9781422281406

we knew that even if we got her to the hospital, there would be no treatment for her. So we decided to try to leave. Our car and others were stopped by Serb soldiers. They ordered us to pull off to the side of the road and told us we were being held as hostages. The soldiers

Words to Understand in This Chapter

asylum— a place of safety and refuge provided by a host country to refugees. asylum seekers— people who have applied for refugee status and are waiting to see if they will be granted protection as a refugee. citizen— a member of a country or other political community. civil war— a war between opposing groups within one country. convention— a legal agreement to behave in a certain way, made between two or more countries. deportation— the forced removal of a person from one country to another. detention center— a place where asylum seekers are held while their cases are investigated. internally displaced person— a person who has been forced from their home, but is still within their home country’s borders. malnourished— lacking foods necessary for good health. migrant— someone who moves from one region or country to another. refugee— person taking refuge, especially in a foreign country to escape such trou- bles as religious or political persecution and war. UN (United Nations)— an international organization, founded in 1945, in which representatives from most of the world’s nations meet to discuss conflicts and try to work towards peace. UNHCR— the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, set up by the UN to deal with the problem of refugees. visa— a document or stamp in a passport allowing a person to visit or stay in a country.

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Refugees