A Discussion Paper

Before and After Arrival: The Plight of African Refugees

By Yilma Tafere Tasew

6^th July 2002

Wellington, New Zealand

Introduction

This discussion paper will outline my experience as a refugee and will have an emphasis on the plight of African refugees.  I will talk of the experience of refugees comiing out of the troubled areas of Africa, about life in the camps and then life after re-settlement.  I will then link these experiences with the current world crisis.  I want to propose some ideas to the Government and NGOs of New Zealand.

I will conclude my presentation by suggesting some ideas on a durable solution for the African refugee crisis.

African Refugees and their long Way before coming to New Zealand

Most African refugees, before coming to the county of first asylum, have experienced war, genocide, torture and all sorts of abuse in their home country. They travel for days and nights through the forests of Africa, witnessing the ugly face of war, being traumatised and decimated. After they reach the country of asyIum they face a lot of problems before they are accepted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as a refugee and get assistance. That assistance is often minimal.

Once they arc accepted as a refugee they stay in refugee camps, which are usually in semi-desert areas, in the middle of nowhere.

To gain an impression of the ups and downs of refugee life in African refugee camps, take the example of my own refugee life experience:

I left my homeland, Ethiopia, in 1991 for Kenya. In Kenya I stayed in the Walda Refugee Camp until March 1993. Walda Refugee Camp was 125 Kilometres from the Ethiopian border.

Walda was a nightmare. Typhoid, malaria and malnutrition killed many refugees. From July 1991 to March 1993 about 3,700 people died 75% of them women and children.

The other traumatic experience of that camp was the killing of innocent refugees. Unknown, armed people came at night, across the border and killed refugees. The sound of ammunition exploding was regularly heard at night.

For the first 6 months there was no water for the refugees. There was a water tank organised by the Kenyan Government for the local nomads and cattle, but we were only allowed to take the water left after the cattle had gone first. This was not enough for more than 20 thousand people to drink and cook the small amount of food we had.

After all the ups and downs, Walda Camp was closed and we were shifted to a new camp, Kakuma. In Kakuma Camp things were not that much better than the previous camp. I stayed in Kakuma Refugee Camp from March 1993 to May 997 at which time I was invited to work with the UNHCR on its National Programme in Nairobi. Life in Kakuma was very depressing the weather was very hot, the dust and the wind were terrible. In short, Kakuma is a place where Nature plays its ugliest games.

In the camp there were more than 80 thousand refugees from different parts of Africa, 75% of them being urban refugees and intellectuals who had been thrown into the middle of nowhere. They could riot help re-build their countries. They could not support their families.

In the camp you are left wondering, you don’t know what will happen to you from time to time, you are dying for a decent meal, for a comfortable bed, to walk in complete freedom. You are far from the main means of communication and you don’t know what is happening In the so-called “real world”. Because of the scorching sun and torn being shut away from the world, many people lost their minds, going crazy wondering about their future fate and the fate of others around them. But they are strong, they are fighters and the common cry in the camp was “we are stronger than steel’’.

Refugee problems, War and Terror

People do not become refugees of their own will: it is circumstance that makes them refugees. The violation of human rights is an inevitable outcome of war (caused by tine superpowers) and terrorism. Every African refugee has concerns about the issues of war and terrorism around the world. Since the war in Kosovo, and now in Afghanistan, Iraq and other parts of the world, the refugee issue of Africa has become less of a concern to the world’s “Humanitarian’’ community as usually Africans are treated as the “step-children” of the planet.

This has a big effect on the mental weIl-being of African refugees in the refugee camps of Africa as well as those resettled African refugees around the world, including those in New Zealand. Countries participating in the refugee resettlement programme number around nine, including New Zealand, and resettling Africans is becoming less of an issue. The issue of family reunification and resettlement is a great concern and worry for refugees even after resettlement.

Arriving in New Zealand

After all the ups and downs of the devastating, situation in Africa, upon their arrival, the new country looks like a ‘safe haven’. But high expectations; a new culture, countrv, people: the loss, grief and trauma; the prejudice people have about Africa (which is influenced by Aid agency advertising and media); makes it difficult to he accepted by the community at large after resettlement.

To make Iife easier for refugees arriving in New Zealand the following is required from NGOs who work in areas involving refugees:

Ø      Consult refugees

What are their needs?

What are their problems?

Ø      Make them part of the decision-making planning and policy implementation processes.

Ø      Inform them on what is planned and what is being done.

Ø      NGOs must provide the services refugees request

Ø      Ensure close links between NGOs and refugee communities

Ø      NGOs should be open to new ideas and changes

Ø      Have representatives from the refugee communities on the NGO Boards.

In addition to this, Government agencies should:

Ø      Establish effective networks with the refugee communities

Ø      Assist refugee communities to establish ethnic programs through the media - TV, Radio, Newspapers. Magazines (eg. Asia Dynamic)

Ø      Establish advisory groups, comprised of members drawn from the refugee communities, in agencies that impact on the life of refugees - e.g. DWI. Housing NZ, City Housing, Ethnic Affairs, Immigration, Health and Police.

Ø      Employ refugee advisors in every sector where there will be an impact on refugees.

The Ministry of Immigration and the Ministry of Education have taken some steps to involve refugees:

Ministry of Immigration

Ø      The Minister's advisory group involves refugees

Ø      The research project "Refugee Voice" involves people drawn directly from the refugee communities who arc contracted as "Research Associates". There are around 16 people from refugee communities around the country who have been recruited to work on this project.

Ministry of Education

Ø      The Ministry has employed both regional and national refugee education co-ordinators in various part of the country.

Some refugees are citizens of this country; some are awaiting citizenship. We want to contribute to the country. The government has spent a lot of money and effort to

save our lives, to bring us to our safe haven in New Zealand from war torn areas. We are grateful for that effort and that is why we want to be part of every constructive activity — to help build our future home as an equal partner in the community of New Zealand.

Concluding remarks

People sometimes think that a durable solution for refugees is resettlement. I don’t agree with this idea.

Resettlement might be a solution for the “lucky” few who have found their ‘safe haven” in a third country, hut it can’t eliminate the root of refugee production.

As an African. it is my strong belief that the best solution hr removing he seeds of refugee production from our continent is the struggle against war, terror, and conflict; using all possible opportunities for peace.

On the one hand, the solution to the struggle against human misery in the African continent lies in our hands —the hands of Africa’s children. We need to know who our real enemies are, and to strengthen our unity against the existing world order. Unless we are able to do this, we will remain the victims of war, terror, conflict, abuse and exploitation. We, the children of Africa, will remain refugees.

On the other hand the solution is global. The problems of war and vioIation cannot be solved by any particular country. They are attached and interconnected to each other. History has taught us many lessons. Change is an essential tool for Human progress. The world structure has to be changed. We can’t travel in an old, rusty, worn out train in the new era.

Many of the problems of the world caused by war, terror conflict and violations of human rights are the result of actions taken in the name of human rights and the protection of democracy - things that do not exist In the practical, real world but which in reality only occur in the paper world, such conventions, policies, constitutions and agreements. The world has to establish a new international justice system, based on equal rights for all countries. The time of 'veto power from the United Nations Security Council should be over.

But this is not an easy issue. It needs a lot of united effort and networking, between continents as well as globally. To succeed we have to build the foundations using our new continental organisation, African Unity! (AU)

How does this presentation relate to Refugee Education?

It is my strong belief that anything that affects personal life will also affect education.

Refugee Resettlement is a complex process. The complexity comes from the devastating, traumatic experiences that refugees have been through. Not having enough understanding of this background creates miscornmunication between the service provider and the receiver.

The media has created a negative image of Africans. They are portrayed. for aid agency fundraising, as backward uncivilized, hungry. poor people. On the other hand, on most western movies, actors with black skin act in roles representing criminals, murderers, the bad guys.

This negative image has influenced the community so that some people are unable to see beyond our black skins, unable to see we have the same heart inside our chest and that out shoulders carry the same human brain.

Some people don’t know that Africa was the first civilised continent in human history, with a rich, ancient culture and a wealthy, natural and attractive environment. Africans are a people full of pride regarding who we are.

The problems of drought, hunger, disease and poverty are created because of the artificial boundaries countries have. War, terror, conflict and political unrest have been apparent for decades — created by former colonial forces and later by modern warlords.

In order to show the positive side of our continent - the ancient and modern civiIisations, culture, history, moraI values, etc. — the African Community needs to access the media in a similar way to the Asian Communities who have developed their own newspapers, radio programmes, community events and festivals - and the “Asian Dynamic” TV programme. The African Community cannot afford the financial, material or technological resources to do this. The community needs to be supported by the Government and other good-will agencies.

As I have tried to mention above, some African citizens cl this country and some that are waiting for citizenship have the skilIs to make a difference to this country’s development but they have to feel they belong here.

New Zealanders are good people with a good heart. There a lot of good w ill in the hearts and minds of this peace loving people. What we have to do is to mention and show, as Africans, where and how we feel the pain. I am sure few people exhibit prejudice towards blacks - any that does arise, arises from a lack of clear understanding about our background.

Having said all that I need to note that this paper is my personal outlook. based on my experiences, observations and perceptions. It does not represenl. any community group or organisation’s views. People might disagree or might have different opinions and I fully respect that,

Thank you,

God Bless Africa!

God Bless New Zealand!

Yilma Tafere Tasew

Saturday 6th July, 2002

Wellington,  New Zealand.

Yilma Tafere Tasew is a poet, a public speaker, human rights activists.

Email: smileyilma@xtra.co.nz