Refugee Transitions

Issue 9, Autumn 2001

A selection of articles from Issue 9 are available by clicking on the links below. The views expressed in Refugee Transitions are not necessarily the offical views of STARTTS.

Message from the Director 

by Jorge Aroche

Living in Limbo

by Helen Basili

Helen Basili talks to two refugees who escaped the tyranny of Afghanistan’s Taliban militia. They recently arrived in Australia by boat but their ordeal is far from over.

Sri Lanka and the Quest for Peace 

by Olgo Yoldi

Fifty-two years after independence Sri Lanka has yet to master the fine art of nation building. Stuck in a war of attrition for the past 18 years there is still no foreseeable hope of peace. Broken pledges, militarism and peace plans that never saw the light of day, have so far prevented a negotiated settlement. But can Sri Lanka afford an endless war? Olga Yoldi writes.

When Paradise Meets Hell

by Helen Basili

Cambodia is a land of striking beauty and rich cultural heritage. It also has a history so violent that it is unparalleled anywhere else in southeast Asia. Helen Basili visits Cambodia and finds that these contrasting factors have produced some remarkable individuals.

Refugee Woman: The Authentic Heroines

by Nooria Mehraby

Nooria Mehraby reports on the plight of refugee women and their struggle for survival.

Sex Slaves to the Gods

by Timothy Auliffe

Atsufe Attise is nine years old. She has just been set free, literally. In Ghana, Western Africa, she has been held captive and sexually abused by a group of fetish priests.

This article was first published in Reportage Online.

Finding Your Voice

by Allan Tegg

Vicarious traumatisation is often an issue for professionals working with torture and trauma survivors. STARTTS’ staff working with Kosovar refugees as part of Operation Safe Haven last year were constantly exposed to immense personal tragedies and the rawest human emotions.

The Health of Temporary Protection Visa Holders

by Dr Mitchell Smith

Director of the NSW Refugee Health Service, Dr Mitchell Smith, reports on the health issues facing refugees on Temporary Protection Visas.

This article has been adapted from one written for the newsletter of the Ecumenical Migration Centre, Victoria.

From the Golden Country to the Promised Land

by Dr Jeanie Lingam

STARTTS’ consultant psychiatrist, Dr Jeanie Lingam, gives an overview of Burmese culture and considers the problems faced by Burmese refugees in Sydney.