“To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it”- Martin Luther King
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”- Edmund Burke
Daily we are hearing news on the global refugee crisis. We need to respond, and be a neighbor to the stranger, like God commands.
“Do not oppress and alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt". (Exodus 23:9)
"Injustice flourishes in soil where empathy has been uprooted.” -Ken Wytsma
The rise of right-wing Populism in Europe and the US: :Lest We Forget
Photo:BROOKINGS: The rise of the right
"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak out for me."- Martin Niemoller
World Refugee Day, June 20th each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.-Photo:catholicmom.com
We Refugees
…I am told I have no country now
I am told I am a lie
I am told that modern history books
May forget my name.
We can all be refugees
Sometimes it only takes a day,
Sometimes it only takes a handshake
Or a paper that is signed.
We all came from refugees
Nobody simply just appeared,
Nobody's here without a struggle,
And why should we live in fear
Of the weather or the troubles?
We all came here from somewhere.-Benjamin Zephaniah
"Injustice flourishes in soil where empathy has been uprooted.”
Family Separation at the U.S.-Mexico Border refers to the controversial practice of detaining families of undocumented migrants at the United States and Mexico boarder and, in the process, placing parents and their children in disparate locations. While neither a law nor a specific policy, the practice that has been met with wide-spread condemnation, as well as a number of controversial explanations from the brutal and inhumane immigration policy of Trump administration.-Photo: knowyourmeme.com
Donald Trump’s immigration policy: hateful and wrong
Donald Trump’s child cruelty shocks us, but it shouldn’t surprise us
World Refugee Day
‘Each year on June 20 the United Nations, United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and countless civic groups around the world host World Refugee Day events in order to draw the public's attention to the millions of refugees and Internally displaced persons worldwide who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, conflict and persecution.
The annual commemoration is marked by a variety of events in more than 100 countries, involving government officials, humanitarian aid workers, celebrities, civilians and the forcibly displaced themselves.’
‘A record 16.2 million people were forced to flee their homes in 2017, according to the UN refugee agency. Syria topped the list followed by Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar and Somalia. Around the world there are 68.5 million displaced people – more than the total population of the UK.’
The refugee crisis in the Mediterranean is a story of death and desperation
Italy and Malta turn their backs on he plight of refugees
630 migrants — including 123 unaccompanied minors and several pregnant women — were on board the Aquarius, operated by the charity SOS Mediterranee.
The migrants, stuck at sea for several days after Italy and Malta refused them permission to dock, were eventually given permission to dock in Spain where the prime minister offered them safe harbour.-Photo:home.bt.com
'I have never felt a greater need to speak out. I have never felt a greater need to try to explain why this new Italian government cannot be allowed to survive. Even before it has got down to real work, it has already done so much irreparable damage. The drama of the migrant rescue ship, Aquarius, which last week was denied permission to dock at Italian ports, drew everybody in – it seems there are those who, indifferent to the fate of 630 human beings at sea, think it was right to teach Europe a lesson on the migrant issue. Yet, of course, others think it preposterous to use 630 lives as bargaining chips. The trouble is that we have all lost sight of the bigger picture.'
Italy’s war on migrants makes me fear for my country’s future
Testament to suffering … A migrant calls for help after a boat carrying more than 500 people capsized off Lampedusa, Italy, in May 2017.
Photo: theguardian.com
Drowned, restrained, shot: how these migrants died for a better life
We may never know the life stories of the many thousands who died trying to reach Europe. But this is a tiny snapshot of some of the names on the List
The Death toll: It’s 34,361 and rising- How the List tallies Europe's migrant bodycount-The deaths do not just occur at sea – but in detention blocks, asylum units and even town centres. Here’s how the List is put together
World Refugee Day
History
On 4 December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 55/76 decided that, from 2001, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day. In this resolution, the General Assembly noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
Background
Every minute 20 people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror.
There are several types of forcibly displaced persons:
Refugees
A refugee is someone who fled his or her home and country owing to “a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion”, according to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention. Many refugees are in exile to escape the effects of natural or human-made disasters.
Asylum seekers
Asylum seekers say they are refugees and have fled their homes as refugees do, but their claim to refugee status is not yet definitively evaluated in the country to which they fled.
Internally Displaced Persons
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are people who have not crossed an international border but have moved to a different region than the one they call home within their own country.
Stateless Persons
Stateless persons do not have a recognized nationality and do not belong to any country.
Statelessness situations are usually caused by discrimination against certain groups. Their lack of identification — a citizenship certificate — can exclude them from access to important government services, including health care, education or employment.
Returnees
Returnees are former refugees who return to their own countries or regions of origin after time in exile. Returnees need continuous support and reintegration assistance to ensure that they can rebuild their lives at home. (un.org)
Why World Refugee Day is Celebrated
World refugee day is celebrated every year on 20th of June to support millions of families all over the world who have lost their homes and dear ones because of violence or war. The day was established by the General Assembly of United Nations for the refugees to honor them for their courage of facing lots of problems after losing homes due to conflict or violence and their contributions to their communities. World refugee day celebration provides an opportunity to all to help the refugees worldwide to rebuild their quality lives through lots of related activities.
Refugees are provided variety of lifesaving assistance, safety and protection by the government agencies and organizations. They are provided tents, shelter, living materials supplies and served with the life-saving services. The goal of celebrating this event is increasing public awareness among common public by sharing the related refugee stories.
It is celebrated to remind people about the all failures of an international community or home conflicts which forced lots of families to leave their home and go another place to save their life. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has taken big steps for immediate support to all the humanitarian needs of the refugees. However, it needs some important actions by the governments and other private organizations as well on national and regional level to fully control the refugee’s condition.
It is celebrated to eliminate all the horrific violence from the countries and community which is the main reason of people’s displacement and formation of refugee. 55% of all the refugees come from Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Syria and Sudan. The event is established to prevent huge scale difficulties leading to the violence in the international communities and to promote the life saving solutions for refugees.
Refugees are taken as the asset and strength of the country and not as the burden. They are survivors and should get proper help and support timely. It is very necessary to draw people’s attention towards the refugee’s conditions to honor their courage and solve their problems.(indiacelebrating.com)
“Every day, all over the world, people make the most difficult decision of their lives; to leave their homes in search of a better life.”
Throughout history, migration has been a fact of life. The reasons people migrate are varied and often complex. Some people move to new countries to improve their economic situation or to pursue their education (such as migrants). Others leave their countries to escape human rights abuses, such as torture, persecution, armed conflict, extreme poverty and even death (such as refugees and asylum seekers).
Their journey can be full of danger and fear. Some face detention when they arrive. Many face daily racism, xenophobia, and discrimination. They are uniquely vulnerable, without the usual support structures most of us take for granted.”-Amnesty International
The Gift of Refugees and Migrants
‘It is a compelling theory, especially when you reflect upon the fact that Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nuryev, Marlene Dietrich, Alexandre Solzhenitsyn and Vladimir Nabokov were among but a few celebrity refugees and migrants.
Imagine what the world would have missed had they not managed to forge a better life outside their country of origin.’-RadioFreeEurope
Famous exiles who have lived in Britain:
Camille Pissarro, painter from France; Guiseppe Mazzini, political revolutionary, from Italy; Victor Hugo, writer from France; Lajos Kossuth, political revolutionary from Hungary Karl Marx, political revolutionary from Germany Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, political revolutionary from Russia Peter Kropotkin, political revolutionary from Russia Sun Yat Sen, nationalist leader from China Sigmund Freud, psychologist from Germany Frank Auerbach, Artist from Germany Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, film writer from Germany King Michael Hohenzollern, King of Romania Emperor Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia Arthur Koestler, author and journalist from Hungary Oliver Tambo, Former ANC President from South Africa Roberto Matta, artist from Chile Irina Ratushinskaya, poet from former USSR Wole Soyinka, writer and Nobel Prize winner from Nigeria Geoffrey Oreyema, singer and writer from Uganda.
Refugees who have made their names in Britain
Michael Marks, founded marks and Spencer Sir Montague Burton, Burton retail Dame Elizabeth Hill, pioneer of Slavonic studies Andre Deutsch, publisher Lewis Namier, historian Sir Ernst Chain, biochemist Sir Claus Moser, academic and statistician Joseph Rotblat, physicist Walter Neurath, publisher Karen Gershon, poet Robert Berki, political theorist Lord Weidenfeld, publisher Siegmund Nissel/Peter Schidlof, co-founders of Amadeus string quartet Rabbi Hugo Gryn, leading Anglo-Jewish rabbi Sir Alexander Korda, film director Sir Karl Popper, philosopher Sir Goerg Solti, conductor, Yasmin Alibhai Brown, journalist and editor Alan Yentob, ex-BBC programmes director Sousa Jamba, writer.
Three generations of talent Victor Ehrenberg, an eminent historian of the ancient world and refugee from Czechoslovakia Lewis Elton (his son), educationalist, the only professor of higher education in Britain before he retired, and Ben Elton (his grandson), comedian and novelist...Continue to read: We Refugees: I am told I have no country now
A Heartfelt Message to the World's Leaders gathered in New York on 25-27 September 2015: Why the Common Good Matters- Why Values Matter
Below is what I had written in 2015, as true today, as it was then.*
Dear Honourable Leaders, Your Excellencies,
You always talk about the "Economic Revolution", market, labour and trade liberalisation, privatisation, efficiency and targets, technology and IT, and similar jargon.
Why don’t you in your speeches talk about justice, fairness, compassion, humanity, friendship, dignity, being for the common good, taking action in the interest of the common good? Why?
Given what is happening all around us, what we need is a “Spiritual Revolution” so that as Archbishop William Temple once so eloquently remarked, “The art of government in fact is the art of so ordering life that self-interest prompts what justice demands”. If we truly want to change the world for the better, all of us, the politicians, business community, workers, men and women, young and old, must truly become better ourselves. We must share a common understanding of the potential for each one of us to become self-directed, empowered and active in defining this time in the world as an opportunity for positive change and healing. We can achieve a culture of peace by giving thanks, spreading joy, sharing love and understanding, seeing miracles, discovering goodness, embracing kindness and forgiveness, practicing patience, teaching tolerance, encouraging laughter, celebrating and respecting the diversity of cultures and religions and peacefully resolving conflicts. We must each of us become an instrument of peace.
It is worth remembering the centuries-old wisdom of the Persian poet, Sa’di:
Human beings are like parts of a body
Created from the same essence.
When one part is hurt and in pain,
The others cannot remain in peace and be quiet.
If the misery of others leaves you indifferent
And with no feelings of sorrow,
You cannot be called a human being.
Dear Leaders,
I am sure you have seen and read many documents on the MDGs and the SDGs written by those who mainly believe only in the so-called “Economic Revolution”.
May I, with the utmost humility, invite you to have a look at the article below, written in the interest of the common good, believing that what the world needs now is a “Spiritual Revolution”, which will enable us to succeed in realising the SDGs:
Sustainable Development Goals: Where is the Common Good?
*As the world leaders meet to discuss the SDGs, Europe puts up razor wire to keep refugees out
From Crisis to Hope: Syrian refeugee meets German teacher and artist
"Injustice flourishes in soil where empathy has been uprooted.”
Brigitte, a dear friend of the GCGI, is a German teacher, artist, activist and volunteer, working directly with refugees and asylum seekers in Germany, supporting them to rebuild their lives, helping them to settle down, finding their path and calling to a better life.
One of those refugees that Brigitte has worked with is Ghuzoun Hazwani, a refugee from Syria. With the help and encouragement from Brigitte, Ghuzoun started to do portraits of her loved ones as a path to healing, inner-peace and contentment. Below, in her own words and sentiments, Brigitte has explained a bit more for your reflection.
In September 2016, Brigitte joined us at our 3rd Joint GCGI-SES Conference at Waterperry House, she told us a beautiful story of when she met Ghuzoun; and then exhibited a sample of Ghuzoun’s drawings at the beautiful courtyard of the House. A very memorable moment for all of us present, I am sure.
After the Conference, I encouraged Brigitte to make these portraits and more, available to the public to purchase, so that we can create a small amount of income for Ghuzoun, to enable and empower her to continue her artistic work more effectively.
So, I am now pleading with you to purchase one, two, or more of her drawings for yourself, or give away as a gift of love to others. Please also note that, Ghuzoun is willing to do portraits from your personal photos, should you wish to send them to her.
The portraits are priced the modest sum of 25 Euros each (inclusive of frame and shipping costs). Brigitte has set up a PayPal account for her, to which you can pay into (see all the details below).
Now please read the story in Brigitte’s own words and view some of Ghuzon’s portraits.