Southeast Asian in the US - Essay Example

Southeast Asian in the US Introduction Today, the refugee problem is a global phenomenon since nearly every country or region has refugees. This group of people is caught between the danger at their homeland and identity loss in a foreign land. Persecution fears make people flee their homes and look for safety elsewhere, which result in intimidation, poverty and isolation. The refugee problem is persistent, and this calls for the immediate actions for its management. Due to this concern, this paper focuses on some of the important lessons from the Southeast Asian refugees’ experiences, which can be considered in addressing the new refugees’ needs in Massachusetts from other areas such as Burma, Bhutan, Iraq, and Somalia.

It has been statistically proven that the influx of refugees in Massachusetts from the East and Southeast Asia is on the rise since the number grew from 169 (2006) to 498 (2009) (Refugee and Immigrant Health Program, Massachusetts Department of Public Health 1). The Southeast Asian refugees come from diverse and distinct cultures across the world that makes it impossible to assimilate them in a unified group. The Massachusetts government was amazed by the complex diversity of the large refugee groups, who flew their country owing to various historical circumstances.

In addressing the current refugee problems, there is a need for a perspective development that takes care of some consistencies in terms of the refugee behavior and experience. This development perspective would help in addressing the social and psychological problems of the refugees, and in the same context, the refugee behavior can be socially patterned. This developed perspective strategy would help in analyzing the refugee problems from historical, comparative and general views. These analytical views prioritize the refugee problems as recurring with identifiable characteristics, casualty sets and similar patterns of behavior.

Indeed this analysis will help in treating specific refugee problems as atypical, unique and personal historical events in line with the general subject. The refugee problems, behavior and situations, which occur in many regions, contexts and times should also be carefully analyzed. Another experience with the Southeast Asian refugees is little analysis given to the refugee camps. Only a few materials exist in the camps, and just a few scholars have made attempts to examine the effects of experience at the camps on the refugee behavior.

Still, there are no camps classification systems nor some of the important camp experience elements. Therefore, there is need to put in place resources and materials for the new refugees in Massachusetts. Precisely, the camps physical conditions vary widely, but their effects are uniform. Some of the camps characteristics include, but not limited to absence of privacy, overcrowding, host population segregation and limited facilities shared. This challenge makes the refugee dependent, and this gives a sense of limited and special status.

In fact, these conditions make the refugees feel that they are being controlled. Finally, another experience with the refugees is the enormity of what happened back in their homelands. They focus more on what they have lost than their current status in a foreign country. In addition to trauma and suffering, the refugees always think of the loss of loved ones, persecution, and loss of identity, former life, and homeland. In a completely new and strange land, the refugees suffers anxiety, frustration, fear and emotional setbacks, which make them appear helpless, apathetic and lose the aggressive willpower to engage in constructive activities.

To help avert these refugee situations, a thorough research should be conducted on the refugees’ background, knowledge and the camp conditions. Besides, post-traumatic management centers and psychotherapy units should be established at the refugee camps to help the new refugees in Massachusetts in Massachusetts from other areas such as Burma, Bhutan, Iraq, and Somalia.Works CitedRefugee and Immigrant Health Program, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. 617-983-6590. Refugee Arrivals in Massachusetts by Country of Origin 2006- 2010. [Web]. 31 Oct. 2011. http://www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/docs/dph/cdc/refugee/arrivals_2006_2010.pdf