worried about his children's health. Ghufran was particularly traumatised by the attack, and her father's inability to prevent it. Now Bassam is one of the few Iraqis fortunate enough to find a job and a safe space for his family. It was they who encouraged him to take the international computer driving licence (ICDL) course offered by JRS. "I'm 47 years old, and at first I thought it would have been difficult to start studying again. But when I came to the centre I met good people. I felt relaxed; I could talk freely to people. It was like my home in Iraq. Everybody is happy to support you and help you out", said Bassam. "We feel at home at the centre. In some way it makes up for not having our extended family around anymore. Everybody was so open. You really felt they value each and every person, regardless of their ethnic origin or religious affiliation. This means help and service is offered to everyone without distinction", he continued. Bassam and his family have truly benefited from this approach. "My daughters have come out of their shells and become open and sociable, comfortable interacting with their peers. My son is nine years old, and before he was often very rude. After he started participating in the children's activities he calmed down; he doesn't shout loudly anymore and learned how to say thank you. JRS educational activities have encouraged my children to study hard and to be first among their classes in public school", Bassam added. With the support of his new friends, Bassam's professional life is also improving. "Now I'm working as an accountant ... and my job has become easier since I finished the ICDL course. I can use the internet to learn more and get better at my job. In my opinion, ignorance is not only not knowing how to read and write, it is also not knowing how to use a computer", he stated. Yet, looking forward, Bassam is still worried about his children's future, and the possibility of making a decent living. "I never thought of going back to Iraq. I have lost everybody there. My mother has passed away and all my brothers and sisters are married. At first I thought of settling down in Syria, but now I am hoping to be resettled in a safer country", he said. Zerene Haddad, JRS Middle East and North Africa |
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| JRS DISPATCHES is sent from the International Office of the Jesuit Refugee Service, CP 6139, 00193 Roma Prati, 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. 318 Editor: James Stapleton |
