Introduction to international studies orend

News Report 1

Myanmar’s Rohingya Are in Refugee Crisis

The Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar have been labeled “the world’s most persecuted

minority” (Gibbens, 2017). While the Rohingya people flee from the violence and discrimination they

face in Myanmar, a refugee crisis

continues to emerge in neighboring

countries. As said by the textbook, a

refugee is someone “…forced to leave

their home country involuntarily, usually

because of war or persecution” (Orend,

2013). In this case, the Rohingya people

are being violently persecuted and are not

seen as lawful Myanmar citizens, despite

the fact that they have been settled in the territory for over a century. Myanmar is “ethnically cleansing”

their country of Rohingya Muslims. “There are 40,000 Rohingya refugees settled in India, 16,000 of

which have obtained official refugee documentation. The majority of Rohingya fleeing Myanmar

have not made it past Bangladesh” (Gibbens, 2017). This massive influx of people to small areas is

causing deadly increases in disease transmission, dehydration, and malnutrition. Seeing that at least

60% of these Muslim refugees are minors, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched

an appeal for emergency funding and protection to Rohingya refugees and host countries (UN News

Center). The appeal is for 76.1 million dollars, and it aims to reach at least 720,000 children affected

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by this refugee crisis. The money’s main purpose is “focused on preventing outbreaks of water-borne

diseases such as diarrhea; it covers expansion of safe water and sanitation services, as well as

improvements in hygiene systems for Rohingya children, many of whom are living in harsh and

unsanitary conditions in makeshift camps and settlements. It will also provide nutritional support to at

least 60 per cent of an estimated caseload of 7,500 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition

and 70 per cent of children with micronutrient support, including Vitamin A” (UN News Center). If this

funding and support to the Pacific Asia region can be recognized, hope for refugee survival and success

in new host countries will greatly improve.

Citations “As Rohingya Crisis Continues, UNICEF Seeks Funds to Reach 720,000 Children in Need.” UN News

Center, United Nations, 2 Oct. 2017, www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57787#.WdMC-

MbMyqA.

Gibbens, Sarah. “Myanmar's Rohingya Are in Crisis-What You Need to Know.” National Geographic,

National Geographic Society, 29 Sept. 2017, news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/09/rohingya-refugee-

crisis-myanmar-burma-spd/.

Orend, Brian. Introduction to International Studies. Don Mills, Ontario, Canada: Oxford UP, 2013. Print.

Catalonia Independence Vote

The concept of independence for Catalonians is not in any way

new. For the people of the Catalonia region, “the fight for freedom has

been a three-century project, one that can be traced back to 1714, when

Philip V of Spain captured Barcelona” (Erickson, 2017). The Catalonians

were given autonomy in the 1930’s, and Catalonia was declared its own

republic by Spain until the rise of dictator Francisco Franco. This

dictatorship attempted to destroy all Catalonian culture, and many https://img.washingtonpost.com/bl ogs/wor 1

Catalans were executed. Franco had the power to do this as the leader of the new dictatorship, defined

by Orend as “an unelected leader

resting control of the military, and its

power, in turn, rests on the coercive

force it exerts over society in general”

(Orend, 2017). Catalonia did not gain

nation status, or “its own identity

separate and distinct from other

comparable groups” (Orend, 2017)

until the end of Franco’s rule. This

“nation” status however is not what

the Catalonians seek today. The Catalans pay 11.8 billion dollars more in taxes to Spain than it gets back

(Erickson, 2017). Seeing this as unfair, the Catalonians will vote to gain back its republic status and

independence from Spain. Unhappy about losing Catalonian control, Spanish Prime Minister

“condemned the vote as illegal” and has sent in troops and police to arrest anyone pro-independence.

(Erickson, 2017). While Catalonians are working to make sure the vote still happens, the outcome will

have little significance, as the Catalonian people are far from freedom, like they have been for all of

history.

Citations

Erickson, Amanda. “Analysis | Catalonia Independence Vote: What You Need to Know.” The Washington

Post, WP Company, 30 Sept. 2017,

www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/09/30/catalonia-independence-referendum-

spain/?utm_term=.e3c63fe82c12.

Orend, Brian. Introduction to International Studies. Don Mills, Ontario, Canada: Oxford UP, 2013. Print.

Catalan Nationalists 1 https://cdn1.nyt.com/images/2017/10/03/opinion/03cataloniaWeb/03cataloniaWeb- articleLarge.jpg

Pollution in Gaza As discussed in chapter two of the textbook, pollution is defined as “deposits of waste, or by-

products of humanity’s activities into Earth’s various natural systems” (Orend, 2017). One area in which

this is currently being seen is Gaza City, Palestine. The beach of the Gaza Strip is a favorite place to relax

for a large majority of Gaza residents. However, the beach is beginning to lose its dense number of

visitors. “The brown hue that stains the water for several hundred yards out to sea makes clear why, as

does the putrid stench that

punctuates a drive down the

coast” (Morris and Balousha,

2017). The pollution stems

from a feud between Gaza

and the Hamas, who control

the enclave. Because of the

disagreement, the power in

Gaza was cut off, stopping

all production of sewage

treatment facilities. “About 100,000 cubic meters of raw or partially treated sewage have flowed into

the sea each day since early summer” and “the pollution is so bad that Israel has shut down neighboring

beaches for safety reasons” (Morris and Balousha, 2017). This pollution in Gaza is a long way from being

fixed, as the area is already extremely populated in a small area and has one of the highest

unemployment rates worldwide, which leads to even additional pollution. The rate at which pollution is

occurring is much greater than the rate at which it can be cleaned up. Due to the high number of wars

the area has experienced; sanitary health services and environmental education has not been a priority

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to its citizens. Without those components, the pollution problem is highly unlikely to be fixed, as

government officials were the ones that directly caused it. Furthermore, being a highly fished area,

Gaza’s economy relies on the clean beaches and water. With that in mind, the pollution could very well

create consequences that transcend just environmental effects. Gaza’s future depends on this pollution

issue being resolved.

Citations

Orend, Brian. Introduction to International Studies. Don Mills, Ontario, Canada: Oxford UP, 2013. Print.

Morris, Loveday, and Hazem Balousha. “The Sea Was a Breath of Fresh Air for Isolated Gaza. Now the

Water Stinks.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 28 Sept. 2017,

www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/the-sea-once-provided-a-breath-of-fresh-air-for-gaza-

now-it-stinks/2017/09/27/43049342-98e3-11e7-af6a-

6555caaeb8dc_story.html?utm_term=.c9a37aa6c3e3.