rohingya – FoRB in Full

Pope Francis leaves a legacy of standing up for freedom of religion or belief. His successor must build on it.

Posted on 28/04/202528/04/2025 by cswpress in Burma, Central African Republic, China, Iraq, Nicaragua, Syria

‘There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others.’

It is both fitting and moving that Pope Francis included these words in what was to be his final public address, delivered on his behalf by Master of Liturgical Ceremonies Archbishop Diego Ravelli to a crowd of over 20,000 people at the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.

Throughout his 12-year papacy, Francis was a committed friend to the poor and the marginalised, a vocal advocate for freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and other fundamental human rights, and a man who spoke truth to power right up to the final days of his pontificate.

At a time when leaders of such humility and integrity appear to be in increasingly short supply, it is essential that his successor follows his example.

Continue reading →

Ciudadanía y conflicto: Los ejércitos de Israel y Myanmar se están aprovechando de las personas desplazadas

Posted on 15/10/2024 by cswpress in Eritrea ES, español, Israel ES, Middle East & North Africa ES, Sudan ES

Actualmente hay alrededor de 30,000 solicitantes de asilo en Israel. La mayoría han huido de la severa represión, incluida la persecución religiosa, bajo un gobierno responsable de décadas de crímenes de lesa humanidad generalizados en Eritrea, o procedentes de Sudán, donde un agotador conflicto de mas de 18 meses entre las Fuerzas de Apoyo Rápido y las Fuerzas Armadas de Sudán es la última de una serie de calamidades que han causado una grave crisis humanitaria.

La mayoría ha viajado a través de Egipto antes de llegar allí, por lo general con la ayuda de traficantes de personas, y corren un gran riesgo de agresión, extorsión, violencia de género o arresto y posible deportación . La mayoría de los que completan este viaje son hombres jóvenes, junto con algunas mujeres jóvenes que probablemente han soportado atrocidades inimaginables en el camino.

A su llegada, estos solicitantes de asilo se encuentran en un limbo legal; según la Línea Directa para Refugiados y Migrantes, la principal organización de defensa de los refugiados de Israel, Israel aprueba menos del 1% de las solicitudes de asilo que recibe, con muchos casos pendientes desde hace más de cinco o incluso diez años.

Continue reading →

Citizenship and conflict: How the militaries of Israel and Myanmar are taking advantage of displaced persons

Posted on 14/10/2024 by cswpress in Asia, Burma, Eritrea, Israel, Middle East & North Africa, Sudan

There are currently around 30,000 asylum seekers in Israel. Most have fled severe repression, including religious persecution, under a government responsible for decades of widespread crimes against humanity in Eritrea, or come from Sudan, where a gruelling 18-month conflict between the Rapid Support Forces and Sudan Armed Forces is the latest in a series of calamities to cause a severe humanitarian crisis.

Most will have travelled through Egypt before arriving there, typically with the help of people smugglers, and at great risk of assault, extortion, gender-based violence, or arrest and possible refoulement. The majority of those who complete this journey are young men, together with some young women who have likely endured unimaginable atrocities en route.

Upon their arrival, these asylum seekers find themselves in legal limbo; according to the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, Israel’s leading refugee advocacy organisation, Israel approves less than 1% of the asylum claims it receives, with many cases pending for over five or even ten years.

Continue reading →

Rohingya Muslims displaced from Myanmar/Burma.

No debemos permitir que el pueblo Rohingya pase al fondo de la agenda internacional

Posted on 23/01/202323/01/2023 by cswpress in Asia ES, español, Myanmar ES

El 2 de diciembre de 2022, un grupo de aproximadamente 180 refugiados Rohingyas abordaron un barco en Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Su destino previsto era Malasia, donde muchos esperaban reunirse con familiares y seres queridos, o construir una vida mejor que la que tienen en los campamentos superpoblados, insalubres y cada vez más peligrosos de Bangladesh.

Ellos nunca lo lograron

En una declaración emitida el 25 de diciembre, las Naciones Unidas expresaron su preocupación de que el barco se hubiera hundido después de que desapareció en el mar de Andamán. Los familiares de quienes estaban a bordo dijeron a The Guardian que tenían pocas esperanzas de que sus familiares todavía estuvieran vivos, y si se confirma, el número de refugiados Rohingya que han muerto en travesías marítimas a Malasia en 2022 se acercaría a 400.

Continue reading →

We must not let the Rohingya people slip to the bottom of the international agenda

Posted on 16/01/2023 by cswpress in Asia, Burma

On 2 December 2022 a group of approximately 180 Rohingya refugees boarded a boat in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. Their intended destination was Malaysia, where many hoped to be reunited with family and loved ones, or to build a better life than the one available to them in the overcrowded, unsanitary and increasingly dangerous camps in Bangladesh.

They never made it.

In a statement issued on 25 December, the United Nations expressed concern that the boat had sank after it went missing in the Andaman Sea. Relatives of those onboard told the Guardian that they had little hope that their family members were still alive, and if confirmed it would bring the number of Rohingya refugees who have died on sea crossings to Malaysia in 2022 close to 400.

Continue reading →