June 20th World Refugee Day

Hi everyone, just wanted to remind everyone that it is World Refugee Day today. There are over 40 million refugees or displaced people around the world.

In my country there is a serious lack of understanding about refugees. Most of the newspapers are hostile and print stories that give a bad impression of refugees in the UK. This makes me angry because I am sure the stories are all lies. I am also angry about how European Union States violate the human rights of refugees.

I am interested to hear what you think about refugees. And about how refugees are treated in your country.

You can watch live video streams and take part in live chat … http://www.refugeedaylive.org/

Thank for the link otooziki. 

This is so interesting that there is a book about how Islam has influenced current refugee law. It has been launched by UNHCR and their High Commissioner.

Here are the links – http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1245754248183&pagename=Zone-English-News%2FNWELayout

http://www.unhcr.org/4a42245e9.html

I think I will open a new forum topic on this!

That's a good point, it can be difficult for refugees to return for lots of reasons. A few days ago, Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was meeting Zimbabwean refugees in London, and trying to persuade them to return home, but they were not convinced. I don't blame them to be honest. Things are a little better in Zimbabwe, but there is a long way to go. But I don't doubt that a large proportion of refugees do want to return home, especially in the case of Palestinians of course.

There is a new forum you might be interested in …. http://www.englishbaby.com/forum/LifeTalk/thread/303670

... called Islam's contribution to Refugee Law.

Here's some real stories of refugee experiences in the UK.

20-year-old Thania, from DR Congo, at London's Euston Station where she spent a year sleeping rough. She arrived in the UK in September 2004 claiming asylum after her family were murdered by Congolese soldiers. She was forced to watch her brother burned to death after a tyre was set alight around his neck. She was raped but managed to escape. After her claim was refused she walked the streets begging people for food and money

62-year-old Anie from Angola sits on a bench in London's Leicester Square. Anie spent her childhood in DR Congo where due to her father's political connections to the Angolan political party UNITA, she was imprisoned, tortured and raped. She has difficulty walking because her legs are so badly scarred from her torture injuries and they still cause her a great deal of pain. She has been destitute since April 2008 and sometimes sleeps outside and sometimes on friends' floors

Photograph: Abbie Trayler-Smith/Panos

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/gallery/2009/mar/15/asylum-photography-exhibition?picture=344619011

What do you think about the refugee situation?