Copyright 2010 Jessica Keralis

In Iraq, the media focuses primarily on sectarian violence between the two major sects of Islam, the Sunni and the Shi’a. The country’s political life (and strife) is defined by relations between the Sunni and Shiite political parties. With Muslims comprising 97% of the population, it is easy to overlook the country’s tiny Christian minority. Unfortunately, it is precisely this disregard that makes them an easy target for extremists – which is why they are fleeing in droves.

Iraqi Christians have been leaving in a steady exodus after the October 31 attack on the Our Lady of Salvation cathedral in Bagdad. A group of Sunni insurgents stormed the cathedral during Mass, taking the church’s construction and cleaning crew and 100 worshippers hostage. After a four-hour stand-off with Iraqi defense forces, 58 victims were killed, including two priests. It was the second time the cathedral had been targeted.

No single population has been spared by the violence in post-war Iraq: thousands of Sunni and Shiite Arabs have been killed alongside Christians and Kurds. However, minority groups, including Christians, have been explicitly targeted by insurgents and have been driven out in disproportionate numbers: despite making up only 3% of the country’s pre-invasion population, they comprise 40% of the country’s refugees. More than half of them have already left Iraq, despite pleas from Christian leaders to stay. Compounding the problem is the government’s inability to protect them – or perhaps its apathy. While Christians and other minority groups are protected on paper, the legal protections in the constitution have done little to stop violence or discrimination against them. Christians have a grand total of 5 seats (and almost no political influence) in the new 325-seat parliament. And with the political stand-off that has left the country with no effective government for most of 2010, they have simply slipped through the cracks. Even worse is the fact that Iraqi refugees continue to be forcibly repatriated, despite the obvious danger and repeated insistence by UNHCR that they not be made to return to the most dangerous parts of the country.

The Kurdish Regional Government has offered safe haven to Christian refugees, providing assistance with housing and jobs. Those that can afford it have fled to this semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq; some have moved in with relatives. Still others hide in monasteries and churches. After each wave of attacks, fewer and fewer return to their homes and jobs. “I expect that a month from now not a single Christian will be left in Mosul,” said Nelson P. Khoshaba, an engineer who works for the city.

The conference hosted by Kwani trust which began last Sunday, the twelfth of December at Kifaru garden ended yesterday, the Seventeen of December, in Nairobi, Kenya. Kwani trust got the prince Claus award for their work of bringing up teenagers who spearhead writing as their profession. Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong’o got homage too with celebrity.

From the conference the following deductions are evident:

“Publishing house is not Magical. Anybody who needs assistance as a writer can deliver their manuscript despite their social backgrounds,” a publisher encouraged writers.

“Funding is the major setback to publishing of new books,” deduced from speeches delivered by various writers at the conference.

“Writers give their manuscripts and need to get it published tomorrow. It’s a process, they should wait,” partly quoted as a complaint from a publisher.

“There’s no school of writing, is it there?” withdrawn from an answer to the question of qualification in writing by a famous female writer.

“Writers begin writing if something burns from within them and need to express it,” taken from various speeches given by successful writers.

“Curiosity makes good writers,” shone in the words of successful writers and the olden ones.

“Current Kenya is better then the olden Kenya of neocolonialism and Mau Mau,” evidenced in the stories of struggle by writers. “If these refugees are here, then Kenya is now Kenya,” said a female writer in her speech on the first day of the conference.

“I came to learn my father being a writer after reading ‘The grain of wheat.’ I got used to how to write. “When I read ‘The River between’ I became an expert,” said an essayist, a journalist and an author.

I call it grace if the successful can look back to training teenagers who need writing. Kwani trust continues with its work. Wish this becomes the tradition of all journals and publishers world wide. It makes it easier for the young writers to learn and succeed in the battle.
Kwani trust holds an open Mic where they welcome poets and word spoken artists every Tuesday each month in Nairobi at club soundd on Kaunda street from 7-9 pm. The rest of the evening becomes open to anyone. Sign ups happen from5-7 pm.
There is a great welcome, yonder.

Kwani trust, Kenya hosting the festival to mirror aspects of African writing and literary life between successive literary generations shot the start yesterday.  The festival commenced at two o’clock and ended at eight of the night at Kifaru gardens. Writers among which were Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye, Micere Mugo and international writers who turned up for the workshop were conversing. This conference is intended to sharpen the wit of up and coming writers.

In the conversation between Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye, Micere Mugo and Wambui Mwangi, a newspaper writer, Tony criticized. “Why are these women telling us boring stories?” he asked. Wambui Mwangi asked why he said so yet his explanations were nagging. As Wambui Mwangi responded, she said clearly that it might be that to him yet another person may enjoy the whole work of art. Obviously, literary appreciation varies from one reader to the other. It’s that hard to make a art piece interesting from the first end to the other. Marjorie also put that selecting of an art work has some points which may make an art work to be left out, not being considered for publication.

The opening was inspiring. Conversations, performance, poetry reading and the music were convincing. Writers who attended must have carried slices of these talents home. As the writers olden, they have the heart of letting teenagers who are interested in writing know how to make it. They are ready to tell what made them good writers. This makes the cycle interesting.
Not only these writers mentioned but many more are present with their new books being sold currently. Like Mukoma Wa Ngugi, Thiong’o’s son and others.
To let you know more there exist a writer too who was a drop out primary School girl who underwent hardship and finally through Kwani Trust became a writer.
This means that practice is the biggest issue to make one a writers, not the level of education. In attendance was a Refugee Journalist from a Refugee camp.
From Yesterday on, the workshop continues…………………………………
 

“Living without a friend is useless”. This expression can take its meaning being a paradox. It’s a hard nut to chew when picking best friends. Beauty, skin color, origin, teeth, dressing and smile can’t determine the choice of a best friend. This outward ness may develop thorns to fringe you later. I don’t suppose it’s that easy as it’s not easy to study life of an individual in a day.

But who’s a best friend?

To sharpen understanding, they are not them who rush to conclusion of annoying you sooner. Even not them, who help if you’re in need, are best friends. This is because some people befriend you to be praised, spoil you or expose secrets about you. Some people who give with ease gossip with ease. Luck remains for in spite of these problems a gut friend’s got in a day.

What to keep in mind is, if poor, you can’t deny it unless ridiculed. Knowing of this fact can open ways of success rather than pretending. You’ll pretend until you discover you’ve not climbed any ladder. Friend can be assisted as well. Never be thinking your friend’s whom you defend on. Friendship should be mutual. If you’ve yours, you can share to polish life. With gorgeous things, chased after you by force, know that sorrow chases after them as well. Accept presents from people you didn’t know who have let you know what they are up to and who they are or need to be to you.

Once a present’s given by a pretending friend, hatred shows on the face suddenly. This makes you distinguish a hearty gift from a worse one.

Akinda changeable relationship too exists. Here, friendship takes a short length of time. These kinds of friends like new things. If they find new friends, it’s their need. They keep changing from one friend to the other till their world ends not knowing what exactly a friend is. Don’t waste time with them. They disclose secrets, therefore, not well for your health.

Love making too is dangerous geared by jealousy and may wreak havoc. Not all relationships between different gender parties lead to marriage. In my culture, a bride’s boyfriend can be paid a dowry like her brother when she’s married elsewhere. This doesn’t show my culture is the best. A contrast is that forced marriage’s a stuff of my culture. No child is required to disobey parents for it becomes disgrace to the family. The hardest is to get a true Dinka married to a foreigner. Many cultures are alike, others are parallel. One can stick to their culture where it demands to save you.

I was once traveling to South Sudan from Kakuma Refugee Camp. On my arrival, in Lokichoggio, there were no vehicles. The only lorry we got could not make it because it was rushing to evening and in South Sudan, no travels were expected at night. This was my first time to go to Sudan after completing my Secondary Education. I had no place to sleep. In hand I had a friend whom I met when I came to Kakuma from Eldoret, two days before this Journey. “Abraham, where do you spend night?” he asked.

“I don’t know any place,” I replied. This friend took me to his friends where we spent night and proceeded with the journey the following day. Do you need a friend as such?

It looks like it has God’s control. Even when you pronounce the words, “My friend” to describe your various friends, the accent differs. While greeting, a hateful face can be seen not by you. You hug keeping a foe in your arms. A few days back I was cheated to pay a clearance fee in order to receive my compensated fund. I ended up at a loss. If you were, what would you have done? I think it’s frustration. I think about why people think of putting me in problems. If I go wrong, I don’t forget to apologize. While young, if I got something belonging to someone, I had to give it to them. I have developed this way. To let you know, if I forget to give back what’s not mine, it destroys what’s mine. This shows that criminal acts are God forbid. Out there you have many enemies around you, look out! I was cheated with photographs of western union, names, website and emails.

The aftermath of any criminal act means a bullet in the head. You won’t like it.

Dear friends, have a secured life. Neither go for fraud nor enter their traps. Investigate well how you won. Delay the word, “Friend”, it can create friendship. Control your like of what belongs to other people. Don’t be ridden into misdeeds of crimes-drugs and drunkenness. Choose, a mindful personality, whose accent’s yours and hates are yours too. Befriend after a long and successful study. If relatives are harsh, friends are helpful not negligent. This explains why many people live with friends across the globe. Choose them wisely, who keep you in mood.

A man stabbed with a knife is in coma in Kakuma mission hospital;

Yesterday at one o’clock an assailant stabbed a gentleman on the mandible down to the neck. This assailant was eagerly waiting in Franco hotel drinking sprite inspecting the incoming of the people. When Deng entered, and proceeded to the washing place he instantly rose and followed. He then began to stab him with a knife. To the surprise of the rest of customers in the hotel, noise had risen.

The first man who rose to the scene saw the fight but feared seperating them for this assailant was using a knife. The hotel manager ran then to the scene, pulled the assailant out and Deng too who was in pain. This oldman didn’t hesitate thus escaped. Deng came after him bleeding profusely. “Don’t let that person go guys, catch him,” he shouted for help. The rest of the people followed yet this old assailant scared with the knife. On the road people massed following him. It was there when the police took hold of him and took him to the police station.

Deng who got weaker was carried in a wheelbarrow onto the road where an ambulance picked him. He was taken to the IRC main hospital in a coma for the first aid. Then transferred to Kakuma mission hospital for surgery.

While I paid him a visit in Kakuma mission hospital this afternoon, he was able to speak unlike the previous night. His relatives who slept with him evidenced his situation has improved. Doctor Josiah said speaking with the IOM official,”I was afraid of his situation Yesterday.”  “He’s able to sit and speak now,” he added. Dr. Josiah’s medical report stated that the wounds of the mandible, rib and axil are two centimeters deep.

This patient sleeps on one side. It’s the right side which is in pain. The patient’s temperature today is 36.4 degree celsius. Two litres of urine collected show an improvement. Dr. Josiah said he could not perform a chest X-ray and DNA test which should be done. He said these including tubular replacement should be done in another well defined hospital with all the necessities for the patient. “If this tubular replacement is done, he will be well like everybody else,” said Dr. Josiah.

The patient is unable to eat any solid food. His relatives had been giving him yoghurt-sour milk. The doctor and the nurse advised they give him fresh milk instead of yoghurt. The IOM official assured the patient, Deng that tomorrow morning he would be flown to Nairobi in a safe plane for better treatment and ample environment. Deng should be accompanied by two of his relatives.

Cause of the conflict;

This conflict is said to have began in 2008. The oldman’s wife delivered a son. This son grew up that the oldman who has become an assailant accussed Deng of being the father. The accussation clearly stated that he committed an adultery by lying with the oldman’s wife. The oldman’s evidences were the shape of the boy’s head and his walking style which he said not being his but Deng’s. By then Deng was known in his entire group 50, as a student who was committed to studies. He could hardly sleep at home but in the hospital.

The solution reached by elders and the leaders of the group was to let Deng and the boy go to Nairobi for a DNA test. His studies couldn’t let him go. This oldman was advised to go back to Sudan. It was since then that he developed grudges. In the morning of his day of assault he cheated people in the group that he would travel to Sudan. The plan wasn’t known. He made his way into Franco hotel, bought his soda waiting for Deng who came from outside to the washing place. He followed and accomplished his intended mission. He is now in Kenya police station waiting to be taken to Lodwar for further trials.

Copyright 2010 Jessica Keralis

This was originally posted on the APHA International Health Section’s blog.

The Shona word murambatsvina means “to drive out trash.” This was the word used to describe the Zimbabwean government’s campaign to forcibly clear out the slum areas around the country, under the pretense of combating illegal housing and reducing the spread of infectious disease. Zimbabwe’s psychotic de-facto dictator current president has described the “urban renewal campaign” as “a vigorous clean-up campaign to restore sanity.” UNHCR has estimated that the forced evictions have directly affected at least 700,000 people, and that approximately 2.4 million more could have been indirectly affected in some way. The campaign was condemned by the UN and was called a crime against humanity.

Five years later, the evicted slum-dwellers still remain homeless. The few houses that were built as part of the re-housing scheme were given to government employees. Obvious human rights abuses aside (like torching people’s houses and belongings) aside, the campaign had serious health consequences for the evicted populations. HIV patients were cut off from clinics and antiretroviral medications. Thousands of IDPs are still living under emergency plastic sheeting with no medical services or clean water, no schools, no sanitation, and no source of income. Amnesty International has reported a shockingly high neonatal mortality rate among babies born to evicted mothers: in five months, there were 21 newborn deaths in Hopley, a settlement 10 km south of Harare. Most of the babies died within 48 hours of birth. The women have said that they were fully aware of the importance of maternal healthcare, and they all wanted to give birth in a hospital or with a trained birth attendant, but many could not afford the $50 required to register for antenatal care. The nearest maternity clinic is 8 km away. Some thought their babies had died because of minimal access to healthcare, while others suspected they had died of cold because they live in plastic shacks.

Amnesty International and other human rights groups have called for an investigation of the newborn deaths, but there seems to be little hope of a serious inquiry. Meanwhile, there are growing concerns of another eviction campaign: residents are again being forced to leave their homes because they cannot afford a(n arbitrarily-imposed) $140 “lease renewal fee.” Zimbabwe’s government of course denies this, but it a bit difficult to argue when the evidence consists of shacks on fire. Several MEPs have called for the Zimbabwean diplomat to the EU to be sent home in response to the evictions – but will it be enough?

British actress and model Lily Cole visited Nai Soi refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border. She kept a journal of her visit, which is a pretty good read.

Copyright 2010, Jessica Keralis

One might think that refugees’ lives are already complicated enough as it is. The simple necessities of putting a roof over your head and food on your table are daunting, not to mention the bureaucratic process of making sure you are doing it all legally in whatever country you are trying to settle. But when a person is displaced by a controversial phenomenon which some cannot even agree exists, putting down new roots inevitably becomes infinitely more convoluted.

Climate refugees, or those displaced by natural disasters or other environmental phenomena that many attribute to climate change, are only now beginning to receive widespread international attention. The earthquake in Haiti and the floods in Pakistan have contributed significantly to this increased awareness. Unfortunately, no one seems to be able to agree on how to deal with them, where to send them, or even what to call them: some organizations prefer the term “environmental migrants,” while the UN has used the term “environmentally induced migrants.” “Climate refugee,” while popular in the media, is a highly controversial term: UNHCR has expressed concern that referring to these migrants as “refugees” might lessen protection for conventional political refugees that have legal rights to assistance. While political refugees (obviously) cannot go to their governments for assistance, many environmental migrants can. Others argue that times have changed and that environmental migrants should be classified as refugees in order to receive legal and material assistance. The debate rages on.

Regardless of what they are called, millions currently suffer some form of environment or climate-influenced displacement. At the Copenhagen summit last year, UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said that 36 million were displaced due to natural disasters in 2008, 20 million of whom were forced to move due to climate change-related factors. The UN University’s Institute for Environment and Human Security estimates that there are nearly 50 million environmental refugees in the world today, though this estimate is somewhat controversial. Recent examples of large-scale environmental migration include the 1.5 million displaced in Haiti and the seven million driven from their homes by flooding in Pakistan. Other groups are forced to move due to slower or smaller-scale environmental degradation, such as desertification in north-central Africa and regular flooding in Bangladesh. Pacific island nations such as Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Vanuatu are slowly disappearing under rising sea levels. Oftentimes these slow environmental changes can trigger or exacerbate conflict by increasing conflict for resources.

The upcoming talks in Cancún highlight the sense of urgency surrounding this issue. However, many commentators are skeptical that any meaningful progress will be made, considering how poorly negotiations went during the Copenhagen summit. Additionally, a recent study by the UN Environmental Programme has established that even if all countries followed through with their commitments in the Copenhagen accord, CO₂ emissions would not be sufficiently reduced to halt the rise in global average temperatures to two degrees Celsius, which is regarded as the “danger threshold.” While some hope for an eventual legally-binding agreement between countries, others are crafting their own solutions. In Bangladesh, for example, a non-profit organization called Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha (a name meaning “self-reliance”) designs boats to house schools, libraries, and climate shelters. In Pakistan, communities are determined to get back on their feet, with or without international assistance. “We appreciate all the outside help, including seeds being supplied by the US, but the [we] are proud people and we are determined to help ourselves.”

Jessica Keralis is a public health specialist with an active interest in international health and refugee issues. She is the Communications Committee chair for the International Health section of the American Public Health Association. She blogs for the IH section and can be followed on Twitter here.

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