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Your e-mails: Response to the global refugee crisis

(CNN) -- June 20th marks World Refugee Day, a day that The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees hopes will raise consciousness about the plight of millions of refugees who suffer around the world.

CNN asked readers what they thought should be done about the global refugee crisis. Here's a sampling of the responses, some of which have been edited.

These reports are so utterly disturbing and unsettling. The scope of suffering and inhumanity is impossible to fathom. I just want to scream out of frustration that more isn't being done. I realize these refugees are the collateral of very complex situations, and that the political solutions are not necessarily obvious. But that doesn't absolve us of the absolute responsibility to reduce basic human suffering wherever we can. While we are preoccupied with protecting our right to guzzle gas, problems like this are getting ignored. May God have mercy on our collective soul.
Keith Hummel, Alpharetta,Georgia

As I sat here in my nice office, AC running on high, worrying about the bills and what to eat for lunch, I began to read about the people and their lives, the lives that they have to live, to just be happy, just make it through one day. ... As I sit here, I feel ashamed to live and breathe and continue to complain about my bills and my life. If I have food, I have everything, If I can wake in the morning to live another day, not being raped, threatened, I have everything....
Jacqueline White, Rio Rancho, New Mexico

I love refugees and work with helping many of them adjust to new countries. However, I feel we are doing a disservice. We need to seek why they are leaving their own country and help to fix that problem. I feel we are putting a Band-aid over the problem. It will take the world to conquer this problem, not just the U.S.
Lee, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

After reading "No end in sight" by Jeff Koinange, the reality set in and the tears flowed. With so many people in need, some do nothing at all thinking they could not make a difference. However, there are numerous agencies that provide assistance. I urge other readers to pick one, and help. If you help one person, that is one who will not be without food, clothing and shelter. This will make all the difference in the world to help them be human again.
Deborah, Shasta, California

I'm not sure what can be done. From what I read and see on the news and in documentaries, the violence is based on religion (Christianity vs. Islam), tribal animosities, turf wars among warlords, or any number of other violent political alliances. In a continent plagued by AIDS, malaria, illiteracy, and poverty, the actions of the many men who foster and promote this widespread genocide is unforgivable. If American troops, or a vast coalition of multinational troops, were to be deployed to Africa to try to end the violence, where would they go first? And who would they fight? And when would they be able to leave? It appears that the situation in Africa has reached new levels of hopelessness. The sub-Saharan regions are still paying a heavy price for the disruptions and chaos created by the colonial period and until large oil deposits are found there, the rest of the world will give nothing more than perfunctory relief and lip service. And yet, the term holocaust only seems to be used when white people are on the "wrong" end of the problem.
John Zarubnicky, West Milford, New Jersey

The articles do portray the plight of the displaced people in Africa. I personally feel that the suffering is much more than what's been reported. One could only hope and pray that this shameful inhumanity would somehow come to an end. Wherever poverty and injustice thrive, it is no surprise that law and order would break down easily... only the extent to which it breaks down varies. At the end of his article, Jeff Koinange makes the statement, "What makes us revert to our basic, animalistic instinct?"... Well, I don't know where Jeff got his idea that our basic instincts are animalistic! It is grossly disrespectful to humans (or insulting to animals).
Ipe Mavunkal, Gaborone, Botswana

Thank you for your coverage of World Refugee Day. I work for Samaritan's Purse and our staff sees daily the suffering of refugees around the world. Thank you for bringing this to the attention of the American public. Please continue to cover these stories so that Americans, who live in the land of plenty, will take notice and help those in need.
Rachael Fugate, Boone, North Carolina

For the past six years my wife and I have worked in refugee camps in Zambia and Namibia. Before Ms. Jolie put the Osire refugee camp on the map in Namibia, we were helping to improve the quality of the lives of the refugees. We have been in the camp on Refugee Day and have developed close relationships with the refugees.

They are people like me and you. Professional people, businessmen, mechanics, farmers, teachers, etc., uprooted by civil war or other atrocities. The U.N. and many other non-governmental organizations do all they can to help, but at times it doesn't seem enough. One month ago we sent our 10th 40-foot container filled with clothing, medicines, and other supplies to Osire. With the help of the Moody Church in Chicago, we have raised the funds to build a women's center in order to teach and empower the women with skills that no one can take away. We have heard their stories of rape, abuse, murder and have seen the sorrow in their eyes.

Once again we will leave to go to Osire and then again on to Angola to help these returning refugees rebuild -- emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. If the media doesn't identify an area in the world that is war-torn, many people remain ignorant of their suffering.

If we intervene do we take them back to the days of colonialism? If we sit and watch are we guilty of selfishness? Education, vocational empowerment, is helpful, but the question remains, is power the real demon in Africa? I can only speak from my experience with the Angolans. A country so rich and so poor at the same time. What motivates leaders to have so much greed? While cholera is creeping through this country? How can so many people still be living in squalor and poverty in their own country? We have heard that for some the refugee camps are no different from their homeland. If anything, Refugee Day will bring awareness to a many-headed monster.
Michael Milco, Chicago, Illinois

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