Refugees and Migrants Page Media Roundup (January 2023)

rchive photo shows dozens of migrants on board a rubber boat floating in Mediterranean waters off the northeastern coast of Libya, 27 April 2021 | Photo: EPA/Flavio Gasperini / SOS MEDITERRANEE rchive photo shows dozens of migrants on board a rubber boat floating in Mediterranean waters off the northeastern coast of Libya, 27 April 2021 | Photo: EPA/Flavio Gasperini / SOS MEDITERRANEE

Refugees and Migrants Page Media Roundup (January 2023)

By : Refugees and Migrants Page Media Roundup Editors

[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.]

Two migrants dead and more than 200 rescued in shipwreck off Lebanese coast 

A boat carrying 232 migrants was found in distress off the coast of Selaata, north of Beirut. Lebanon’s navy and UN peacekeepers were able to rescue most migrants; however, two died. There were Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian men, women, and children on the boat. 

Syrians-Barometer. A framework for achieving social cohesion with Syrians in Turkey

This article is a comprehensive annual field study on the subject of Syrians in Turkey. The research centers on understanding and analyzing social encounters, opinions, attitudes, and perceptions through surveys and focus group meetings with Turkish society and Syrians. It observes trends of change to suggest policy recommendations. 

IOM: Migrants repatriated to Libya decreased by 24% in 2022 

While there has been a 24% decrease in repatriation to Libya, the number of those who went missing at sea has risen. There was also a 21% decrease in the number of persons who drowned along the Central Mediterranean Route. 

'Most wanted' human trafficker arrested in Sudan

Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam, a human trafficker known for being “particularly cruel and violent against migrants,” was arrested in Sudan. This arrest was part of a UAE-led international police operation. Interpol has placed two red notices on Habtemariam. He will first face charges of money laundering in the UAE. 

10 things you need to know about the potential Syria border closure 

The closure of Syria’s border with Turkey will pose a serious risk to people in Northwest Syria. More families will be expected to experience starvation, poverty, difficult winters, and mental health crises. The Syria Resilience Consortium urges the UNSC to renew the Bab al-Hawa crossing, increase its mandate, and ensure the reopening of other closed crossings. 

Greece: Somali man beats life sentence for migrant smuggling 

In 2021, Mohammad Hanad Abdi was sentenced to 142 years in prison after being convicted for a deadly crossing in a dinghy from Turkey to Lesbos. An appeals court judge has ordered his release. Several members of the European Parliament argued Abdi had been wrongfully convicted. 

Spain repatriates 2 women, 13 children from Syrian camps 

Spain has repatriated 2 women and 13 children from refugee camps in Syria. The two women were widows of fighters in the Islamic State group, and the children were under their care. 

Morocco raises migrants' jail time over Melilla stampede 

Following a June 2022 stampede to reach Melilla from Morocco, 23 people died. Morocco and Spain’s governments insist the migrants are to blame for this catastrophe. As such, a Moroccan court has increased the sentences of 13 migrants due to illegal entry and violence against law enforcement officials. 

Fears of migrant deaths from Middle East countries rise after bodies found in eastern Poland 

Along their border with Belarus, Polish officials have found 3 bodies in an area where thousands of migrants from the Middle East and Africa have attempted to enter the EU. One of the bodies is confirmed to be a Yemeni doctor. The other two have not been confirmed but are suspected to be migrants. 

Moroccan Migrants who escaped from plane provisionally released in Spain 

After a passenger claimed to suffer from diabetic shock on a plane from Morocco to Istanbul, the plane made an emergency landing at the Son Sant Joan Airport in Mallorca. While the plane was on the tarmac, a group of Moroccans stormed off and ran towards the fence surrounding the airport. Spanish authorities arrested them and believe the group planned the event to attain entry to the EU.

Italian ministers in Tunisia, Egypt to discuss migration, repatriations 

Italian and Tunisian ministries for foreign affairs and the interior met to discuss stopping migration flows and stability in the Mediterranean. This follows Italy’s far-right government’s decree to limit NGOs' rescue capacities at sea. Italy’s officials also plan to meet with Egypt’s officials. 

How writing became my refuge as a woman escaping South Sudan’s war 

Following the violent clashes in her hometown in South Sudan, Christine Onzia Wani documents her lived experiences in the Bidi Bidi resettlement camp in northern Uganda. She describes how writing and journalism provided the avenue to overcome the trauma of leaving South Sudan and tell stories about the strength of other refugees. 

Libya: Migrant shipwreck kills 8, dozens still missing 

A boat carrying at least 150 migrants capsized off the Libyan town of Garabulli. This has led to 8 deaths, 84 survivors, and 58 missing. The survivors were taken to state-run detention centers for migrants. Eyewitnesses to the tragedy said the migrants sought to reach Italy. 

Hunger soars to 12-year high in Syria, WFP chief calls for urgent action 

Syria’s food insecurity crisis has led to 70% of the population being unable to put food on the table for their families. The UN World Food Programme has stated this humanitarian crisis could lead to another wave of mass migration. The 12-year conflict has harmed prominent food sources. This includes East Ghouta, an area known as the breadbasket of Damascus. The bombardment has destroyed their fruit orchards and produce, leaving many communities to be displaced. 

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Refugees and Migrants Page Media Roundup (November 2022)

[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.]

Hunger and malnutrition being driven by climate crisis and conflict in South Sudan

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, UNICEF, and the UN World Food Programme report record high levels of food insecurity and malnourishment in South Sudan. They link this to the current conflict, economic turmoil, extreme climate conditions, and displacement. Along with this, there has been a decline in funding for humanitarian programs, even with increases in humanitarian needs. 

Syria and Lebanon hit by cholera: Preventing the collapse of essential infrastructure is imperative

An updated operational report from the International Committee of the Red Cross indicates a public health crisis in Syria and Lebanon (ICRC). With a history of armed conflict and economic collapse, communities, particularly refugees and those displaced living in Syria and Lebanon, experience weak healthcare and sewage systems. This has led to a cholera outbreak. The ICRC is providing emergency response and supports local service providers in clean water and healthcare supply. 

Shipwreck off Coast of Yemen Claims Lives of Migrants from the Horn of Africa 

Following a shipwreck on the coast of Yemen, at least 28 migrants appear to be missing. The International Organization for Migration has recovered three bodies. Nearly 54,000 migrants have departed on the Eastern Corridor route spanning countries from the Horn of Africa to the Gulf. These migrants undergo dangerous journeys facilitated by smugglers, including overcrowded vessels, exploitation, and violence.  

Netherlands team schedule meeting with migrant workers in Qatar 

Amid the FIFA World Cup, the Netherlands soccer team took time to talk with the migrants who supported the effort to build the stadiums for the tournament. The Netherlands coach notes the meeting is focused on giving attention to the dire conditions under which stadiums and other infrastructure for the tournament were built. 

Aegean Sea: Scores of migrants rescued by Greece, Turkey coast guard 

The Greece coast guard issued a search and rescue operation in response to distressing calls about a vessel in rough seas south of the remote island Syrna. A German-flagged cargo ship in the region rescued the 62 people on the sailboat. The survivors were transferred to a coast guard lifeboat and taken to the island of Kos. Turkish coast guard units rescued 199 people off the western coast. 

Four dead, two missing after migrant boat sinks off Tunisia 

There have been numerous shipwrecks off Tunisia since October. On November 14, a boat reportedly sank, carrying 16 people, and headed to Italy. The Tunisian coast guard rescued 10 people and recovered 4 bodies. 

Worsening flooding threatens fragile health system in South Sudan 

Beginning in mid-October, nearly one million individuals have been displaced in South Sudan across 29 countries. Floods ravaging the country have drastically contributed to this number. The flooding has destroyed 37,000 tons of crops, killed 800,000 cattle, and demolished 121 health facilities. The flooding has also become a fertile breeding ground for disease. 

'We were abandoned in the desert at 2 am': Migrants expelled from Algeria to Niger 

Algeria expelled thousands of sub-Subaharan Africans to Point Zero, wherein people walked for hours till they reached the Nigerien village of Assamaka. Algerian authorities carried out these expulsions without any coordination with Nigeria. This has led to a humanitarian crisis in Assamaka, with migrants experiencing exhaustion, overcrowding, and sickness. 

"We fled hunger but hunger followed us here": Children in Somalia face soaring levels of malnutrition 

In Baidoa, Somalia, over 600,000 people have been forced from their homes by the climate crisis. Drought-stricken villages have led to malnutrition and famine. 500 camps have been set up around the town. However, many arrived late to ensure life-saving treatment for sick children, resulting in a single graveyard filled with the bodies of 230 children. 

Millions in Syria face freezing temperatures without critical assistance 

With high inflation and a collapsing economy, millions of families across Syria cannot afford essential items. The winter has caused dire living conditions due to limited access to heat, health services, or clean water supply. There is also country-wide electricity rationing. The UN reports the 2022 Syrian Humanitarian Response Plan remains underfunded, harming the delivery of life-saving winter assistance for 6 million people in Syria, including vulnerable groups such as internally displaced persons. 

Egypt: Sexually Abused Refugees Find No Justice

Human Rights Watch reports that Egyptian authorities have failed to protect refugees and asylum seekers from pervasive sexual violence. There have been 11 incidents of sexual violence in Egypt between 2016 and 2022 against Sudanese and Yemeni refugees and asylees. The government has yet to enact proper policies and investigation systems to ensure justice for sexual violence survivors.

Italy's rightist govt welcomes migrants airlifted from Libya 

In late November, Italy welcomed 114 migrants from Libya as a part of a ‘humanitarian corridor’ organized by Christian charities with members of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s rightist administration. The ‘humanitarian corridor’ is run by Protestant and Catholic organizations to help people feeling conflict. More than 5,000 asylum seekers from Libya, Lebanon, and Pakistan have arrived in Italy since the launch of the corridor in 2016.

Mediterranean Sea: Migrant boat departures from eastern Libya on the rise 

500 migrants arrived in Greece on a vessel, revealing a new and formerly discrete route from eastern Libya to southern Italy. This route has become increasingly popular compared to western Libya due to the limited interceptions at sea and better infrastructure of boats. These journeys also cost significantly more.