Silence & Complicity

General Audience with Pope Francis where the Faculty and Students of Jesuit University of San Francisco participated on January 10, 2018. Photo by Geoff Johnson

Silence & Complicity 

by Geoff Johnson, MNA

During the Academic Global Immersion (AGI) trip to Rome, Italy, we had the privilege of attending and audience with Pope Francis in the Paul VI Hall. Our audience with the Pope was very timely in that in took place on Wednesday, exactly halfway through our program. The two days prior, we had the opportunity to meet with the global staff of Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) and to hear about JRS’ work helping asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and displaced persons throughout the world. Father Thomas Smolich the International Director of JRS spoke about the mission of JRS which is to, “Accompany, serve and advocate for the rights of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. As a Catholic organization and a work of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), JRS is inspired by the compassion and love of Jesus for the poor and excluded.” What struck me most about their mission, is their desire to serve where the need is the greatest and misery is the most pronounced. Led by the values of dignity, solidarity, compassion, hope, hospitality, justice, and participation, the organization finds its greatest advocate in Pope Francis, himself a Jesuit.

Prior to the audience with the Pope, we also had the opportunity to tour the Colosseum and learn about its history of slavery, prostitution and other forms of forced labor. Surrounded by the historical splendor of the Colosseum, I began to understand the human misery and suffering that occurred within its walls and how human lives were not valued. During our time the previous afternoon with Father Michael Smith with JRS, we were led in a exercise on the importance of silence in active listening, and striving to connect with those who are in need. It was following these meaningful preparatory sessions, that Pope Francis’ message on Wednesday resonated so purposefully.

Pope Francis began his message by stating, “It is in the very encounter between human misery and divine mercy that the gratitude expressed in the ‘Gloria’ comes alive; ‘a very ancient and venerable hymn in which the Church, gathered together in the Holy Spirit, glorifies and entreats God the Father and the Lamb’ (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 53).” Highlighting the importance of silence, the Pope continues, “The silence is not confined to the absence of words but rather to preparing oneself to listen to other voices: the one in our heart and, above all, the voice of the Holy Spirit. In the Liturgy, the nature of sacred silence depends on the moment in which it takes place: ‘within the Act of Penitence and again after the invitation to pray, all recollect themselves; but at the conclusion of a reading or the homily, all meditate briefly on what they have heard; then after Communion, they praise and pray to God in their hearts’ (ibid., 45). Thus, before the opening prayer, silence helps us to recollect ourselves and to contemplate why we are there.”

This powerful message was even more appropriate given the purpose of our trip to Rome, and given the setting of the Pope speaking in front of The Resurrection by Pericle Fazzini. This massive sculpture was created to show the anguish of mankind living under threat of nuclear war during the 20th century. For me personally, I felt the connection of the anguish, misery and suffering that is now felt in the 21st century by refugees and migrants. Furthermore, I especially appreciated the theme throughout the week of silence. So often we think about silence in the face of misery as a form of complicity, as a metaphor for ignoring the suffering of others. But through our time with JRS and with the Pope’s address, I was reminded that silence can actually be a tool of reflection and solidarity. Allowing us to not just listen to, but actually hear and understand, both “the voice of the Holy Spirit” and the stories of those in need.

Message of Pope on Silence: https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2018/documents/papa-francesco_20180110_udienza-generale.html

Image of Resurrection- Anguish of mankind leaving under threat of nuclear war/Contrast with loss of connection between mankind. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Resurrection_(Fazzini)

Jesuit Refugee Service http://en.jrs.net

“Are you going to work?”: Irony and Injustice for Refugees

Photo Credit: Rigugiato: Fotografie di Elena Marioni.
Caritas Diocesana di Roma. Peliti Associati: 2007

“Are you going to work?” 

Irony and Injustice for Refugees

by Sonja E. Schappert, MNA

The Academic Global Immersion to Italy was truly an immersive experience. Days were filled with data, presentations, personal stories, sights, experiences, questions and the ever-present food coma. Addressing topics surrounding Refugee Service Management in such a concentrated context often felt drinking from a fire hydrant.

So, what do I remember after all those sessions, a wicked case of jet lag, weeks of being back to work, and a new semester that has already started? I remember the simple question described by Bianca with Medici Senza Frontiere (Doctors Without Borders). During the intake process at migration hotspots within Italy, the question is asked, “Are you going to work?”

Stop for a moment and think about how you would answer that question. Maybe you’ve just stepped off a boat on the shores of the Mediterranean, having left your war-torn city. Maybe you’ve walked for countless miles looking for peace from religious persecution. Maybe you’ve fled an unsafe home and constantly looking back over your shoulder. Regardless of what you left, you look ahead to the future. You are looking for a new forever. A new place to belong. A new life. And the question is posed, “Are you going to work?”

So how would YOU answer that question?

If you say yes, that you intend to work, you are classified as an economic migrant. This distinction is important and very different from that of a refugee. Economic migrants are defined as voluntary migrants seeking an improved standard of living. They are not a protected class under the 1951 UN Geneva Convention of Refugees. In Italy, economic migrants have 7 days to leave the country and have no access to reception centers and social services. Economic migrants cannot seek asylum protection.

I remember hearing Bianca describe this process and I did a mental double-take. What strikes me the most about the “Are you going to work?” scenario is its sense of irony and injustice. There is a direct correlation between this question and the assumption that refugees are an economic drain to a host community. Many argue that refugees take away jobs and government resources. Charlotte McDonald-Gibson, author of Cast Away: True Stories of Survival From Europe’s Refugee Crisis chronicles the economic migrant tug-of-war and observes the following:

This pattern was repeated with each wave of prosperity: people from far afield were invited in to do the jobs locals didn’t want when times were good, only for populations and politicians to turn on them in hard times (Chapter 15, loc 3018).

The irony and injustice of the economic factor grows in consideration of the many studies which demonstrate economic growth in host communities. Furthermore, Father Michael Smith, SJ, from Jesuit Refugee Services shared with us that the entrepreneurial spirit thrives among refugees and the many benefits this brings to a local community.

The distinction between economic migrants and refugees has been central to the migration debate and is more complicated than ever. The 1951 Geneva Convention was written from the context of European migration after WWII and does not account for many reasons people are now displaced. Father Thomas Smolich, SJ, from Jesuit Refugee Services shared with us that this is a very grey zone and there are many legitimate reasons for displacement that are left out of the UN convention including war, extreme poverty, environmental factors, and organized crime. Additionally, many migrants face vulnerabilities that develop into legitimate asylum-seeking scenarios. Lizzie Dearden from The Independent writes:

Analysts say the desperate situation is making attempts to separate “economic migrants” from “refugees” increasingly obsolete as those who originally have set out for work become victims of violence and persecution. (November 22, 2016)

Addressing the question of work is central to building an integrated and just refugee policy. Herein lies the tools for economic prosperity and empowerment for both host communities and asylum-seekers. Work should be available to refugees as a part of honoring their journey and a gesture of welcome and integration without the assumption the economic advantage was their reason for displacement in the first place. A person’s willingness and desire to work should not be made a scapegoat for their status.

The Journey Has Just Begun

Migrants during a rescue operation in the Mediterranea Sea Photo: Reuters

A line of African refugees and migrants forms quickly outside Centro Astalli soup kitchen. Photo from http://www.livingattheborder.com/the-journey/ 

The Journey Has Just Begun

By: Tamara White, MPA

For many migrants fleeing their country, it is a difficult decision to make with an even more difficult journey. Most of these migrants flee their countries because of conflict, violence, political repression, organized crime and extreme poverty. According to the UNHCR, once a migrant decides to leave their country and embark on a journey to a foreign land, the journey is not only difficult but extremely dangerous and sometimes deadly; with the number of migrant deaths on record reaching an all-time high. This is especially true in Italy, where there has been an increase in migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Nigeria, Eritrea and Libya to name a few. However, the proportion of those refugees and migrants that died while attempting to cross the central Mediterranean in 2016 is one death for every 40 persons crossing. Knowing these risks, it is easy for one to understand the desperation that a migrant goes through in order to flee their country, only to realize that if they are lucky enough to make it to Italy, they are faced with even more difficulties upon arrival. For those individuals, the journey to freedom and becoming a “refugee” has only just begun.

So what is next?

There is no guarantee a migrant will be helped by the government which has left many hopeless and stranded in Italy. Immediately upon arrival, they have to make a decision to apply for asylum in Italy or move on to another country. Although most are hoping to move on to other neighboring countries like Germany, France, Austria or Switzerland, increased restrictions at Italy’s land borders contributed to larger numbers remaining in Italy and seeking asylum there. This is where the journey can become dark, forcing many migrants to figure out their next step. Once they apply for asylum, they have to wait a few months and sometimes up to 2 years to get an approval or denial. In the meantime, migrants have to find shelter, food, clothing, medical care and other basic human needs to continue on. Some wait out the system in refugee camps while others fend for themselves risking homelessness and illegal ways of making a living such as prostitution; all consequences of a broken immigration system. In theory, they are supposed to be in reception centers for 30 days, but for the majority, the process takes a year or a year and a half … so they escape. They leave the camps. The problems lie not only with insufficient capacity within reception centers, but also with gaps in administrative procedures that leave refugees confused and without adequate information. Frustrated by the slow progress, many end up leaving the centers to find work or try to leave the country, but often achieve neither. Although Migrants are allowed to start working two months after they lodge their application for asylum, most of these jobs are scarce and limited. In addition, most face significant barriers such as learning basic Italian skills which is required in order to find work. This becomes the reality for many refugees residing in Italy.

If not the government, then who is there to help?

During the Academic Global Immersion program in Rome, Italy, I was given a once in a lifetime opportunity to get a first-hand look at the refugee crisis in Italy and hear from various organizations - government, non-profit and non-governmental organizations - who are actively handling this crisis and servicing the influx of refugees. One organization that truly stood out as a key player was Centro Astalli, an Italian branch of the Jesuit Refugee Service - JRS. This organization truly exuded a clear passion and drive to help impact the refugee crisis. Centro Astalli is involved in numerous activities and services that serves the objective of accompanying, serving and defending the rights of those arriving in Italy fleeing war and violence, often also from torture. The Center helps to inform the public about who the refugees are, their history and the reasons that brought them to this point. I was lucky enough to hear from the team at JRS and Centro Astalli about the work that they do. One of their goals was to stay as close to the people, have direct contact and to truly understand their stories and needs. I was privileged enough to tour the Centro Astalli location to get a glimpse of the canteen and the migrants who took part in these activities. I was also lucky enough to hear one of the most profound stories from a refugee named Chiara Peri who found hope through this organization. Chiara was a refugee from Cameroon who endured many hardships before arriving to Italy. She had experienced a domestic violence situation and fled to Nigeria and eventually made it to Italy leaving her family behind. Chiara stated that the hardest part about assimilating in Italy was learning the Italian language since she a native English speaker. In addition to that, she found it very difficult to find work beyond “cleaning”. Unfortunately this is typical for most migrants who are trying to start over in a new country. The system makes it difficult for them to assimilate and become self-sufficient. Thankfully to organizations like JRS, Centro Astalli who continue to do phenomenal work by helping migrants get the help, resources and services they need to move forward.

A Long Loving Look: Refugee Education and the Entrepreneurial Spirit

Samina, an Afghan refugee, is keen to learn English and wants to be a teacher when she grows up. UNHCR http://www.unhcr.org/57d9d01d0.pdf 

A Long Loving Look: Refugee Education and the Entrepreneurial Spirit

By Kimberly Megna Yarnall, MNA

As I waited in Heathrow for my connection back to San Francisco, I sent a quick text to my family: “Rome was transformational. Can’t wait to come home. See you soon!” Moments after sending, I considering my wording in light of the experience I’d just had studying refugee management with the AGI-Rome 2018 program.

The UNHCR reports that there are 65.6 million forcibly displaced people worldwide: 65.6 million people who can’t go home. Or at least who can’t go back to a place of safety, love, dignity and opportunity - all the trappings most of us associate with home. And many of these asylum seekers, after fleeing persecution, surviving arduous journeys, and navigating bewildering policies in foreign languages, still face enormous challenges to creating a new home wherever they find themselves.

Fr. Michael Smith of the Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) suggested over lunch on our first day in Rome that we contemplate – to take a long and loving look at – refugee management and integration. His suggestion was simple and smart: what if we looked at every crisis facing the world without haste and without judgment but with open hearts and minds? And so I tried. Here is what most surprised and interested me.

Many of the NGOs we met with spoke of the entrepreneurial spirit of refugees. People who flee their homes with little to no resources have to be courageous, innovative, resourceful, and hardworking. The UNHCR has inspiring examples of the entrepreneurial spirit that many refugees tap into to sustain themselves and enrich their communities. Such as the story of Freddy Kwabo from the Democratic Republic of Congo who started a gaming shop in the Dzaleka Refugee Camp, Malawi to support his family with the PlayStation2 that he carted with him when he fled his home.

Almost every NGO we met with was adamant that educational opportunity, particularly in language acquisition, is an essential piece to successful integration of refugees into our communities – and for the health of our global community overall. At Caritas Roma we met in a classroom where they teach Italian to refugees and migrants offering four classes everyday from pre-literate to advanced levels. And there are still serious challenges to overcome in refugee education as explained more fully in the UNHCR’s report on refugee education.

Particularly poignant for me, was learning how precarious refugee girls’ education, health, and opportunities are. It’s estimated by the UN that up to 40% of children in the armed forces, militias, and gangs are young girls.

I was therefore heartened to learn that many NGOs, including JRS, are working together to eliminate barriers to keeping girls in school, including social enterprise campaigns to have women make sustainable cloth menstrual pads for girls and women in camps so they retain mobility to go to school. JRS also works in partnership with local religious and spiritual leaders of all faiths to recognize that keeping girls unmarried and in school longer promotes their health and the health of the entire community.

I came to Rome thinking of a “refugee crisis” since that’s the nomenclature used in our media. However, I learned we’re not facing a refugee crisis. We’re facing a long-term endemic migrant reality that needs to be addressed with sustainable solutions. Medici Senza Frontiere (MSF) builds sustainability into their partnerships by training local medical staff, psychologists, and workers so there is a well-organized and highly capable team and institutional framework when MSF exits the area. Similarly, one of JRS’s priorities is their Teacher Formation Program that prepares refugees with 150 hours of training and support to teach primary and secondary classes.

And finally, we had the honor of hearing a refugee’s story firsthand when we met Suzzy at Centro Astalli. She spoke to us not from a place of pain and regret, not as a victim, but as a strong, intelligent, autonomous woman full of gratitude for her life’s journey and for finding a place of comfort and support – for finding home –at Centro Astalli. Her spirit is an inspiration.

“Grassroots Intelligence”: Data Collection by Medicines Sans Frontières

Photo: Marketing Material at Medecins Sans Frontieres Rome Office, by Maria Silva

“Grassroots Intelligence”: Data Collection by Medicines Sans Frontières

By Maria Silva, MIMS

A large number of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) actively serve and advocate for migrants in Rome. These organizations fill gaps in support services that government and other state actors fail to address. This past January, students from the University of San Francisco visited Rome to get a better understanding of Refugee Service Management from CSOs including Medicines Sans Frontières (MSF). Because of its proximity to and consistent engagement with migrant populations, MSF possesses valuable data and expertise related to migrants as well as an understanding of how migration policies impact the lives of the latter. How can this data be used to influence policy?

As first responders on the ground, MSF has a clear understanding of the migratory experience, including the variety of assets and needs of different migrant populations. Their grassroots knowledge must not stay within the confines of the Organization but be transmitted in such a way that is timely and calls governments into action.

Intergovernmental organizations have explicitly called for dialogue and engagement with CSOs. Scholars often name the United Nations as the model Intergovernmental Organization in this regard for soliciting input from CSOs throughout the development of programming and policy. It is currently doing so through thematic discussions for the Global Compact on Refugees. Additionally, Intergovernmental Organizations including the European Union often integrate input from CSOs in their policy making processes. Thus, data and expertise from MSF and other CSOs we visited ideally influence migration policy making. How do these elements unfold in practice?

“The Missing Migrants Project (MMP) tracks incidents involving migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, who have died or gone missing in the process of migration towards an international destination”. The MMP is the only database systematically compiling global information on the death and disappearance of migrants. The MMP relies heavily on data collected by CSOs. For example, incidents that occur in the Mediterranean are reported by organizations that receive survivors in Italy and Greece, including MSF.

Data collected through the MMP and its contributing CSOs ideally reaches policy makers through briefs and reports such as Fatal Journeys. Fatal Journeys is a periodical report, this particular volume makes five policy recommendations related to migrant deaths and disappearances. Recommendation number two calls states to investigate deaths and identify victims, a duty they must adhere to under international human rights law. In this way, the data collected by MSF in the Mediterranean reaches the hands of policymakers and ideally influences their decision making process.

Another example of the use of MSF and other CSO’s Grassroots Intelligence is through the European Union (EU) Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the EU’s primary source of information regarding human rights. The FRA’s mission is to advance a culture of fundamental rights across Europe by collecting and disseminating timely data, sharing evidence-based advice with policy makers and raising awareness about fundamental rights. Per the request of the European Commission, the FRA publishes monthly overviews of the human rights situation of migrants arriving in the EU. The monthly overviews rely heavily on interviews and data collected by CSOs. For example, the August 2017 Overview cites information from MSF, Caritas, Human Rights First and Amnesty International amongst others. In addition, the “Policy Responses” section of every overview highlights actions taken by European states as well as by the EU in general. Per the guiding mission of the FRA, said policy responses should have been made in consultation with data provided by the FRA. In this sense the FRA acts as a platform for the colleagues we met at MSF and Caritas in Rome to disseminate their data to reach policy makers.

As designated sources of expert knowledge, the FRA and MMP are mediums for data collected by MSF and other CSOs to reach policy making bodies. Publications like Fatal Journeys and the monthly overview attempt to influence the discourse that leads to policy making. The effectiveness of these means to actually shape policy is difficult to measure. However, there is an intentional pathway for the grassroots intelligence of CSOs to be a part of the policy making agenda and conversation. The advocacy work of MSF, in addition to the comprehensive services we learned they provide, is to be commended.