Stories about Refugees from September, 2009
Indonesia: Strong earthquake hit West Sumatra
The coastal city of Padang, West Sumatra is once again devastated by an earthquake.
Sri Lanka: Testimonies Of Detained IDPs
GroundViews posts two short testimonies on the plight of IDPs released from Menik Camp. The testimonies highlight “significant challenges facing reconciliation and resettlement in post-war Sri Lanka and the urgent need for psycho-social counseling”.
Pakistan: Karachi The Next Swat
Khaled Faroqi at Pakistan Desk opines that the movement of Taliban Leadership from Quetta to Karachi can force the city to suffer the same consequences as FATA or Swat.
Philippines: Flooding documented on citizen videos
Citizen videos were able to capture horrible scenes of loss and devastation caused by a tropical storm which struck Metro Manila and nearby provinces in the Philippines last Saturday.
Philippines: Helping flood victims through social media
A tropical storm hit many parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces in the Philippines last Saturday. Social networking sites were flooded with personal stories, photos and videos of the typhoon's aftermath. The stream of information soon became a “hub” for coordinating rescue and relief efforts for those who had access to the internet
Philippines: Worst Flooding in 40 Years
Tropical Storm "Ondoy" hit the Philippines last Saturday triggering the worst flooding in 40 years which left 50 people dead and 280,000 residents displaced. Social media sites were maximized to share updates about the storm and to assist flood victims
Australia: Kenyan women refused refugee status
Two Kenyan women are facing deportation from Australia after their asylum applications were rejected, despite risks that they may suffer forced genital mutilation if they are sent home.
Lebanon: Anger Rebuilding of Palestinian Camp Suspended
Anger and protests erupted in response to the Lebanese Government's decision to suspend the reconstruction of the Nahr el Bared Palestinian refugee camp. Bloggers voice their outrage in this post by Antoun Issa.
Pakistan: Back Home And Starting A New Life
After nearly two months of living in squalor in temporary camps the displaced people of the Swat region of Pakistan were allowed to go back home from July 13th. Although they still face uncertainties and challenges, there are signs of normalcy as many of the displaced families are now starting a new life.
Palestine: The Experience Of Ramadan In Gaza
Bloggers in Gaza write about how people are managing this Ramadan, and describe how traditions are being kept alive.
Indonesia earthquake: Donations still needed
Donations are still needed in Indonesia as the number of homeless residents continues to rise after a 7.0 strong earthquake rocked Java last week.
Taiwan: The future for the aboriginal people after Typhoon Morakot
Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan Aug. 7-9, triggering the worst flooding in 50 years in southern Taiwan and leading to landslides that buried remote mountainous villages and tribal settlements. In order to speed up the post-disaster reconstruction, the Legislative Yuan passed an urgent special statute to raise a special budget on...
Bulgaria: Racism; Busmantsi Detention Center
Petya of How to Marry a Bulgarian writes about racism in Bulgaria and follows up with a post on the Busmantsi detention center for “illegal immigrants or people whose application for refugee status was rejected and are waiting to be deported” – described by some as “the Bulgarian Guantanamo.”