UNHCR

Promoting human rights and democracy concepts

A refugee means a human who had lost one or more of his rights as human being, or prevented from practicing one of his rights. For example the right to live, the right to practice religion and beliefs, or the right to enjoy democracy. The refugee isn't just fugitive whom running away with fear looking for some charity somewhere, that is the wrong picture that the money collectors tried to draw for the refugees. It's true that wars produced the biggest portions of refugees in the history. Wars had produced the biggest number of refugees in the history, but what is war?

War is violation the right of humans to live by using force and arms. Fear of death pushed refugee to leave his country. Missing democracy and despotism is the second factor that made refugees. The refugee missed some essential need to continue his life in his country so he seeks that need in other place outside his country.

The refugees are part of human community, so the community is responsible to meet the needs of the refugees according the rule that speaks: "The life depend on humans cooperation" in all countries where there are respect for democracy and human rights, there are systems and constitution to protect citizens' rights so as their lives. Since the refugee lost his government's protection and help for different reasons so UNHCR playing the major rule to provide the refugees with their needs as representative for all of the community.

I'm as refugee and member of the community of human being (if UNHCR agree on that) feel sorry to see that there is a big misunderstanding for the real role of the UNHCR. Every one, even those whom working for UNHCR think that UNHCR is just a charity organization exist to collect donations to help the poor humans with blue tents or blue blankets! What a pity.

UNHCR is an important institute of our community with wide respect and potential to enhance the respect for human rights and example for practicing democracy. UNHCR could be the authentic parameter for the degree of respect human rights everywhere on Earth. UNHCR work very close with humans (refugees) and it has direct connection with those humans whom are ready to tell their stories, which I consider these stories are statements on human rights violation in their countries.

These stories listed in files of the refugees inside the UNHCR office and it stay their under secret cover, that pleased the tyrants and those whom were the reason for all the misery of the refugees. What we can see from the human personality that refugees have, we can see one thing: the pictures of poverty!!! And with current system that UNHCR work with now that make the refugee just a number in table that composed of 6 digits!!!

UNHCR could be the mirror that reflects the life of those humans whom lost their rights as citizens in particular countries, whom suffered much of the disrespect form the tyrants and those whom hold the power in their countries. If we understand that fact and we worked to show the real reasons that made the refugee, we will create some kind of public understanding for the violation of human rights. That will push those tyrants to respect the human rights and democracy. 

Let us to take a real example for what I’m speaking about; Iraq had been government by tyrant regime headed by Saddam Hussein for nearly 30 years. There was extreme disrespect for human rights, despotism, injustice and complete absence for democracy, that produced millions of refugees (the Iraqis refugees composed second numbers in the world for many years). The majority of those Iraqi refugees had registered their own cases (stories) with UNHCR in files, these files kept secret without any chance to be showed publicly, which give Saddam the chance to continue his policies of genocide for years!!!

I know that is not possible to publish these stories without permission from the refugees but I'm sure that all the refugees will agree to give the permission to publish their stories if some one ask them. I'm one example, I worked by myself to publish my story when the UNHCR fought me to stop me! In more I met hundreds of other refugees whom were ready to speak their stories publicly, but unfortunately they didn't get the chance in more they were afraid of the punishment of the UNHCR if they have contact with any kind of media!!! that policy of UNHCR prevented to compose public opinions against Saddam which I'm sure that was one reason made Saddam to continue his crimes, as same for others tyrants.

Many Iraqis accused UN of helping Saddam by many ways to have his financial support for the UN activities. Thousands of the Iraqi refugees that I met here in Lebanon blamed the UN for their bad situation and absence of the community help. I'm sure that millions of Iraqi now aren't happy for the performance of the UN in past years, and I'm one of them!!!

UNHCR kept publishing pictures about poor people to collect money! And ignored the real refugees. Unfortunately that made big misunderstood for the real meaning of the term of (refugee) in the world. now when I speak with people on the net, and I tell them that I'm refugee the first picture that will come to their minds is the poor whom looking for some thing to eat!!! (More about this subject in next pages).

UNHCR failed to present the real problems that pushed the Iraqis to leave Iraq. The Iraqis composed the biggest number of refugees whom left their country in the history. The estimated number is between 4 to 6 million persons left Iraq in period of 35 years of Saddam. 35 long years of torture and death. Never the UNHCR published picture like these:

That was happening in Iraq for 35 years. Those people are victims of Saddam the tyrant. Many of those people left Iraq and registered their stories with UNHCR. These stories stayed under cover inside the offices of the UNHCR. Not only that but also the UNHCR. What do you think will happen if UNHCR published these pictures? And what do you think if UNHCR told you that the refugee is human being wasn't lucky enough to have Invitation from Saddam to one of his public killing parties!

Or mass graves festivals? 

       1 million human being had been buried in these mass graves in Iraq!!!

Or the refugee is a human being was lucky enough to leave fast from Halabja, When Saddam gassed Halabja! 

UNHCR didn't tell you every thing about Iraq or even about the Iraqi refugees whom had been killed in Lebanon http://www.amnesty.org.uk/deliver/document/13556

Or those whom did a hunger strike inside the office of UNHCR just to have the answer for that question: " To UNHCR, where is the human rights?" 

You can read more about those people in my free ebook, "refugees' farm".

or about those whom spent hours outside the UNHCR office just waiting to speak with one of the stuff of the UNHCR!!! 

I feel sorry to see UNHCR descend from noble human rights promoter organization to just charity agency working to collects money only!

  Who gave them the  right to change the great humanitarian concept from high commissioner for refugees to just UN refugees agency to collect money by using pictures of poor humans? I'll keep working according to my mission to bring back the UNHCR on its correct way.

UNHCR has the potential chance to highlight the cases of refugees and turn public opinion towards the respect of human rights in the world, also to isolate those who have no respect for human rights. Unfortunately that potential is not being used at the moment. 

I hope that I'll have the chance to discuss that point with you and to have success in change the UNHCR policies to help in compose public opinion in the world toward those whom disrespecting human rights. I hope I'll bring more understanding as one part of my mission. You'll read more about that subject in next pages. 

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