REFUGEES: FACTS VS FICTION

Who are these people? And what links them?

History Over the last 400 years many waves of people fled to this country to escape persecution and war overseas. However, the term Refugee did not become widely used until 1951.

Defining People on the Move

Refugee A Refugee is somebody who: Fears being persecuted; Left their country; Unable to safely return to their country. Geneva Convention (1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees)

Asylum Seeker An Asylum Seeker is somebody who: Claims that they are a Refugee; Wants to find safety somewhere else; Has asked the Government of the country if they can stay.

Internally Displaced Person (IDP) An Internally Displaced Person is somebody who: Has fled their home, e.g. due to civil war; Has not crossed international borders; Their protection remains the responsibility of their government.

Migrant A Migrant is somebody who: Moves from one country to another, e.g. to find work; ‘Regular’ migrant – with legal permission ‘Irregular’ migrant – without legal permission

Refugee? Omar is 17 years old and took part in protests against the Syrian government during the Arab Spring. Many of his fellow protesters have been arrested and disappeared. Fearing he would be next, Omar has had to leave his family and belongings in Syria. He arrived in the UK in 2013 and has submitted his asylum application. Is he a refugee?

Refugee? Due to financial hardship and economic struggle, Raju left his family in Bangladesh and arrived in the UK to work. Is he a refugee?

Refugee? Mariam, a Muslim, from the Central African Republic fled civil unrest and attacks targeting Muslims and now lives with her children in a camp in Chad. Is she a refugee?

Fleeing from and fleeing to Where do you think most refugees are fleeing from? What countries do you think they are fleeing to?

Source Countries Source: UNHCR

Host Countries Source: UNHCR Global Trends Report 2013

The UK Context

True or False Source: UNHCR Global Trends Report 2013

Mohammed’s story “When the boat sank, I could not find my friends. I was asking: where are they? Then I found Omar, but another friend was nowhere to be found. I tried to help others, but could not. Omar and I helped each other, but it was difficult to swim for hours. In the water, everyone was looking for family and friends.” Mohammed, 21, a Syrian refugee, describing his experience on 11 October 2013 when the boat he was on sank 70 miles off Lampedusa

Resources More information on asylum and refugee issues: Amnesty UK Refugee and Asylum migrant-human-rights#.U-31xuNdWVM Amnesty International Refugee and Migrants UN High Commissioner for Refugees