U.S. Aid Insufficient for 4 million Iraqi refugees and Syria struggles to cope

There are currently 4.2 million Iraqi refugees, resulting in a growing humanitarian crisis.  The United States is the biggest aid donor. But, experts say aid from the U.S. and other Western nations is not enough to stabilize the largest Middle East refugee crisis since the end of World War II. The United Nations refugee agency reports that 60,000 Iraqis leave their homes every month, and only half remain within the country’s borders

The regions primary host countries, Jordan and Syria, hold more than 2 million refugees and struggle to sustain them. Billions of dollars in aid is needed for the countries to deal with the strain.

Syria, home to more than one fourth of displaced Iraqis, reinstated restrictions on refugees from its neighboring country. Although war affects everyone, Syria will allow only desirable refugees. The country, which now requires visas, welcomes only business people, scientists, and academics.

It seems the Syrian government wants to be seen as a good guy. It initiated the restrictions September 10, but lifted them days later because of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month. And, the government continues to work with the UN agency for refugees.

The country is having difficulty coping with a 10% increase in population. Rather than entering refugee camps (there aren’t any), Iraqi immigrants tend to go directly into the poor districts of Damascus.

So, now that Ramadan is coming to an end (October 12) the restrictions have been reinstated.

Many say war knows no limits. But, for Syria, the limit is a matter of class. The government wants to ensure it receives only the best of those seeking refuge from violence.

I’m not the only one who’s Superficial.

All right, I admit it. After I check The New York Times every morning, I check TheSuperficial.com. Ok, sometimes, I even check the Superficial first.  But only if I am having a really rough day and I need a good chuckle. 

I’m embarrassed by my admission for a couple reasons. For starters, the Superficial is an online celebrity gossip site. The site’s full title is The Superficial: Because You’re Ugly. Like its rival celebrity gossip site Perez Hilton, the Superficial’s writer, also a witty young male, incessantly mocks celebrities. But the superficial blogger goes above and beyond Perez. He is both lude and crude. And, he’s certainly more clever. The Superficial guarantees daily laughs at the expense of promiscuous young princesses (think Lindsay, Paris, Britney and Nicole).

The site is set up like a blog, with short daily stories accompanied by numerous celebrity photos. If you want a play-by-play of who the paparazzi stalked that day, this is your site.

But the greatest thing about the Superficial is the titles, which bring laughs before you even read the posts. The titles alternate between two types. The first style, in true journalistic fashion, is simple, honest and direct, such as “Eva Longoria wears a bikini.” The second are clever and satirical, such as “Paris Hilton is beacon of repentance.” The accompanying story features Paris Hilton dancing at a nightclub. Earlier that day, she announced she would make a humanitarian trip to Rwanda. 

Refugees flee violence in Myanmar

Hundreds were killed by government forces today in Myanmar, previously Burma, during the second week of protests begun by tens of thousands of monks protesting the restrictive junta.

The junta came to power in 1988 and enacted a highly restrictive police state that is known to use violence and to infringe upon the human rights of its people. The junta canceled the results of a democratic election in 1990, won by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and placed Mrs. Kyi under house arrest, where she has been since 1991.

Protest of the government has reached an all-time high, leading to extremely violent measures taken by the junta. Things got started when small groups of students protested high fuel prices in August 2007. Things took a more serious turn when highly-respected Buddhist monks joined in.  By Sept. 23, more than 100,000 people joined a procession led by monks chanting “Release Suu Kyi.”

Despite the arrival of a U.N. envoy Saturday, the Burmese government continues to persecute protestors, arresting, confining and killing numbers that are difficult to estimate. The Democratic Voice of Burma, a nonprofit journalism organization, estimates that 6,000 demonstrators, including at least 1,400 monks, are being held in makeshift detention centers. And that’s because the jails are filled with 1,100 political prisoners. Myanmar will not allow journalists or officials into the country to measure the death toll. Furthermore, because Burma is a Buddhist state, the dead will be cremated, making identification impossible.

Because of Myanmar’s dangerously hostile policy toward journalists, most of the reports on the current situation are coming from Bangkok, the capital of the friendlier neighbor, Thailand.

Thailand isn’t just getting journalists; it’s getting refugees, and lots of them. As expected, when political persecution and violence occur in a country, refugees flock to its neighboring states.

More than 155,000 currently crowd nine camps along the Thai-Myanmar border. Refugees began arriving in 1984 as the junta entered the Karen state. Aid workers at the camp have estimated that 500-600 refugees arrive from Myanmar each month.

Thailand’s Mae La Camp is home to 50,000 people, mostly from Myanmar’s Karen ethnic majority, a group terrorized by the military junta by forced labor, murder, and crop destruction.

Aside from limiting necessary resources, overcrowding in the camps has led to social ills such as alcoholism, domestic violence and drug abuse that result from a feeling of hopelessness, aid workers say.

The situation in Myanmar is not only dangerous and hostile for who remain inside the country, but it has created desperate situation for those lucky enough to have fled.

The Twin Cities Green Guide

When I lived in rural Plymouth, Minn., as a child, I often visited the Twin Cities with my family. However, it was not until return visits during my teen years that I was able to appreciate the eclectic mix of peoples and culture that existed in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Whether it’s downtown or trendy uptown, the city has an indie-urban “granola” feel that would surprise many a visitor.

This is why I was not surprised when I stumbled across The Twin Cities Green Guide when I was aiming for National Geographic’s The Green Guide. (Type in .org instead of .com and you’re there).

            I almost wish I lived in the Twin Cities solely so that I could use this amazing internet tool.  Arriving at the home page I feel like I do when I walk into Urban Outfitters, trendy and fun. The Web site covers a plethora of topics: food, goods and services, house and home, gardening, do-it-yourself, health, family, community, arts, transportation, recreation, environment, business, citizen action, media and education.

            Wow, that was a mouthful. But they really leave nothing to be desired. The topics are laid out on the home page and you can browse by category. Upcoming Green events in the Twin Cities area are also listed. There’s even a directory of local green businesses and organizations, aptly titled the Green Pages.

In short, the site provides everything you need to have a sound, healthy and eco-friendly existence in body and mind.  The Twin Cities Green Guide gives locals everything from tips on how to make your office green to local political movements. Whether you want want to listen to the best alternative radio station on your eco-friendly trip to work or to start a cultural revolution in the Twin Cities its Green Guide tells you how.  

Dubai aids Palestinian Refugees

Despite its location on the Persian Gulf, Dubai is often considered a very “westernized” state. The state, part of the United Arab Emirates, is known for its tolerance of other cultures and beliefs. It is also known for its liberal policies, which often create tension with neighboring countries, such as Iran. Then again, anyone who has a positive relationship with the United States seems to be an enemy of Mr. Mahmud Ahmadinejad.

Like other Middle Eastern countries, Dubai has amassed wealth from oil exportation. The UAE boasts a high standard of living and Dubai attracts tourists from around the world to its ritzy hotels and trendy night clubs. (See The New York Times travel article below).

The government of Dubai is using its wealth and liberal policies for positive global change with its Dubai Cares program. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and vice president and prime minister of the UAE, launched the program to contribute to the U.N.’s Second Millennium Development Goal, which seeks to achieve universal primary education. The Dubai Cares plans to educate one million children in poor countries.

The Sheikh announced Sunday that the program would finance the education of 10,000 Palestinian children living in refugee camps in northern Lebanon. The financial aid is the Sheikh’s response to a worldwide appeal made by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on behalf of the 5,5000 children displaced from the Nahr El- Bared Camp to the Al-Baddawi Camp.

And they’re not messing around. This funding will get things done: it will cover everything from installation of pre-built school buildings, reparation of old buildings, appointment of social workers and psychologists, transportation for students and a multitude of other scholastic necessities.

Karen Koning Aby Zayd, UNRWA Commissioner General, said in a press release: ‘We have found a solid partner in Dubai Cares to assist refugees with their educational needs. The first generous contribution will enable UNRWA to cover the full education requirements in northern Lebanon.”

BBC Country Profile: The United Arab Emirates: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/737620.stm

The New York Times: Dubai on a Budget, No It’s Not a Mirage:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/travel/11pracdubai.html

 Dubai Cares: http://www.dubaicares.ae/eng/aboutus/default.asp 

Press Release from Dubai Cares Program: http://www.ameinfo.com/133477.html