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Around the World
India passes anti-Muslim naturalization law: India’s parliament passed a controversial citizenship law. The law creates an easier path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, but excludes Muslims who fled persecution from these neighboring countries. It has prompted global accusations of discrimination (CBC). The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights has urged the Indian government to scrap the law (VOA). Protests have broken out across India: Initially in the northeastern border states, where protestors say the law is too generous to immigrants, and subsequently in Muslim communities elsewhere in the country (Deutsche Welle). Local authorities have responded with curfews, internet shutdowns, and bans on gatherings of more than four people. Critics say the government rushed the law through parliament after realizing that its new National Register of Citizens would leave many Hindus without legal status (The Conversation).
First-ever Global Refugee Forum held in Geneva: More than 3,000 people—including refugees, governments, international organizations, and civil society groups—attended the Global Refugee Forum at UN headquarters in Geneva this week (UNHCR). The summit, which is to be held every four years, was created by the Global Compact for Refugees, approved last year. Hundreds of pledges—including billions of dollars in financial assistance, policy change, and promises of jobs for refugees from private companies—were made at the forum (Voice of America). The meeting saw wealthy countries called out for not bearing their fair share of the response to refugee emergencies across the world (Channel News Asia).
What we’re reading:
Americas:
- CBS: 90,000 Salvadorans were apprehended at the U.S. border in the last year. El Salvador’s president explains how he’s trying to ‘fix’ his country.
- Associated Press: What crackdown? The migrant smuggling business into the U.S. adapts, and thrives.
Middle East & North Africa:
- Al Jazeera: Turkish President Erdogan called for the return of a million refugees to northern Syria—on a voluntary basis but in "a very short period of time."
- Tunisie Numerique: Growing numbers of Libyan families are crossing the border into Tunisia, as armed conflict continues to intensify in Tripoli.
- Al Jazeera: SOS Mediterannee’s search-and-rescue coordinator says EU leaders have “complete disregard for human life and people dying in the Mediterranean.”
Europe:
- The Guardian: The first compensation offers for mistreatment of migrants in Britain’s ‘Windrush scandal’ have been called “insulting.” Related: Three generations of a Windrush family struggling to prove they are British (The Guardian).
- BBC: An increasing number of children are self-harming and attempting suicide in a Greek migrant camp.
- The Correspondent: Europe spends billions to stop migration flows. Good luck figuring out where the money actually goes.
Sub-Saharan Africa:
- Al Jazeera: To encourage free movement in the country, Nigeria announced African passport holders will be able to gain a visa upon arrival in the country.
- The Conversation: How South Africa squeezed options for migrants over 25 years.
- Al Jazeera: Survivors of the dangerous journey from the Gambia to Spain say they would risk the journey again.
Asia-Pacific:
- BuzzFeed News: The Australian government distributed fake horoscopes in Sri Lanka, warning potential migrants they had no hope of reaching Australia by boat.
- The Guardian: Australia’s government has been criticized for spending over $20 million to upgrade its visa processing system that it is preparing to privatize.
- Coda: North Korean refugees are at the center of a massive data leak.
- Gothamist: Seeking asylum is tough in Trump's America—and even tougher in Japan.
- The Guardian: Too hot for humans? Aboriginal people fear becoming Australia's first climate refugees.
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