Around 42.1 of the Total Population in Palestine are Refugees, says Statistics Bureau

Source : www.uruknet.info

On the eve of the International Day of Refugees, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) released a statistical review on the current status of Palestinian Refugees. The main findings are summarized as follows:

- According to UNRWA records, the Palestinian registered refugees are totaled to 5.3 million at 1/1/2013, of whom 40% in Jordan, 24% in Gaza Strip, 17% in the West Bank, 10% in Syria and 9% in Lebanon.

- The Data 2012 showed that the percentage of Palestinian refugees in Palestine was 42.1% of the total population, about 27% of the total population of West Bank were refugees, compared to about 67% in Gaza Strip.

- The Refugees in Palestine are characterized as young population, 41% of them are under the age of 15 years compared to 39.7% for non-refugees. On the other hand, 4.2 % of refugees aged 60 years and over, compared to 4.6% for the non- refugees in Palestine for the year of 2012.

- Total fertility rate for refugees in Palestine was 4.4 births per woman in the period (2008-2009).

- Percentage of poor households in refugee camps in Palestine is 31.2% in 2011.

- Unemployment rate of Palestinian refugees among those of 15 years and over in Palestine in 2012 was 27.9% compared to 19.8% for non refugees.

- Illiteracy rate among Palestinian refugees of 15 years and over in Palestine in 2012 was 3.7%, compared to 4.3% for non - refugees.

- Percentage of refugee households that own their housing unitsin Palestine in 2010 was 86%.

- Percentage of refugee households that own private cars in Palestine in 2010 was 15.9% compared to 25.6% for non - refugees.

Humanitarian crisis after migrant worker exodus in India - Channel NewsAsia

Source: Channel News Asia

NEW DELHI: Whilst India celebrates the Muslim holiday of Eid, it is not a happy time for everyone. Almost 50,000 people of northeastern origin have been displaced in the past ten days by a fear of mob attacks against them in the rest of the country. They have been fleeing back to their homes in the northeast in such numbers that the media has been referring to it as nothing less than an exodus. The relief camps set up in the state of Assam are over crowded and teeming with people who have recently fled from different parts of the country. The people came because of rumours that they would be attacked by mobs belonging to another religion or because they received text messages with reportedly doctored images of massacred villagers. It was only after they returned home that they realised nothing was quite as it seemed. A state of confusion has been added to the initial fear, as the returnees are now unsure whether they should return to the jobs they hurriedly left.

Pakistan has denied any role in the matter. The Indian government meanwhile has banned bulk text messaging to stop the spread of disinformation. In Assam, the state where ethnic violence in July led to loss of life and damaged property, over 17,000 policemen have been deployed to maintain peace besides several columns of paramilitary and army personnel. In the refugee camps, the numbers are swelling. The people have no identity documents and no money, and it is fast becoming a huge humanitarian crisis for the local and central government. The problem is confounding because there are many levels. On one level, there is the tribal-Muslim conflict. The region borders Bangladesh so there is an international element as well. Then, there is regional politics as well. However, now the biggest crisis is of the hundreds of thousands of refugees living in terrible conditions in relief camps, and the need for them to be rehabilitated.

-CNA/ac