Writing 321
Kerry Allen
This website was intended for my multimodal writing class at Roger Williams University. Throughout the semester, I will update this website with work I have accommplished in my class.
Summary- 9/16/16
In 1914, the 1st major refugee crisis in the 20th Century began due to World War I. Over time, people globally have been fleeing their country looking for refuge. A refugee is defined as "any person outside his/here country that is unable to return due to the fear of persecution". Before a person is technically a refugee, they are an asylum seeker. An asylum seeker may not necessarily become a refugee. A person can personally decide to become an asylum seeker while a refugee must be determined by the UN. RSD has two steps to deciding this: 1) interview the asylum seeker, 2) research their circumstance, and the country they are fleeing from. The UNHCR can decide an asylum seeker should return to home if they are not necessarily fleeing from persecution. In return, the asylum seeker can always lodge an appeal on this decision. The international legal framework was spurred in 1945 by WWII. Globally the 1951, and 1967 convention and protocols have remained the architecture for the protection of refugees. It is devastating to note that 2016 has been the deadliest year for Mediterranean crossings. Over history, refugees have fled from all over the world, seeking safety in fear of persecution in their home country. That is why laws, and frameworks have been created to protect these people.
Summary- 9/19/16
In March of 2011, anti-government demonstrations began in the Arab Spring. While these demonstrations were intended to be peaceful, this changed when they government became violent. In Syria, people are struggling to survive and are therefore trying to flee to other countries. Over half of the country’s population is in need of refuge. Most of the refugees are living in Lebanon and Jordan. Diseases like polio are being spread due to the lack of sanitation, and water, and well as the lack of medical services. Refugees are fleeing by the thousands, some are making dangerous trips, and not surviving. Nearly 5 million Syrians have now fled. Over half of the refugees are children. Mercy Corps is an organization that delivers water and food, and helps by providing clothes, and household needs. They are in need of assistance whether it be through donation or campaigning, their goal is to help these Syrian refugees the best they can.
Summary- 9/27/16
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This article, "Exile Voices" is about a photojournalist, Reza’s, interactions with refugees over the course of his career. Beginning in 1983 he started volunteering to teach people to empower and tell their own stories. In 2001, he founded AINA which is an organization in Afghanistan. It helps train young people about media. Due to his travels in Iraq, he begins the Exile Voices project. This project is workshops for refugees all over the world. Throughout his travels he has come across very intriguing and graphic photos to show not only the struggles of the refugees, but also some positive angles. Reza shares a heart wrenching story with us during this article about a 12 year old girl named Maya Rostam who joined Reza’s workshop. She tells of the sounds of war, and her struggles as she traveled down the road of exodus. She then goes on to say that, “I want to learn photography because I believe that with it, everyone can see what I feel and how we live.” The picture Maya shares with Reza is her shoes, too frozen to put on. This image really strikes Reza, and makes him this about the symbolic meaning of it.
*https://maptia.com/reza/stories/exile-voices*
The article I read was called, “7 art initiatives that are transforming the lives of refugees”. The first project to help empower refugees is called the “Za’atari Project”. This project is run by an artist, Joel Artista, for Syrian refugees. It is to help these young children not only focus on art but also educational topics through art. Examples of topics learned are sanitation, and hygiene. “Exile Voices” is another organization that introduces children to art by taking pictures. A third initiative is called “Castle Art”. This organization helps bring color to the refugee camp in Akre, Dohuk. This project is said to, “provide a unique creative outlet for these young, aspiring artists” by letting them spray paint once a week. Another project is “Skoun”. This supports refugees through therapeutic art. It encourages children and parents to express their feeling openly. A fifth project is called “UNHCR”. This helps transform shelters from their dull outsides, into a work of art. This project gives the refugees three days to paint and express their feelings. Another initiative is “Paint Outside the Line”, it is intended to help create a platform for the voices of refugee children. They have a street art project that empowers children to be expressive and creative within their own community. The 7th project is called “Artists for Refugees”. This project is intended to help “change the perception of refugees as people who are actively and positively contributing towards the economy and host community”, by expressing themselves through art. These initiatives are intended to introduce art to areas that are lacking creative thought.
*http://innovation.unhcr.org/7-art-initiatives-that-are-transforming-the-lives-of-refugees/*
In the article “People Living "In Sheer Terror" Around Lake Chad” I was informed of the struggle of West Africans as they are attacked by ISWAP, and government military. These organizations are causing mass displacement across the area, and more than 2.5 million people have been affected. In these areas, individuals lack needed health facilities. This is causing even medical staff to flee leading to little to no lifesaving health care. MSF is delivering necessary health care, as well as, some water across the region. Since the areas are very dispersed it is difficult for the people to all be reached. This crisis is emitting sheer terror, and making people feel extremely unsafe to return to their own homes. The article notes that this issue seems to have no resolve in the near future.
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/article/people-living-sheer-terror-around-lake-chad
“The Forgotten Border of The South”, is an article about the struggle of Central American born Juan Ramon Salvador Moreno as he flees. During their journey his family and him were attacked in a rice field by armed men. Although Juan didn’t take this route of travel, many refugees flee by taking a freight train known as “The Beast”. The Mexican government launched a plan to prevent refugees from using this method of transportation to flee. This decision was made after 57,000 undocumented minors were arrested within the year of 2013. The violence of gangs is forcing the people out of Central America. These people have been attempting to try “the back door” because there are too many hoops to jump through to gain asylum legally.
Summary- 10/1/16
"Rape as A Weapon of War in the Congo” is a short video about a women Georgina who gets raped on her way to get fire wood. When she told her husband that she had been raped, he no longer wanted her anymore. He rejected her, and left her. Rape is being used as a weapon of war in the Congo. Georgina and her husband Andre had a home and a beautiful family. But the man of honor could not stay with her because she now had slept with too many men. This is not uncommon.Hundred of thousands of women have been raped in the Congo, and with war crippling the justice system, many men are not being charged with this act of violence.Synergy for women is an organization that houses women who suffer trauma from rape, as well as, helps the mentally recover. 8000 counts of rape since 2003 have come into the Synergy organization, and not many report have been reported. Those who have reported have seen their rapists out of jail within weeks. Rape has become the norm in the Congo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaOl98KVAqM&feature=em-share_video_user
Summary- 10/3/16
Rape as A Weapon of War in the Congo
People Living "In Sheer Terror" Around Lake Chad
The Forgotten Border of The South
Exile Voices
7 art initiatives that are transforming the lives of refugees
Background- Refugees deeply
Quick Facts from Mercy Corps: What You Need to Know About the Syria Crisis
Clement and Aline Shabani's journey out of the congo
Regardless of geographic location a lot of refugees have very similar issues that cause them to flee. A lot of these issues were reiterated in the video about Clement and Aline, and their escape from the detrimental government of Congo. Like many other nations, Congo has a very repressive government that does not allow for much independence. As Clement said at the end of the video, "No right, no justice". This is why Clement and Aline, as well as, other people in Congo, and in other nations escape their home town to seek asylum. In Congo, women have very little rights and are easily discriminated against. Women can walk to the market, and be raped, with no punishment on the side of the rapist. But the women live with the pain of this forever, and that is why Clement and Aline tried to help. By trying to help these women they were only punished more, losing all their money and belongings, forcing them to flee. In Congo, and other repressed nations the government will take your life if you try for justice and speak up against them. Like many other nations the couple and their children walked by foot in order to flee their town. Eventually they reached a place where they could feel safe, Thailand. After a couple of years they lost their Visa's and could not get work, and their children could not go to school. Eventually, five years later, they made it to America were they now live.
Many themes are familiar in this story that happen all across the world for refugees: Loss of their home, loss of their dignity, the struggle to survive, and physical struggle as they tried to seek refugee. Clement and Aline, along with millions, and millions of others struggled to survive on the daily basis as they were repressed by their dictating governments. It is no secret that the refugee crisis is real, and these people need our help empowering their stories.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcHdKpIBcUE&feature=youtu.be&t=1s