Despite the lack of resources for refugees in Athens, they are often the lucky ones. They are not in Afghanistan. They got out. They had savings to spend, or perhaps a house to sell, in order to afford the costs of travel. Here’s a revealing video clip on the situation of some of those who have remained: Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) – refugees who have fled their homes, but lack the resources to flee the poverty, violence, and despair of their nation. Here’s one telling quote from this Al Jazeera report:
The UN says Afghanistan is the worst place in the world for a child to grow up.
It’s no wonder families will risk everything (their possessions, their savings, even their lives) to reach Europe… so that their kids might have the hope (yes, merely the hope) of a future – a hope which is no longer present in Afghanistan.
November 30th, 2009 → 9:53 am
[...] by me A colleague in Greece pointed out an eye-opening video on children in Afghanistan on his blog. Brett’s summary is so good I’m “borrowing” it (thanks, Brett!). [...]
November 30th, 2009 → 10:01 am
[...] by me A colleague in Greece pointed out an eye-opening video on children in Afghanistan on his blog. Brett’s summary is so good I’m “borrowing” it (thanks, Brett!). [...]
January 4th, 2010 → 5:58 am
[...] – “When You Can’t Leave” (Nov. 30) – A video/story about Afghanistan and the conditions that are causing people [...]