[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the topic of refugees, migrants, and IDPs and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Refugees and Migrants Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. It is updated monthly. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each month's roundup to info@jadaliyya.com.]
Developments
Over 2,000 Tunisian Minors Reach Italy in 2022: rights groups
Tunisian rights group, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), reports that over 2,000 Tunisian minors crossed the Mediterranean from North Africa to Italy since the start of 2022.
Lebanon Searches for Migrants who Drowned 4 Months Ago
Search operations off the coast of Tripoli in North Lebanon for 30 migrants that drowned in April began on Monday, 22 August. The search operation is privately financed by relatives of the victims.
Greece: Parents of Syrian Child who Died Stranded in Evros Testify in Court
The parents of the 5-year-old Syrian girl who died of a scorpion sting in an islet along the Greek-Turkish border testified on Monday 22 August, demanding justice for their daughter. Meanwhile, the Greek Migration Minister maintains that the child died in Turkish, not Greek territory.
52% of Migrants in Morocco Without Access to COVID Vaccine
A survey carried out by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicates that 52% of migrants in Morocco do not have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Out of this percentage, it is reported that 70% are not interested in getting the vaccine and 30% want the vaccine but were not able to obtain it.
Thousands of Syrian War Refugees Face Repatriation from Lebanon
Authorities in Beirut and Damascus announced a repatriation plan involving the repatriation of 15,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon each month. To avoid repatriation to Syria, many refugees seek to leave Lebanon, with the number of departures from Lebanon’s Mediterranean coast increasing over the past few months.
Tunisia Intercepts more than 650 Migrants at Sea
Between 12 August and 15 August, 657 migrants were stopped from crossing the Mediterranean or rescued by Tunisian authorities in 46 separate incidents. Many migrants crossing the Mediterranean from Tunisia seek refuge in Italy. According to Italian government statistics, Tunisians account for the greatest number of migrants arriving in Italy this year.
Dozens of Migrants Detained in Libya during Police Raids
Libya’s security forces conducted a series of raids on migrants homes in August 2022, continuing a trend in increased migrant raids as migrants are scapegoated for the country’s problems.
At Least 15 Migrants Die in Libyan Sahara Desert
Reports indicate that at least 15 migrants traveling from Sudan to Libya were found dead in the desert region along Libya’s southeastern border with Sudan.
Articles
‘There is No Future Here’: Iraqi Kurds Look to Migrate to Europe
With unemployment in Iraqi Kurdistan reaching 17 percent, many young Kurds seek to migrate to Europe in search of job opportunities.
Syrian Refugees in Lebanon and Turkey Fear Being Sent Back Home
Lebanon and Turkey’s announcement that they intend to send up to a million Syrians back to Syria has led many Syrian refugees to consider alternative options, like fleeing to Europe in order to avoid being sent back to Syria.
Poverty, Restrictions, Censorship: What’s Driving Egyptians to Head for Europe
Since the start of 2022, 4,154 Egyptian migrants have arrived in Italy, a threefold increase compared to the same period last year. An uptick in Egyptian migration to Europe is driven in part by economic crisis and increasing repression in Egypt.
Turkey Says it has Recent Drone Footage of Greek Pushbacks
According to Turkey's Anadolu Agency, Turkey has footage of Greek migrant pushbacks. According to reports, drone footage shows two life rafts with migrants on board being pushed back toward Turkish waters by Greek authorities. The Turkish Coast Guard was deployed to rescue the migrants.
What a Syrian Family’s Quest to Reunite Says about Safe and Legal Pathways to the EU
The story of one Syrian family demonstrates how the European Union’s (EU) system of family reunification fails the very asylum seekers and refugees it is meant to protect.
Families Bring Home Migrant Worker Remains from Qatar
Human Rights Watch (HRW) and other migrant groups are calling on FIFA and Qatar to address the many abuses against migrant workers preparing infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup. FIFA maintains that it is looking into compensation mechanisms for migrant workers who suffered workplace injury or death.
For Each Day Biden Spends in Office, Israel Displaces 3 Palestinians
Israeli authorities have increased both settlement expansion and demolitions since Biden took office in 2021. Analysis conducted by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) indicates that for each day Biden spent in office since 2021, Israel displaced an average of three Palestinians.
Nearly 1,000 Migrants Died Trying to Reach Spain in First of 2022, says NGO
According to the organization Caminando Fronteras, an average of five migrants per day lost their lives attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean to Spain between January and July 2022.
Reports
Refugees First: A New Approach to Middle East Peace
A new paper by the Middle East Institute (MEI) examines previous proposals to address the Palestinian refugee question and proposes a refugee-focused framework to advance solutions for Palestinian refugees.
Forced Return of Syrians by Lebanon Unsafe and Unlawful
In a breach of the country’s international obligations, Lebanon seeks to deport 15,000 Syrians on a monthly basis. Despite Lebanon’s stance towards returns, Syria remains unsafe for return and any forced returns to Syria would be a breach of Lebanon’s non-refoulement obligations.
World Report on the Health of Refugees and Migrants
A new World Health Organization (WHO) report indicates that there are poorer health outcomes for vulnerable refugees and migrants compared to their host communities. The report demonstrates that rather than being inherently less healthy populations, refugees and migrants instead face a host of suboptimal health determinants, among them housing and income insecurity.