Tuggle 1

Social Injustice: Mistreatment of Refugees and Misplaced Persons

Emily Tuggle Honors English 2 Ms. Tully Period 3 April 30 2012

Social Injustice: Mistreatment of Refugees and Misplaced Persons

Tuggle Introduction- A war breaks out in the country. Your family is forced to flee to a nearby country, begging anyone for salvation. I. People affected
A. Why 1. Race 2. Religion 3. Nationality 4. Standing up for their rights 5. Minority groups B. Bordering cities C. Bandits I.

Problem
A. Uprooted and leave own countries B. Unattractive and hostile C. Small spaces D. Not taught about rights, put in out of the way places 1. Hot bed for disease 2. Human survival isnt preordained E. Torture 1. Governments will use it 2. PTSD

II. Activists

Tuggle
A. UNHCR STARTT UN B. Government doesnt help C. Its a perception problem D. International law recognizes 1. UN Security Council Resolution 1325 2. Governments just ignore it III. History A. Cant blame current governments B. Decolonization 1. Minorities packed in with majority 2. Justification for dehumanization C. Existed as long as war has

Conclusion-

A war breaks out in the country. Your family is forced to flee to a nearby country, begging anyone for salvation. Yet because of a selfish government, you are turned away and either illegally

Tuggle sent back into the conflict, shoved into refugee homes under horrid conditions, or sent to another country where the cycle will likely begin again. A life like this seems to violate the basics of human rights, yet it happens to millions upon millions of people every year all around the world. Unlike Kony 2012, refugees and displaced persons havent had a big media spike of awareness. Rather, they suffer in silence, waiting for someone to hear them and to give them a chance. Currently there are about 27.5 million refugees, 35% of which are being tortured. People in countries like Somalia face appalling conditions at home: civil war, corrupt governments, and threats to their natural rights (Bowles). The reason behind mini rebellions and revolutions is often the dire need to stand up for God-given rights, even if it contradicts the government and state. Because of the need to protect these rights, many citizens find themselves put directly in the path of the danger that theyre trying so hard to avoid. These people generally live on the edge of the countries making the necessary escape more achievable (Mental). It allows them the mobility to easily flee to neighboring countries, but more often than not, these countries lack the resources to help the refugees. People in Somalia, Angola, Uganda, and the Darfur will often times make a grueling journey to Turkey or Greece, not because they want to, but because theyve been kicked out of the country they tried to reach out to for help (El-Bushara). This makes for a long journey, increasing vulnerability to bandits. Bandits are a common enemy on the roads of the refugees, targeting caravans and ambushing them (About). With the threat of bandits looming over the refugees on top of their long treks, some are deterred from wanting to make the trek at all. Unfortunately, thats exactly what the government is after. Death, abuse, and dehumanization, three words that, while we know the definition of, we do not truly understand in America. These three words describe the everyday lives of the people trying to flee from war and oppression in order to make a better life for themselves. Though the

Tuggle term refugee may have a positive connotation-safety, security, etc.- the truth couldnt be further from it. 35% of refugees are torture victims, and those are just the numbers that are documented. Often, new torture methods are tested on refugees because they are unwanted in the country they escaped to and cant go back to where they ran from (Up to 35%). This statistic is made worse by the knowledge that these refugees are generally running headfirst into the torment they were trying to escape from in the first place. There is no discrimination when it comes to the treatment of refugees, but the reason behind why they flee shows a different story. The Refugee Convention lists 5 grounds under which refugees usually fall under when being persecuted: race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular group, political opinion, or any combination of the above (Refugees and Displaced). Because of the hostility in their home country, refugees flee elsewhere in the hopes that they will find asylum. But often, the conditions they meet abroad are worse than what they faced at home. International law recognizes the right to seek asylum, but it doesnt oblige countries to provide it. Thus, conditions in refugee camps are usually appalling, of offered at all (Refugees and Displaced). These discouraging conditions are maintained in the hopes that it will turn people away, but for those who choose to stay, their path is challenged with disease, torture, and hostility. Even with 35% of refugees being tortured upon their arrival in a new country, the pain doesnt end with the final blow. More than half of the tortured people are affected with PTSD, which amounts to about 5 million people (Mental Health). Because theyve been affected with PTSD, its extremely difficult for them to reintegrate into society--and when looking at durable solutions for refugees, this can amount to be a very big problem. Refugee protection/assistance organizations generally promote 3 durable solutions to the fate of refugees. Voluntary repatriation, where refugees return home because they are no longer in danger; local integration, where host governments allow refugees to integrate into society; and resettlement into a 3rd coun-

Tuggle try, where repatriation is unsafe and the host country refuses integration (Refugees and Displaced). With refugees unable to integrate, their options are limited as to where they can go. They can either be moved to another country, or deported back to where they came from. Although there are laws protecting them from being deported back until it is safe, these laws arent always followed. Refoulement (forceable return of refugees) is prohibited under the UN Refugee Convention. However, it still happens often, and upon their return, refugees are subject to torture or worse (About Refugees). With refugees under the publics radar, how are we to make the the silent ones be heard? Humanitarian groups such as UNHCR, STARTT, and the UN, have answered the call (Treatment). Those governments who refuse to integrate refugees into their society are the reason activists are needed. These activists do everything in their power to ensure that these refugees have a fighting chance in a world they know nothing about by training police, teaching refugees about rights, and monitoring local courts (Mental). The refugees need help, but in a way, so do the activists. They cant do this on their own, which is why they reach out to the public as much as they can for any assistance they can receive. The reason we havent seen a Kony 2012-like video is due to the enormous amount of naysayers who simply say that this mistreatment is inevitable (Boutes). This sheds light on one of the bigger problems the humanitarians face, its not the refugees, its perception. The awareness on this issue needs to come swiftly for a real change in the treatment of refugees. International laws have already been made to address this issue; the UN Security Council resolution 1325 says governments must protect persons fleeing from war torn countries (About). While the refugees governments have sworn to help are killed off by the thousands from torture and terrorists, they are able to sleep in peace because they know theyve fulfilled their obligations under the law.

Tuggle However, we cannot simply look at this problem through current standards. Rather, to truly comprehend the problem, we need to look at its origins. The key cause of the creation of refugees, especially in Africa, comes from European decolonization. When Europe was forced to decolonize by the new world super power, America, they left Africa in ruins. Borders were drawn based on land rather than conflicting groups, thus making the refugees we see today. The two groups would come into conflict, the minority inevitable losing and being forced out of the country to escape the animosity they faced on a daily basis (Lamphier). While this was the origin, we still see the same conflicts happening today in the same areas between the same groups. The surrounding countries are already struggling to support their own people, and with the added weight of more refugees, overpopulation, disease, and economic collapse begin to become very real problems that must be faced. If they make it to Western society, Turkey and Greece, countries are more inclined to follow international law. These countries have been forced to accept these refugees, and therefore, the dehumanizing conditions are justified in their eyes. However, this doesnt mean that refugees have always come from Africa; refugees have existed as long as war has. Not one time since the fighting all began in the beginning has a refugee had guaranteed rights across the world. In conclusion, no matter the hours that are put into helping the problem, the refugees will be stuck in one spot until perception and awareness undergoes a massive change. This is why one person can make a difference in this world. With the power of media and interconnectedness the way it is today, one person can raise awareness of an issue in a matter of days. While refugee and displaced person mistreatment be facilitated by the government, it can be solved by the people. Citizens are the volunteers, the journalists, the newscasters, the ones who can really make a difference by shedding light on a severely ignored issue. Citizens are the ones who can change the world,

Tuggle who can better lives and stop wars and bring about the peace that every single human being deserves, even refugees.

Works Cited About Refugees. IRCT. April 2010. Web. 19 March 2012. Http://Ww.Irct.org. Bowles, Robin. Social work with Refugee Survivors of Torture. N.D. Web. 29 March 2012. Http://stratts.org. El-Bushra, Judy and Kelly Fish. Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons. Inclusive Security. N.D. Web. 4 March 12. Http://huntalternatives.org. Lamphier, Janet and Peter Stearns and Michael Adas and Stuart Schwaritz and Marc Gilbert. World Civilizations The Global Experience. 4th Edition. New York. 2006. Print.

Tuggle Mental Health of Refugees. World Health Organization. 29 May 2007. Web. 19 March 2012. Http://www.who.int. Treatment of Refugees, Better to Have stayed Home? World Health Organization. 17 June 2009. Web. 21 March 2012. Http://www.who.int. Up to 35% of Refugees Are Torture Victims. TASSC International. 26 June 2011. Web. 18 March 2012. http://www.IASSC.org. Who to Blame? Embargo. 15 August 2011. Web. 8 March 2012. http://www.embargo.org.