scholarly journals The May 2015 boat crisis: the Rohingya in Aceh

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Thom
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Andaman Sea ◽  
Trafficking In Persons ◽  
Mass Graves ◽  
Aceh Province ◽  
Bangladeshi Migrants ◽  
East Asia Region ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
National Approach

The 2015 discovery of mass graves in Thailand’s Sadao district, on the border with Malaysia, led to a crack-down on people smugglers by the Thai and Malaysian authorities. Thousands of Rohingya (as well as Bangladeshi migrants) were left stranded in the Andaman Sea as smugglers abandoned their human cargo. Initially pushed back by the Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian navies, it was only after Indonesian fishermen rescued three boats that approximately 1,800 people were permitted to disembark in Indonesia’s Aceh province. The crisis in the Andaman Sea brought into sharp relief the fact that the South East Asia region lacks even the most basic regional protection (or cooperation) framework. While some states are still reticent, there have been attempts to improve government collaboration as demonstrated recently in the March 2016 Bali Declaration on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons, and Related Transnational Crime. This paper examines, however, how the ad hoc approach by Indonesia’s regions, in particular Aceh, to the treatment of the Rohingya who arrived in Aceh in May 2015, works against a comprehensive, national, rights-based approach to protect those seeking asylum in Indonesia. The paper explores the reasons why Aceh chose not to engage with the established practices for the treatment of asylum seekers in Indonesia and the human rights impacts this has had on those rescued. It concludes that the current situation in Aceh is not sustainable. The treatment of refugees in Aceh should be included in a broader national approach, commensurate with the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers throughout Indonesia, particularly if Indonesia is to develop a structured, rights-based approach to those seeking protection. This would then play a significant role in any future regional protection framework. 

scholarly journals Traffic Policy towards the Current of Refugees and Subscribers Movement in Reforming State Sovereignty

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-172
Author(s):  
Lisda Syamsumardian ◽  
Abdul Rachmad Budiono ◽  
Moh. Fadli ◽  
Dhiana Puspitawati
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
The State ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
State Sovereignty ◽  
Trafficking In Persons ◽  
Immigration Detention ◽  
Detention Center ◽  
Sociological Approach ◽  
Monitoring Mechanism ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

Countries like Indonesia that have immigration routes will look at every foreigner’s problem from an immigration point of view. Foreigners who enter Indonesia without travel documents are considered illegal. When referring to concrete cases, generally refugees or asylum seekers may not have complete travel documents. Because it is impossible for them to be forced to leave their country, by first obtaining a visa, passport, or other correspondence. In most cases that occur, refugees or asylum seekers do not have complete travel documents. So, in order to maintain sovereignty in the authority of immigration supervision, it is very important to research related Immigration traffic. The problem raised in this paper is how the monitoring mechanism of immigration traffic, in order to reinforce the concept of sovereignty. In writing this journal the author uses a statutory approach, a case approach, and a sociological approach. The method used in this paper is a normative juridical method so that answers will be found in the form of a descriptive perspective. The conclusion in this paper is that the policy on the flow of refugee movements into Indonesia is not in accordance with the concept of sovereignty, where the regulation of the flow of refugee movements is very vulnerable to the aspects of crime (trafficking in persons, narcotics, prostitution, etc.), in fact the sovereignty of the state become a protector for refugees who come to Indonesia, from international and national crime systems, and that is often misunderstood. So, the suggestion from this research is that immigration should be given space in the framework of supervision for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, which have been under the authority of the Immigration Detention Center (RUDENIM).

scholarly journals Support and Emotional Well-Being of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Spain

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (22) ◽  
pp. 8365
Author(s):  
Ruth León-Pinilla ◽  
Ana Soto-Rubio ◽  
Vicente Prado-Gascó
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Present Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Positive Feelings ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
Emotional Balance

Although the world’s forcibly displaced population reached 79.5 million in 2019, their difficult situations and the issues they struggle with remain practically invisible in Spanish society. Therefore, it seems necessary to provide greater insight into an invisible reality to improve the refugees’ situation. The present cross-sectional study aims to draw a general profile of refugees’ and asylum seekers’ main characteristics in Spain and their well-being. A total of 186 refugees living in Spain participated. An ad-hoc questionnaire was administered to obtain data regarding sociodemographic profile, language skills, and social and institutional support. A standardized instrument, SPANE, was used to measure well-being. It can be seen that healthcare, followed by legal aid, are the easiest to access. On the other hand, finding a job, having money, and finding housing are the most difficult. In general, it seems possible to say that the refugees present more positive feelings than negative ones, which implies a positive emotional balance, although the average score obtained for emotional balance is quite far from the highest possible score. We consider this to be a pivotal first step which can provide useful information for the further design of aid strategies to improve this vulnerable group’s situation.

scholarly journals Southeast Asian health system challenges and responses to the ‘Andaman Sea refugee crisis’: A qualitative study of health-sector perspectives from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand

PLoS Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. e1003143
Author(s):  
Helena Legido-Quigley ◽  
Fiona Leh Hoon Chuah ◽  
Natasha Howard
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Health System ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Southeast Asian ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Andaman Sea ◽  
Forced Displacement ◽  
Displaced People ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

Background Southeast Asian countries host signficant numbers of forcibly displaced people. This study was conducted to examine how health systems in Southeast Asia have responded to the health system challenges of forced migration and refugee-related health including the health needs of populations affected by forced displacement; the health systems–level barriers and facilitators in addressing these needs; and the implications of existing health policies relating to forcibly displaced and refugee populations. This study aims to fill in the gap in knowledge by analysing how health systems are organised in Southeast Asia to address the health needs of forcibly displaced people. Methods and findings We conducted 30 semistructured interviews with health policy-makers, health service providers, and other experts working in the United Nations (n = 6), ministries and public health (n = 5), international (n = 9) and national civil society (n = 7), and academia (n = 3) based in Indonesia (n = 6), Malaysia (n = 10), Myanmar (n = 6), and Thailand (n = 8). Data were analysed thematically using deductive and inductive coding. Interviewees described the cumulative nature of health risks at each migratory phase. Perceived barriers to addressing migrants’ cumulative health needs were primarily financial, juridico-political, and sociocultural, whereas key facilitators were many health workers’ humanitarian stance and positive national commitment to pursuing universal health coverage (UHC). Across all countries, financial constraints were identified as the main challenges in addressing the comprehensive health needs of refugees and asylum seekers. Participants recommended regional and multisectoral approaches led by national governments, recognising refugee and asylum-seeker contributions, and promoting inclusion and livelihoods. Main study limitations included that we were not able to include migrant voices or those professionals not already interested in migrants. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is one of the first qualitative studies to investigate the health concerns and barriers to access among migrants experiencing forced displacement, particularly refugees and asylum seekers, in Southeast Asia. Findings provide practical new insights with implications for informing policy and practice. Overall, sociopolitical inclusion of forcibly displaced populations remains difficult in these four countries despite their significant contributions to host-country economies.

Towards an asean Model of ‘Responsibility-Sharing’ for Refugees and Asylum-Seekers

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-68
Author(s):  
Kate McMillan ◽  
Sriprapha Petcharamesree
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Andaman Sea ◽  
Refugee Protection ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Sharing Responsibility ◽  
Human Rights Norms ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
Refugee Issues

Abstract The Andaman Sea crisis of 2015 focused global attention on asean’s response to mass refugee flows and generated calls for greater regional cooperation to protect the rights and safety of forced migrants. Such calls draw from the concept of ‘responsibility-sharing’; a concept that has long underpinned the international refugee regime. Scholars have responded to this challenge by identifying a range of ways in which asean countries might benefit from sharing responsibility for the refugees and asylum-seekers in their region. Based on interviews with 40 key asean-based actors working on migration and refugee issues across the governmental and non-governmental sectors, this article seeks to understand how the concept of responsibility-sharing for refugee protection is understood in four Southeast Asian countries: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. While it finds common agreement among the interviewees that the Andaman Sea crisis was a humanitarian disaster and that existing approaches to refugee issues in the region are ineffective, it also finds little to suggest that a regional approach to refugee issues is likely to develop in the short-to-medium term. On the other hand, interviewees identified a wide range of mechanisms through which bilateral, multilateral and global initiatives might assist the region to deal with refugee and asylum issues. Linking refugee issues with other issues that concern asean Member States and incremental progress towards embedding regional human rights norms via asean human rights institutions are identified as the most fruitful pathways towards regional cooperation to protect refugee rights and safety.

Overcoming the deficiency of refugee mental health research

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Kalfic ◽  
Glenn Mitchell ◽  
Lezanne Ooi ◽  
Sibylle Schwab ◽  
Natalie Matosin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Scientific Discovery ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Psychiatric Research ◽  
Risk And Resilience ◽  
Refugee Mental Health ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

The growing number of refugees and asylum seekers are one of the most significant global challenges of this generation. We are currently witnessing the highest level of displacement in history, with over 65 million displaced people in the world. Refugees and asylum seekers are at higher risk to develop mental illness due to their trauma and chronic stress exposures, and particularly post-migration stressors. Yet global and Australian psychiatric research in this area is greatly lacking, particularly with respect to our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of risk and resilience to mental illness in traumatised populations. In this Viewpoint, we explore the reasons behind the lack of refugee mental health research and use this context to propose new ways forward. We believe that scientific discovery performed with a multidisciplinary approach will provide the broad evidence-base required to improve refugee mental health. This will also allow us to work towards the removal of damaging policies that prolong and potentiate mental health deterioration among refugees and asylum seekers, which impacts not only on the individuals but also host countries’ social, economic and healthcare systems.

scholarly journals A network meta-analysis of psychosocial interventions for refugees and asylum seekers with PTSD

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. e005029
Author(s):  
Giulia Turrini ◽  
Federico Tedeschi ◽  
Pim Cuijpers ◽  
Cinzia Del Giovane ◽  
Ahlke Kip ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

IntroductionRefugees and asylum seekers are vulnerable to common mental disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Using a network meta-analysis (NMA) approach, the present systematic review compared and ranked psychosocial interventions for the treatment of PTSD in adult refugees and asylum seekers.MethodsRandomised studies of psychosocial interventions for adult refugees and asylum seekers with PTSD were systematically identified. PTSD symptoms at postintervention was the primary outcome. Standardised mean differences (SMDs) and ORs were pooled using pairwise and NMA. Study quality was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) tool, and certainty of evidence was assessed through the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis application.ResultsA total of 23 studies with 2308 participants were included. Sixteen studies were conducted in high-income countries, and seven in low-income or middle-income countries. Most studies were at low risk of bias according to the Cochrane RoB tool. NMA on PTSD symptoms showed that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) (SMD=−1.41; 95% CI −2.43 to −0.38) and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) (SMD=−1.30; 95% CI −2.40 to −0.20) were significantly more effective than waitlist (WL). CBT was also associated with a higher decrease in PTSD symptoms than treatment as usual (TAU) (SMD −1.51; 95% CI −2.67 to −0.36). For all other interventions, the difference with WL and TAU was not significant. CBT and EMDR ranked best according to the mean surface under the cumulative ranking. Regarding acceptability, no intervention had less dropouts than inactive interventions.ConclusionCBT and EMDR appeared to have the greatest effects in reducing PTSD symptoms in asylum seekers and refugees. This evidence should be considered in guidelines and implementation packages to facilitate dissemination and uptake in refugee settings.

scholarly journals Conducting epigenetics research with refugees and asylum seekers: attending to the ethical challenges

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Faten Taki ◽  
Inmaculada de Melo-Martin
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Healthcare Barriers ◽  
Humanitarian Action ◽  
Disease States ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
Epigenetic Research

AbstractAn increase in global violence has forced the displacement of more than 70 million people, including 26 million refugees and 3.5 asylum seekers. Refugees and asylum seekers face serious socioeconomic and healthcare barriers and are therefore particularly vulnerable to physical and mental health risks, which are sometimes exacerbated by immigration policies and local social discriminations. Calls for a strong evidence base for humanitarian action have encouraged conducting research to address the barriers and needs of refugees and asylum seekers. Given the role of epigenetics factors to mediate the effect of psychological and environmental exposures, epigenetic modifications have been used as biomarkers for life adversity and disease states. Therefore, epigenetic research can be potentially beneficial to address some of the issues associated with refugees and asylum seekers. Here, we review the value of previous and ongoing epigenetic studies with traumatized populations, explore some of the ethical challenges associated with epigenetic research with refugees and asylees and offer suggestions to address or mitigate some of these challenges. Researchers have an ethical responsibility to implement strategies to minimize the harms and maximize the short and long-term benefits to refugee and asylee participants.

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