Transcript Q2 introduction - RBrantonHistoryclasses

Question 2
There has been a significant refugee
problem for the last fifty years.
Do the sources allow you to come to a
firm conclusion about who or what is
responsible for the problem?
Objectives:
• Understand and be able to explain the meaning of
‘refugee’ and the ‘refugee problem’
• To be able to identify the triggers of the refugee
problem and possible reasons why the problem
continues
• To use evidence critically to decide who is responsible
for the refugee problem
Emotional response
Descriptive words
What do we mean by
the ‘refugee problem’?
What is a
refugee?
The United Nations defines a
"refugee" as a person who has
fled his/her country of
nationality and who is unable or
unwilling to return to that
country because of a "wellfounded" fear of persecution
based on race, religion,
nationality, political opinion or
membership in a particular
social group.
Often refugees lose both their
homes and means of livelihood.
Refugee camps
• A refugee camp is a temporary camp built by
a government, the United Nations,
international organizations, (such as the Red
Cross) to receive refugees. Hundreds of
thousands or even millions of people may live
in any one single camp.
• Since refugee camps are generally set up in an
impromptu fashion and designed to meet basic
human needs for only a short time, when the
return of refugees is prevented (often by
civil war), a humanitarian crisis can result.
Gaza aid appeal video
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/video/2009/jan/26/dec-gaza-appeal
The Palestinian ‘refugee
problem’ refers
to………………………….……………
…………………………………………..
…………………………………………..
It is serious because
……………………………………..
........................................
Use pp.35 of your green
booklet to help you
What triggered the refugee problem?
Source C: A journalist investigates the reasons for the Arab exodus
“I next decided to test the charge that the Arab evacuation orders
were broadcast by Arab radio. This could be done thoroughly because
the BBC monitored all Middle East broadcasts throughout 1948. The
BBC records, and those of a US monitoring unit can be seen at the
British Museum.
There was not a single order, or appeal, or suggestion about the
evacuation from Palestine from Arab radio station inside or outside
Palestine in 1948. There are repeated appeals, and even directed
orders, to the civilians of Palestine to stay put.”
From an article by Erskine Childers, an Irish journalist, published in
‘The Spectator’, 12th May 1961.
Why does the refugee problem still continue?
Source D: An extract from comments
made by Palestinian refugees on the work of
the UN.
“We continued to refuse houses and
compensation offered by the UN to settle us
in our host countries. We wanted nothing
short of a return to our homeland.”
Quoted in ‘The Arab Israeli Conflict’, Rea
and Wright, 1997.
Source E: Abba Eban, speaking to the UN in 1958
“This refugee problem has been artificially maintained
for political motives. Recent years have seen great
expansion of Middle East economies, but the Arab
governments have so far stopped the refugees from
sharing this. The vast Arab world could not find homes
for a million refugees.”
Abba Eban was an Israeli ambassador to the UN
Quoted in ‘The Arab Israeli Conflict’, Rea and Wright,
1997.
Source G - Palestine Is Still The Issue
“It is not enough for journalists to see
themselves as mere messengers without
understanding the hidden agendas of the
message and myths that surround it”
– John Pilger
Information or propaganda???
John Pilger has been accused of:
• presenting information in a sensationalist manner
to support a foregone conclusion;
• using emotive language to make a political point;
• treating a subject emotionally with disregard for
inconvenient detail.
For example, Pilger endorses these Israelis as "a group of courageous Israelis
united [with Palestinians] in the oldest human struggle — to be free.”
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yehzp8ytMp8
Source G: Palestine is Still the Issue
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
part 1
part 2
part 3
part 4
part 5
part 6
part 7
Question 2
There has been a significant refugee
problem for the last fifty years.
Do the sources allow you to come to a
firm conclusion about who or what is
responsible for the problem?