Overall Refugee Picture

In reading all these articles I found many interesting, but also feel like we've jumped all over the place and so I found myself searching for an overview perspective on the refugee situation. So I searched on the human rights pages and found that Amnesty International is not present in Afghanistan and Human Rights watch is reporting on the huge blunder to women's rights that Brennan posted on.

On the UNHCR (UN Human Rights Council) website I found this article: UNHCR and Pakistan government sign Letter of Mutual Intent. A letter was signed last March indicating future cooperation between Pakistan and UNHCR with regards to the massive amounts of Afghan refugees whos situations have changed since the Taliban has fallen. Pakistan agreed to continue to support the dwelling of Afghan refugees as UNHCR funds

There are as many as 1.7 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan now and over 4.4 million have returned to their home country since the support program began in 2002. It seems to me the the UNHCR's presence in this situation is huge. This is hopeful since most of what I have found of the international communities influence on the refugee situations has not been as influential.

Form of Rape Legalised in Afghanistan

President Karzai recently made the rape of Shi'ite women by their husbands legal. Here is a news source-http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2009/04/20/legalized_rape_in_afghanistan/

I know we are supposed to talk about movement of people - how is our cultural influence by American presence be also an influence on this issue? As occupiers, how do we deal with issues like this where we strongly oppose the politics? To me this issue highlights the clash of cultures especially when one is a dominant force and presence. USA has been fighting for Afghani women's rights especially for the schooling of women. What should be done in this situation? Is it fair that we are imposing our cultural norms on Afghanis when our reasoning isn't the same as the explanation for our presence?? 

Elections increase Troop size

This article---->http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/264956,afghanistan-to-have-15000-extra-police-minister-says--summary.html discusses the increase in troop and police size in Afghanistan this year due to upcoming elections. The United States also issued 17000 more troops to Afghanistan in order to put down taliban attacks. This movenment and recruitment of troops, shows that there the Unites States has decided to focus strongly on security in a short elapsed time yet they do not concentrate on it or work on it in the long run. The de escalation of troops and increase in Iraq early in the Bush years shows that the agenda on terrorism is misguided and misevaluated.

Challenges of Urban Migration in Afghanistan

This article talks about a radio drama targeting young Afghans who have migrated to urban areas. It is one of several radio programs that addresses issues that migrants and "returnees" are facing, especially with few opportunities for employment and poor urban infrastructure.

While the article focuses on the radio program itself, the issue of urbanization in Afghanistan seems as though it would be compounded by the complex political strife in the area. As Marisa pointed out, U.S. and Afghani leadership have not succeeded in curbing issues like opium production within the country, and urban issues will likely persist until the political and economic structure of the country can be stabilized. To continue the idea of reconstruction, what steps do you think should be taken in order to stabilize the country, especially urban areas? Reducing or eliminating the opium trade would destabilize the financial foundation for the Taliban, but it would also necessitate a significant restructuring of the Afghani economy. I feel that with international assistance, this kind of restructuring would alleviate many of the problems urban migrants are facing, but the question may be drumming up support for this kind of reconstruction.

Bodies of 45 suffocated Afghans repatriated

Searching for recent developments dealing with the movement of Afghan people, I found a disturbing article about people smuggling out of Afghanistan. 45 Corpses were found in a container on Saturday along with 65 survivors near Quetta, Pakistan. The Afghan migrants were driven across the Afghan-Pakistan border in a truck after bad weather prevented them from being flown. This incident needs to be understood by the international community and should not be brushed under a rug with the lives of victims of terrorism and war. These people were attempting to escape a country with the belief that there was hope at the end in Iran, according to the article. However reprehensible needless acts of violence really are, acts of negligence such as this where 45 men women and children have lost their lives should be seen as catastrophes. There is obviously something terribly wrong with where these people are fleeing and something needs to be done about it. I know that this is a very big "something" but what has been tested obviously is not working.

Moving Forward in Afghanistan

In this article from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (see description of the center below)  in late July 08, a couple of interesting points are brought up.  First, it speaks of poppy eradication efforts failing to curb Afghanistan's provision of 92% of the world's opium supply (used to make heroin and fund the Taliban), where there are no programs offering alternative income opportunities for opium farmers, providing ample space for the Taliban to step in and gain support as well as money.  Secondly, it speaks to the uneven focus of the US's efforts on Iraq, with less than 1/3 the amount of troops stationed in Afghanistan than in Iraq, while more American casualties and increasing instability are occurring in Afghanistan.  

But i think the most important point this article touched on was responsibilities of reconstruction-- an interesting point brought up in Laurie's post as well.  It mentioned that the US entered Afghanistan (unlike Iraq), with the support of the international community.  This begs the question of how much responsibility the international community has to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, and more pressing, the care of the thousands of internally displaced persons.  Obviously, the Al-Jazeera video posted by Laurie tells of a largely underfunded and insufficient aid system for refugees.  I am of the line of thought that if the Afghan government cannot or will not support these people, it is up to the international community, and especially the US to take on this role.  

What have you guys heard about this?  Is the international community less willing to assist the US in Afghanistan because of our actions in Iraq?  How do you see this shaping up?  Do you foresee improvements in the 'reconstruction' process?

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars:

"The Center is the living, national memorial to President Wilson established by Congress in 1968 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. It is a nonpartisan institution, supported by public and private funds, engaged in the study of national and world affairs. The Center establishes and maintains a lively, neutral forum for free and informed dialogue. 

The mission of the Center is to commemorate the ideals and concerns of Woodrow Wilson by: providing a link between the world of ideas and the world of policy; and fostering research, study, discussion, and collaboration among a full spectrum of individuals concerned with policy and scholarship in national and world affairs."

Afghan Refugees

This video I found is from Al-Jazeera and is a look into the tragic conditions of Afghanis who have been internally displaced from their villages and have set up refugee camps in the capital Kabul. This clip includes shocking statistics such as: “for every 1,000 Afghan children born, 165 die within a year - and a quarter of all Afghan children die before their fifth birthday.” The reporter admits that despite international aid, these people live in destitute situations, but more upsetting this is not a unique camp. These people are just an example of the larger influx of refugees; they are invisible to the government and overshadowed by the construction and desire to rebuild the city. Afghanistan’s recovering economy cannot help these displaced people and international aid is not enough.


Watch CBS Videos Online

The second video is a different perspective on Afghan refugees who have returned home through the eyes of Khaled Hosseini, the author of The Kite Runner. The clip provides a bit more background on these returning Afghans, who led relatively safe lives as refugees in other countries and are returning to much worse conditions. It offers a more hopeful message of the work of the international community and citing its importance in a country that is not ready to receive returning refuges.