| 13th
December 2004 |
"Refugee
voices" concert rings in over $350,000 in support of Darfur
victims
14
international artists sung the Beatles song "with a little
help from my friends" to mark the grand finale to a UNHCR-organised
concert that has so far raised more than $350,000 in support
of the victims of the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region. The
concert, held in London's Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday, December
8th featured a diverse mix of artists including Pretenders singer
Chrissie Hynde, the Brand New Heavies, disco-diva Jocelyn Brown,
Antony Costa from Blue and Roisin Murphy from Moloko.
|
| 3rd
December 2004 |
Sudanese refugees settling down in camps in Chad
FARCHANA, Chad, Dec 3 (UNHCR) – Sudanese refugees are
slowly putting order in their lives in Chad nearly a year after
they fled civil strife in Sudan's western region of Darfur.
Farchana is the first camp set up by UNHCR in January this year
after violence intensified in Darfur last year. Eleven camps
have been established since then, sheltering some 200,000 refugees,
most of them trucked from makeshift encampments along the 600,000-km
Chad-Sudan frontier.
|
| 30th
November 2004 |
Something
for everyone at UNHCR Darfur fundraising concert
David
Gray, lead singer of the Pretenders Chrissie Hynde, The Brand
New Heavies, Roisin Murphy from Moloko, Antony Costa from Blue
supported by guitarist John Themis and bass-baritone Sir Willard
White are just a few of the artists performing in a UN refugee
agency fundraising concert.
Music lovers from across the board are promised an unforgettable
night at the concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 8th December.
|
| 7th
November 2004 |
Sweeping
Serious Crimes Order May Endanger Refugees' Lives
The UN refugee agency has expressed serious concerns with regard
to legislation saying that someone convicted of a relatively
minor crime such as shoplifting or graffiti could be deported
and persecuted in their home country. Anne Dawson-Shepherd,
UNHCRs Representative to the UK said that the Specification
of Particularly Serious Crimes Order discussed in Parliament
today could put refugees' lives at risk.
|
| 3rd
November 2004 |
Make
Asylum fair, not fast - Ruud Lubbers
Asylum is again high on the European agenda. Although the
number of asylum seekers arriving in Europe is at its lowest
in years, the issue remains explosive, erupting periodically
at key EU meetings like the upcoming European Council summit
in Brussels. Asylum policy built on exclusion is morally reprehensible
and impractical, European leaders must concentrate on creating
a good system that is fair and efficient, not simply fast.
|
| 25
Sept 2004 |
Howards
bad example - Letter to the Editor of The
Telegraph
This is not the time to withdraw from the 1951 Refugee Convention,
which Britain played a key role in drafting. The Refugee Convention
is an enduring international instrument that protects the human
rights of individuals forced to flee their home countries. The
needs addressed by the Convention are perhaps more relevant
today than they were in 1951.
|
| 21
Sept 2004 |
Asylum-seekers'
travel documents- Letter
to Editor of The Times
UNHCR
is concerned that the focus on the introduction of restrictive
measures to prevent people coming into the UK without travel
documents may exclude asylum seekers who need protection as
refugees.
|
| 21
June 2004 |
UNHCR
urges Glasto-goers to spare a thought for real refugees
This weekend, UNHCR London will be setting up camp in Glastonbury
to reach out to the temporarily displaced. UNHCR hopes to
persuade ‘roughing it’ revellers to spare a thought
for Sudanese refugees, who have been forced to camp in more
life-threatening conditions.
|
| 16
June 2004 |
UNHCR
objects to forced returns to southern Somalia
Following
press reports on the forced return of failed Somali asylum seekers
from the UK, UNHCR has reiterated its position that involuntary
return of rejected asylum seekers should not take place to southern
Somalia, which includes the capital, Mogadishu. Furthermore,
no Somali should be involuntarily returned to an area of the
country from which he or she does not originate.
|
24 February 2004
|
UN Refugee Agency says Forced Returns to Iraq are Premature
Following the announcement by the Home Office that they are intending to start the forcible removal of failed asylum seekers to Iraq, UNHCR reiterated its concern in relation to returns to Iraq in general, including in the North. UNHCR believes that such action is premature in the light of the continuing uncertain security situation and the poor infrastructure in the country. UNHCR also believe that conditions do not warrant the promotion of voluntary return to Iraq at this time.
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