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NOTE: All audio segments are 4 minutes or less in length.

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Testimonials from refugees Annual assessment of conditions affecting refugees

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INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS
• "Internally Displaced People"
  Jeff Drumtra describes the difficult life facing the more than 18 million internally displaced people around the world.
  Learn more about internally displaced persons as you listen

• "Forced to Flee Armed Conflict"
  There are 19 million people in the world who have been forced from their homes because of persecution, war or widespread violence. Because they do not or cannot leave their homelands, they are labeled "the internally displaced". Through a translator, "Juan", a villager from the Municipality of Plantawan in the Philippines, relates the experience.
  Learn more about Philippines as you listen

  
  AZERBAJIAN

• "A Darkening Horizon"
  Since 1886, the Statue of Liberty has welcomed millions of people into the United States. Today, however, strong and growing anti-immigration sentiments are overshadowing her golden lamp. Marina Azimova, a refugee from Azerbaijan, addresses these sentiments and the overall difficulties which refugees face when resettling in America.
  Learn more about Azerbaijan as you listen

• "The Most Important Thing is Dignity"
  Artur Manasyan, his wife and daughter, came from Azerbaijan, a state within the former Soviet Union. He makes clear how important it is to newcomers the way Americans accept them. He's proud of his new land and wants to help it.
  Learn more about Azerbaijan as you listen

  
  BOSNIA

• "Teenager in New World "
  Sixteen year old Aida Ibisevic of Bosnia-Hercegovina discusses her family's flight from her home to the United States.
  Learn more about Bosnia as you listen

• "We Ate Sweeties"
  In the city of Sarajevo, war prevented regular deliveries of food and impeded people from growing their own. Vesna, Anna, Ivana, Mira and Miroslav share comments about their lack of food and the unexpected arrival of candy. Note: These displaced people shared their stories in 1994.
  Learn more about Bosnia as you listen

• "Rescued from Going No-Where"
  Mina Kovacevic and her family joined thousands of Bosnians who fled the war which erupted in 1992. She describes the frightful journey and the miracle that awaited her in Croatia. Because she knew how to speak English, she was told about scholarships that some Americans were offering Bosnian students.
  Learn more about Bosnia as you listen

• "Start Your Life From the Beginning"
  Tarig Hamza, a native of Sarajevo, in Bosnia-Hercegovina, tells how difficult it was to come here and start his life over again. Now he helps other newer arrivals settle into American life.
  Learn more about Bosnia as you listen

  
  BURMA

• "Sharing an Education"
  Saw Kapi, a refugee from Burma, describes his experience as a refugee and his work educating refugee children.
  Learn more about Burma as you listen

  
  CAMBODIA

• "From the 'Killing Fields' to U.S. Citizenship"
  For four years, Raci Say survived the Killing Fields. After her escape to Thailand in 1979, she spent almost two years in refugee camps before resettling in the United States. Five years later, Raci became a U.S. citizen.
  Learn more about Cambodia as you listen

  
  COLOMBIA

• "The Children Cried From Sadness"
  Eliseo of Colombia, South America, discusses his life since he was forced to flee from his home.
  Learn more about Colombia as you listen

  
  EL SALVADOR

• "Profile of an Aspiring Musician"
  Eighteen-year-old Lilo Gonzalez has loved music all his life. The El Salvadorean native always knew one day he would follow in his father's footsteps and become a musician. Now he's trying to make it on his own with his own band.
  Learn more about El Salvador as you listen

  
  ERITREA

• "Eritrea Miracleland"
  After seven years in the United States, Illen Ghebrai is going home. Her country, Eritrea, has won its independence after a long and bloody war with Ethiopia. Illen and her husband vow to rebuild what was destroyed during the war. While sheltered here in the United States, Illen authored a book about herself and her country called Eritrea: Miracleland. Note: Ms Ghebrai returned to Eritrea in 1993.
  Learn more about Eritrea as you listen

  
  IRAQ

• "Homeland Divided"
  Chiman Zebari, a Kurdish refugee from the North of Iraq, discusses her experience as a refugee in the United States.
  Learn more about Iraq as you listen

  
  KOSOVO

• Kosovo Briefing by Roger Winter, USCR Executive Director - 20 minutes long
  Roger Winter, USCR Executive Director, briefed USCR members on May 18, 1999 about the situation for Kosovo refugees in Macedonia, Albania, and Montenegro. He also discusses why some refugees have been evacuated to Ft. Dix, NJ. He is joined by Senior Policy Analyst Bill Frelick.
  Learn more about Kosovo as you listen

• Kosovo Briefing - 40 minutes long
  Briefing on Kosovo -- 4/28/98 by Hiram Ruiz of the U.S. Committee for Refugees
  Learn more about Kosovo as you listen

  
  LAOS

• "How Does It Feel?"
  Mr Khamthene Chinyavong, a Laotian social worker and refugee, speaks about emotions commonly felt by those who migrate to the United States.
  Learn more about resettlement to the United States as you listen

  
  LIBERIA

• "A Search for Safety"
  The wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone forced millions of people to flee these West African countries in order to survive. Mustapha Wai and his family are among these refugees. Mustapha tells of his family's long and strenuous journey to find peace and safety. He calls on the American people for understanding and acceptance.
  Learn more about Liberia as you listen

  
  PHILIPPINES

• "Forced to Flee Armed Conflict"
  There are 19 million people in the world who have been forced from their homes because of persecution, war or widespread violence. Because they do not or cannot leave their homelands, they are labeled "the internally displaced". Through a translator, "Juan", a villager from the Municipality of Plantawan in the Philippines, relates the experience.
  Learn more about Philippines as you listen

  
  RWANDA

• "Ambassador Theogene Rudaswinga of Rwanda"
  Rwanda's ambassador talks about his experience living as a refugee for the first 30 years of his life.
  Learn more about Rwanda as you listen

  
  SIERRA LEONE

• "Beginning All Over Again"
  Hassan Koromoa of Sierra Leone describes his flight from his country and his efforts to resettle in the United States.
  Learn more about Sierra Leone as you listen

• "A Search for Safety"
  The wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone forced millions of people to flee these West African countries in order to survive. Mustapha Wai and his family are among these refugees. Mustapha tells of his family's long and strenuous journey to find peace and safety. He calls on the American people for understanding and acceptance.
  Learn more about Sierra Leone as you listen

  
  SOMALIA

• "That's When I Realized This Is Real"
  Weris Jama, from Somalia, Africa, talks about her experience after being forced to flee her native Somalia in 1990.
  Learn more about Somalia as you listen

  
  SUDAN

• "In Support of the People of Sudan "
  Roger Winter, USCR Executive Director, discusses the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan based on his more than two decades of working with Sudanese refugees.
  Learn more about Sudan as you listen

• "I'm Still in War "
  Mayen Wol, a refugee from Bahr-el-Ghazel in Southern Sudan, recounts the many members of his family who have been killed in the latest phase of the civil war.
  Learn more about Sudan as you listen

• "They are Voiceless "
  Helena Lueth, a refugee from Sudan, describes how she escaped the fighting in Sudan and made her way as a refugee to the United States.
  Learn more about Sudan as you listen

• "From This Indignity Will Emerge a New Sense of Worth"
  Dr. Francis Deng, the U.N. Secretary General's Special Representative on Internally Displaced Persons and the former Sudanese Ambassador to the United States, recounts the toil the war has taken on the Sudanese people.
  Learn more about Sudan as you listen

• Images from Sudan
  View images from sudan while you listen to narrative in Real Audio.
  

• "Sorrow in Sudan"
  Ethnic slaughter not too different from that in the former Yugoslavia has claimed countless lives in southern Sudan. David Chand and Marilyn Norris speak about the thousands of southern Sudanese who struggle to survive the starvation and warfare.
  Learn more about Sudan as you listen

• "Ethnic Cleansing Sudanese Style"
  David Chand and Marily Norris testify to the carnage and civil war that threatens the survival of certain tribes in Sudan.
  Learn more about Sudan as you listen

• "Interview with Alek Wek"
  Listen to USCR's interview with Alek Wek, a 21 year-old fashion model, who is also a refugee from Sudan. Alek is a member of USCR's Advisory Council.
  Learn more about Sudan as you listen

  
  TIBET

• "Rain Forest of the Soul"
  Mickey Lemle, producer of the film, Compassion in Exile, explains that Tibetan refugees have important gifts to share with a needy world. To Mr Lemle, their culture is the "rain forest of the soul". Note: This interview took place in 1993. The Tibetan refugees remain in exile.
  Learn more about Tibetan refugees in India as you listen

• " In Legal Limbo"
  Thousands of people seek refuge in India but only Tibetans are officially recognized as refugees by the Indian government. All others suffer the consequences of living as aliens in a society without legal protection. Ravi Nair, Director of the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre in New Delhi explains their situation and how U.S. citizens can extend a helping hand to these needy people.
  Learn more about Tibetan refugees in India as you listen

  
  UGANDA

• "Former Ugandan Refugee Revisits Africa"
  Samite Mulondo discusses the film, "Song of the Refugee" in which he shares the common bond of music with Liberian, Rwandan and Ugandan civil-war survivors.
  Learn more about Tibetan refugees in India as you listen

• " Former Ugandan Refugee and Well-Known Musician"
  Samite Mulondo, who spreads the healing effect of music wherever he goes, shares his story of exile.
  Learn more about Tibetan refugees in India as you listen

  
  VIETNAM

• "From Rags to Riches"
  When Vietnamese Sinh Dinh came to the U.S. from a refugee camp she didn't have many belongings. Instead, she brought a bundle of determination and a sack of goals. She shares the story of her successes.
  Learn more about Vietnam as you listen

• "Profile of a Future Doctor"
  Fourteen-year-old Nga Nguyen came to this country six years ago from Vietnam. She shares her experiences of adaptation to a new culture and talks about the opportunities she has because of living in the United States.
  Learn more about Vietnam as you listen

• "Getting to Know Each Other"
  Arriving at a busy airport; a language you don't understand filling your ears; the uncertainty of the future. These are often the first impressions of the United States that many refugees carry. The brother and sister that Carolyn Kulisheck had come to meet were no exception. All that she knew about them were their names and that they were from Vietnam.
  Learn more about Vietnam as you listen

  
  VOLUNTEERING WITH REFUGEES

• "Getting Involved"
  Amante Fajardo, an English-as-a-Second Language teacher at the Washington DC Refugee Center, speaks about his experience with refugees and the many misconceptions associated with them. He invites the American people to get involved with helping refugees as a way to achieve better communication and understanding.

• "Just Basic People"
  Paul Prettitore, Carolyn Kulisheck and Eve Weisberg share their experiences of volunteering with refugees. Each feels enriched by the experience shared with "just basic people" who became refugees.

• "The Benefits of Volunteering"
  Paul Prettitore, a lawyer, Carolyn Kulisheck, a librarian, and Eve Weisberg, a public information officer - all ordinary Americans - talk about their volunteer service to refugees. They tell why it's needed and what it entails.

• "Making a Difference"
  Twenty-three-year-old Phu Diep is the program coordinator for the Youth Leadership Project at Washington DC's Indochinese Community Center. Using his own experience of growing up within two cultures, Phu helps make the transition to American society a little easier for refugee children who have just arrived in this country.