Refugees

Syria is anything but safe these days, as this week's bloody terror attack made abundantly clear. Four suicide bombers struck Sweida in southern Syria, while others targeted villages in its vicinity, killing dozens of residents. The so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for the carnage. A total of 246 people were killed, including 135 civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. In spite of such violence, Moscow is apparently eager to see Syrian refugees repatriated. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the issue with his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi, on Sunday. Two days later, Lavrov and Russian military chief Valery Gerasimov were received by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas for talks on the same topic. The attack in Sweida was a bloody reminder of the ongoing unrest in Syria Internal refugees Elias Perabo of the Leipzig-based organization Adopt a Revolution, which is affiliated with Syria's opposition … [Read more...] about Russia calls for Syrian refugee repatriation, but war rages on

Who would have thought it: Germans enthusiastically applauding refugees arriving from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. An atmosphere of hospitality, warmth, and joy prevails in overfilled train stations. The country has impressed the world with its countless volunteers and huge willingness to give. A great influx of migrants, of all things, has set Germans' suppressed feelings free. Compassion, mercy and charity come out on top in the center of Christian Europe. Widespread positive images overshadow news of burning refugee shelters. And what's more, over two-thirds of people in Germany approve of opening borders to men, women and children who have been persecuted, abused and who have risked their lives. This is one of the rare moments in which one can feel pleased about the country. The Germans and their fears For time being, one of Germans' greatest fears seems to have vanished despite the many arrivals: an ethic of responsibility has overshadowed concerns that the majority of the … [Read more...] about Opinion: Believers respecting believers

Alan Kurdi was just three-years-old when images of his tiny body, washed up on a beach off the coast of Turkey shocked the world. The little boy lost his life, along with his mum, Rehana, and older brother, Galip, in a desperate attempt to flee his war torn homeland of Syria. The family had already moved several times from their home on Damascus to Kobani in a bid to escape the civil war that was ravaging their country. They had set up home in Turkey, where Alan's father, Abdullah, was working but when fighting eased in the city odf Kobani, they returned. But the peace was short-lived and when ISIS attacked their home Abdullah knew he had to do whatever he could to get his family to safety. Alan's aunt, Tima, was already living in Canada and the family applied for asylum there. But their claim for refugee sponsorship was rejected and the family were becoming increasingly desperate. Tima, speaking to History's Photos The Changed The World, reveals how she was key in the family's plan to … [Read more...] about Horrifying story behind photo of the drowned boy Alan Kurdi that shocked the world

A thin strip of land in northern Sri Lanka was the brutal theatre of war during the closing phase of Sri Lanka's 26-year civil conflict. Thousands of civilians were hemmed in as the government battled Tamil Tiger rebels fighting for a separate homeland.The report by a UN-appointed panel of experts focuses on alleged war crimes committed by both the Sri Lankan armed forces and Tamil Tigers during the months leading up to the defeat of the rebels in May 2009.Numerous allegations were circulating at the time and have emerged since. During that final stage of combat very few of the accusations could be independently verified. Journalists and most aid groups were barred from the region.Civilian deathsIn March 2009, the UN said it feared actions by both sides might amount to war crimes. The UN High Commissioner of Human Rights Navi Pillay described the level of civilian deaths as "truly shocking", and warned it could reach "catastrophic" levels. The government was accused of repeatedly … [Read more...] about Sri Lanka ‘war crimes’: Main allegations

People in northern Sri Lanka have told a war inquiry that family members who served with the Tamil Tigers disappeared after surrendering.They said their loved ones went missing at the end of the war in May 2009.The defence ministry blocked the BBC from covering proceedings in the former rebel headquarters of Kilinochchi. But Sri Lankan journalists who did attend said the panel now intends to question security force officials on the subject of missing people. Harrowing testimonyAccounts from the panel's hearings in Kilinochchi suggest that, as before, Tamil people used the mechanism to air their grievances - including the fact that they have lost all contact with their detained relatives.One mother quoted by the Tamil-language paper, Thinakkural, said she witnessed her husband and two children - all former Tigers - surrendering to the army following mediation from two Roman Catholic priests.The woman said her family and others who surrendered were taken away in 16 buses. Now she did not … [Read more...] about Sri Lanka war panel hears of Tamil disappearances