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Far from family, young female refugees from Myanmar find friendship
7 Mar 2007 Two teenagers sip iced tea at a roadside stall in Kuala Lumpur, their conversation peppered with laughter. But despite their happy demeanour, the two young women have suffered a lot and face an uncertain future far away from their families in Myanmar. Their story is not uncommon. -
UNHCR urges Bangladesh to find new homes for riverbank refugees
7 Mar 2007 A countrywide clean-up by the Bangladeshi government threatens the miserable, flimsy huts of some 6,000 refugees who live in an unofficial camp wedged between a river and a busy road. UNHCR has offered to work with the government and donor countries to find an alternative site. -
Burmese innovator taps traditional knowledge to feed fellow refugees and protect the earth
8 Jan 2007 A refugee from Myanmar spends his time in exile running an experimental farm and demonstration garden on the hillside of his refugee camp in Thailand. He's determined to minimise the environmental damage caused by the refugees, and to boost their nutrition level through imaginative small-scale projects. -
In Thai camps, legal centres hold out hope for greater justice
22 Nov 2006 The UN refugee agency has opened the first of seven planned legal assistance centres in refugee camps in Thailand, sparking hopes that tens of thousands of Burmese refugees will get greater justice for the rapes and other violent crimes that plague the closed camps. -
Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie applauds courage of refugees in India
6 Nov 2006 On a weekend visit to meet refugees, civic leaders and government officials in New Delhi, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie told refugees their courage is amazing and thanked the Indian government for its generosity in providing a safe haven for hundreds of thousands of refugees over the years. -
In search of freedom, Burmese refugees head for new life in America
13 Oct 2006 Nearly 7,000 Karen refugees from Myanmar have been resettled in the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries as UNHCR's resettlement programme from camps in Thailand moves into high gear. -
UNHCR chief urges rich countries to open doors wider to refugees
29 Aug 2006 UNHCR chief António Guterres called on Tuesday for rich countries to grant significantly more refugees the chance to settle on their shores and enjoy "new opportunities for a new life." Guterres made the call during a tour of a Thai refugee camp with US Assistant Secretary of State Ellen Sauerbrey. -
First Karen refugees swap tropical forest of Thailand for US concrete jungle
18 Aug 2006 A first group of 23 ethnic Karens left a refugee camp in Thailand this week for new lives in the United States. They are among hundreds of Karen refugees who are slated to be resettled in North America. -
Dutch MP calls on Thai government to relax restrictions on refugees
9 Aug 2006 After spending her summer break with Karen refugees from Myanmar in three camps in western Thailand, Dutch MP Corien Jonker says Thailand would benefit if it allowed the 140,000 refugees in the country to work and contribute to the economy and society.