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"Anywhere is better for us. Even the fire, the sea, or desert," a Rohingya woman told Refugees International's staff during a recent mission to Bangladesh. The Rohingya ethnic group of Burma is one of the most persecuted groups in the world. More than 200,000 have fled to Bangladesh, where many have no legal rights and face physical and sexual attacks. The international community must urge the Bangladeshi government to register undocumented refugees and improve protection for all vulnerable Rohingyas. Resettlement of refugees to third countries and increased assistance for communities hosting refugees must be a priority for those governments working with this at-risk group.
* Read the full field report [ http://refugeesinternational.
* For more on the hardships Rohingyas face in Bangladesh because of a lack of documentation, read our press release [ http://refugeesinternational.
*Malaysia: Invest in Solutions for Refugees*
In March, Refugees International traveled to Malaysia, and found that the government has taken significant steps forward in improving refugee rights. In the past year, there have been no reported attempts to deport Burmese refugees to the border with Thailand and a decrease in immigration raids and arrests of registered refugees. RI urges the government of Malaysia to build on this progress by setting up a path to residency and work permits for refugees. Now is the moment for the international community to help UNHCR leverage this opportunity and continue to improve refugee rights.
* Read the full field report [ http://refugeesinternational.
* Read the story of Gultaz [ http://refugeesinternational.
*Libya: Back from the Field*
Libya remains in a state of upheaval. The latest numbers show that more than 615,000 people have fled the country since violence broke out in February. As Refugees International described in an April field report, people inside the country -- particularly in the east -- are still struggling to access humanitarian aid due to the high levels of insecurity. The UN must continue to expand its operations inside Libya in order to better identify people's needs and ensure access to assistance. In addition, the U.S. and other countries should commit to resettling those refugees currently on Libya's borders and continue to fund the evacuation of third-country nationals.
* Read the full field report [ http://refugeesinternational.
*Colombia Fails to Assist Victims of Massive Floods*
Months after torrential rain and massive flooding pounded Colombia, thousands of people are still not receiving basic assistance including food, water, sanitation, emergency shelter, and health care. Alice Thomas, Program Manager of RI's Bacon Center on Climate Displacement recently returned from Colombia where she assessed the needs of those affected by the floods. Keep an eye out next month for her in-depth report on the steps needed to improve the response to this and other climate-related disasters.
* Read our call to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos [ http://refugeesinternational.
* Sign up to receive updates [ http://refugeesinternational.
*32nd Anniversary Dinner*
Only a few tickets remain for our 32nd Anniversary Dinner [ http://refugeesinternational.
Join us in honoring
Governor *Bill Richardson*
Senator *Patrick Leahy*
Ambassador *Richard Holbrooke*
and *Amina Ali*
Also featuring a special performance by Sudanese musical sensation
*Emmanuel Jal*
Master of Ceremonies
*Sam Waterston*
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium
Washington, DC
Purchase your ticket today! [ https://app.etapestry.com/
*After Party*
Join RI's Young Humanitarian Circle at the
*32nd Anniversary Dinner After Party*.
RSVP at refugeesinternational.org/
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