Refugees
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The Story of a Nation? A Country? A People?
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I struggle to find the right title, perhaps because these words—nation, country, people—have lost their weight, their truth. For many of us, they are no longer symbols of pride or belonging. This isn’t just because I’ve wandered for over 12 years, moving from one place to another, but because the…
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What the EU-Lebanon Agreement Means for Syrian Refugees
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Beirut and announced a billion-euro support package for Lebanon, focusing on banking, infrastructure, and border security to manage migration and potentially facilitate voluntary refugee returns. This move aligns with the EU’s broader policy to confine migration by funding third countries to detain…
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Afghanistan; A place Every Bomb Detonated
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In the unforgiving deserts of Nimroz, amid dust and displacement, we made bonds and promises sprinkled with earth-tasting sugar to never forget each other. Narges Joodaki, an award-winning journalist, documents the harrowing journeys of Afghan refugees scarred by continuous wars. While teaching displaced children, subject to a world of suffering…
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Voices from the Shadows:
Inside Sweden’s Deportation Camps•
Berham Mohammad, a Kurdish refugee in Gothenburg, recounts the harrowing conditions in a Swedish camp that resembles a prison-like environment with psychological warfare, inhumane treatment, and repeated violations of human rights. Incarcerated with other refugees, some long-term residents face forced returns, while harsh daily living conditions provoke hunger strikes and…
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Forgotten Refugees of the Balkan Route
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Trieste’s Piazza della Libertà and the nearby Silos warehouses have become a hub for migrants, mostly from Afghanistan and Pakistan, fleeing violence and seeking asylum. They endure harsh living conditions, with inadequate shelter, facing winter cold and illness. Volunteers provide some aid, while local organizations struggle to house the 420…
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Greece: The Uncertain Future of the Helios Program
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The HELIOS refugee integration project in Greece, managed by the International Organization for Migration and the Greek Ministry, was abruptly halted due to funding shortfalls since early 2024, leaving many refugees vulnerable to homelessness. The suspension hinders access to housing support, language courses, and employment resources. Funding inconsistencies and bureaucratic…
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Behind the Bravado:
The Human Costs of Mitsotakis’ Falsehoods•
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis boasted about excelling in migration management at a recent conference, but crucial issues were conveniently omitted. Violations of international laws and human rights, pushbacks of thousands of refugees, and a tragic shipwreck involving over 650 lives paint a different picture. European Commission’s silence and financial…
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Alongside the Refugees:
What Happens in Refugee Camps?•
Where is the refugee camp? Everyone knows there are refugee camps in the world that are not good places. No one says much more about refugee camps. Those who live there try to deny it. Then, when they leave the camp, they prefer not to look back and not talk…
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Decoding Injustice in Greece:
Çelik’s Battle Against 155-Years Prison•
In Greece, a “pushback” strategy targeting refugees has led to a systematic environment of violence and arbitrary detentions. One victim, Mehmet Çelik, who sought refuge in Europe after facing legal issues in Turkey, was sentenced to 155 years in prison despite the prosecutor recommending acquittal. He and several other refugees…
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Racist or far-right and anti-Islam!?
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Mainstream media misrepresents Geert Wilders’ far-right victory in the Netherlands as anti-Islam instead of racist. Rather than promoting a united society, media establishments encourage a fictitious “us versus them” narrative. This narrative benefits liberal-lefts, who ignore authoritarian and ultra right-wing Islamic groups. Meanwhile, right-wing trends in the Middle East exploit…
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Emotional Desolation:
Opening a Conversation on Displaced One’s Emotional Challenges•
From simple friendships to love relationships, common gender stereotypes about people from the Middle East or Africa and, strong colonial and supremacy bias towards them led to some experiences that treating human as sexual and emotional satisfaction resources, then discarded similar to batteries, and seeking out new resource once the…
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Seeking Refuge in Chains:
The Plight of Homayoun Sabetara•
In September 2022, Homayoun Sabetara, a native of Iran, was handed an 18-year prison sentence for “aiding unauthorized entry into the EU from third countries.” Having driven a car from Turkey to Greece with six others seeking refuge, he was apprehended by the police in Thessaloniki. For the past two…
