30 June 2009 Newsletter New

(L-R) Refugee children from Myanmar, UNHCR staff – the “dance troupe”, Afghan refugees…photographs on the next page are of WRD events.

WORLD REFUGEE DAY CELEBRATIONS It was a bit like a carnival. Each year on the 20th of June, World Refugee Day (WRD) celebrates the courage, resilience and dignity of all refugees. This year's theme "Real People, Real Needs" reflects the reality that despite the efforts of many–UNHCR and Governments–there are hundreds of refugees whose needs are far from being met.

UNHCR New Delhi and its implementing partners celebrate WRD with refugees–more than 1250 refugees participated in two cultural events held in west Delhi (Vikaspuri) and south Delhi. For the first time ever, UNHCR New Delhi staff performed on stage, much to the delight of refugees. “Hum honge kamyab (We shall overcome)” was sung with feeling, followed by a dance by eight intrepid staff members to a medley of Bollywood songs.

Refugees –children and young adults–performed with aplomb. With refugee children singing and dancing to Bollywood and some doing traditional dances, the celebration in west Delhi organized by the New Delhi YMCA, was a riot of colour, fun and laughter. Refugee children from Myanmar sang songs in English and their native dialects. An older group, dressed in traditional costumes did a bamboo dance, very similar to the Mizo dances of the North East of . The scene stealers were a group of refugee children– Somali, Afghan and Palestinian–who sang and danced to "Bam Bam Bole" from Taare Zameen Par, a popular Hindi film. They laughed, they wiggled their bottoms, and the audience couldn't clap any louder.

In South Delhi, as the sun set on WRD, the hall was filled with vibrant dances, music and mirth. Youth groups representing different nationalities of refugees were almost professional in their performances. Organised by Don Bosco Ashalayam, the audience were privileged to watch “atan” a traditional dance from Afghanistan, a folk song from Myanmar, a dance from Somalia, a unique rendering of the song “” (My Heart is Indian) by Afghan and Somali refugees, who substituted the chorus once to sing dil hai Afghanistani and again, dil hai Somali. Beautiful adaptations of Bollywood songs–in particular, “Bhoomru Bhoomru” a Kashmiri folk song by Afghan refugees left the audience enthralled. An innovative Marathi dance about fishing and the finale, the energetic Bhangra from Punjab, brought the evening to a close. Cultural celebrations like these give refugees a platform to showcase their talent and share their diverse cultures.

Other events held to mark World Refugee Day included: 18 June: Free Health Camp for Refugees in West Delhi. 160 refugees were seen by five doctors, from reputed hospitals. 17th June: Sale of Clothes made by refugee women at the UN Conference Hall. This was open to UN staff only. The clothes go by the tag "Koshish" which means "an effort" in Hindi, and this is one of UNHCR's income generating projects for refugee women in India. Sales totaled Rs 65,000 (US $ 1385). 9–16 June: Clothes Drive with embassies, high commissions and UN Agencies. The response was excellent and we thank all the diplomatic missions who contributed to this initiative. The clothes were distributed at the WRD event on the 19th of June in west Delhi. Some 335 refugees were able to pick up 5 pieces of clothing each. The remaining clothes–7 cardboard boxes–were distributed in south Delhi. Refugees rummaging through clothes collected for the Clothes Drive; a happy mother and daughter In Bangalore, the National Law School organized a seminar on World Refugee Day. with their selection…. UNHCR participated at the Seminar and the Bangalore edition of the Times of India carried a brief report. Media coverage in connection with World Refugee Day included: Electronic Media:

1. News X, English: Six refugee stories (four with UNHCR inputs) ran through the day. Half an hour panel discussion on the need for a refugee specific framework in India. UNHCR participated at this panel, which was telecast prime time (8:30 pm) on the 20th. 2. Doordarshan News (DD News): Package filmed on the 19th of June, at the west Delhi event, included an interview by UNHCR and the Public Service Announcement (PSA) by Angelina Jolie for WRD. Ran through the day. 3. CNN-IBN: Story on the UNHCR crèche for Myanmar refugee children in west Delhi aired on 20th June.

Print Media:

1. Hindustan Times: Edit page, 19th June. "The Nowhere People" by Lalita Panicker 2. The HINDU 17 June: Op-ed by the UN High Commissioner for refugees “Waiting to go Home" 19 June: Story on Afghan refugees applying for Indian citizenship by Smriti Kak Ramachandran. 3. Press Trust of India (PTI): Story by Sunandita Dasgupta on WRD, picked up by a paper, DNA (Daily News Analysis).

UNHCR New Delhi remains grateful to the following channels for broadcasting the global PSA on World Refugee Day, featuring Angelina Jolie, UNHCR’s Good will Ambassador: NDTV 24x7 NDTV Good Times NDTV Metronation NDTV Profit News X English CNN-IBN

Data as of 30 June 2009 Figures given represent number of persons, not cases

Afghan refugees waiting for their turn on stage…to perform the “giddha ” a traditional folk dance from Punjab on the 20th of June

Total Number of Refugees under UNHCR’s mandate in India : 11,850 Refugees from Afghanistan : 8, 414 Refugees from Myanmar : 2,538 Other nationalities : 898

Asylum seekers registered in June with UNHCR : 358 Number of asylum seekers recognised as refugees in June : 146

Number of refugees reinstated in June : 0 Voluntary repatriation refugees in June (Sri Lanka: 75) : 78

Number of submissions for resettlement in June : 45

Number of refugees resettled in June : 33 Cumulative Resettlement Submissions pending outcome : 1048

Number of refugees naturalised as Indian citizens in June : 11 Cumulative total of refugees naturalized : 521

Number of refugees financially assisted by UNHCR in India : 1,465 Of these, medically vulnerable : 267 Of these, physically and mentally handicapped : 5 Of these, elderly : 15 Number of refugee children (0—17 yrs) : 3889 Male: 2051; Female: 1838

Number of refugees on the German sponsored DAFI : 26 Scholarships - Male: 7 Female: 19

(L-R) The “Koshish” sale at the UN Conference Hall; and the Group song---photo courtesy DBA—by UNHCR staff on 20 June

Credits: Photographs and Text: Nayana Bose; Layout Priya Rozario, UNHCR New Delhi