Eritreans on a bus on the road between Keren and Agordat in Eritrea. Eye Ubiquitous/UIG via Getty Images FOR YEARS, ERITREANS fleeing their homeland have known that, even if they make it to Libya, they will be kidnapped and ransomed. The extortion is systematic. Since the fall of Moammar Gadhafi, the southeast of Libya has been under the partial control of the Tubu tribe, which has established a successful cross-border trade in goods, drugs and people. Kidnappers in this region are … [Read more...]
A Spurious Relationship? Assisted voluntary return and development- Book chapter in The Routledge Handbook of the Politics of Migration in Europe
The Routledge Hanbook of the Politics of Migration in Europe, edited by Agnieska Weinar, Saskia Bonjour and Lyubov Zhynomirska, is now out! In this handbook, I have contributed a chapter examining the relationship between Assisted Voluntary Return and Development. I argue that the relationship between AVR and development can be explored in different ways: 1) AVR being counted as official Overseas Development Assistance (ODA); 2) the funding of AVR by country or EU development funds; 3) evidence … [Read more...]
Preventing a Monsoon Health Crisis in Bangladesh
Praem Mehta and Katie Kuschminder The human rights violations and targeted violence against Rohingya communities in Rakhine State, Myanmar have forced over 687,000 people to flee to Bangladesh since 25 August 2017. As of 30 March there are now more than 898,000 Rohingya refugees living in overcrowded, inadequate camp conditions in Cox’s Bazar. The crisis is thus far from over. With the monsoon season imminent, heavy rains and flooding will increase the vulnerability of camp residents, … [Read more...]
Boris Johnson Wants ‘Safe, Dignified Return’ for Rohingya – Why it’s Way too Early to Mention ‘Return’
Since 25 August 2017, 688,000 Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh in one of the worlds worst humanitarian crisis of 2017. The Rohingya are a minority group that have long been persecuted in Myanmar, with new waves of violence and burning of villages beginning in August 2017 as an ethnic cleansing. The UK has pledged 59 million pounds to the crisis and Boris Johnson has visited both Bangladesh and Myanmar this week to promote ‘safe, dignified return’ for the Rohingya. Late last … [Read more...]
EUI Times Opinion Piece on Debunking Misconceptions about Return Migration Myths
Debunking misconceptions about return migration Written by Katie Kuschminder on 8th November 2017. Posted in Current opinions, Opinions Every day thousands of people return to their home countries and communities after having migrated to another country or city. While much has been written about migration and integration processes, far less light has been shed on what happens when migrants return home, and attempt to reintegrate into society. In this piece, I will point out three … [Read more...]