UNHCR's Head of Global Communications Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams

'Incomparable suffering': UNHCR's Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams says worse to come for Ukrainian refugees 

 

 

러시아의 침공으로 우크라이나를 탈출한 난민들의 규모가 개전 일주일 만에 100만명을 넘은 것으로 파악됐다.

정아 게디니 윌리엄스 UNHCR 대변인은 3월 3일(현지시간) 이메일을 통해 “각국 정부 통계를 바탕으로 집계한 데이터에 따르면 중부유럽 시간 자정을 기준으로 100만명을 넘어섰다”고 밝혔다고 AP통신이 전했다.

필리포 그란디 유엔난민기구(UNHCR) 대표는 이날 트위터를 통해 “불과 7일 만에 우리는 100만명의 난민이 우크라이나에서 이웃 국가로 탈출하는 것을 목격했다”면서 “이제 총을 내려놓고 생명을 구하기 위한 인도주의적 지원을 해야 한다”고 말했다.

유엔은 이번 전쟁으로 인한 난민이 400만명에 이를 것으로 전망하고 있으나 러시아군의 공격이 이어질 경우 유엔의 전망치를 넘어설 가능성도 배제할 수 없다. 지금까지 가장 많은 난민이 발생한 것은 2011년 시작된 내전으로 560만명이 탈출한 시리아 사태다. 우크라이나 난민은 시리아 사태 당시 난민보다 훨씬 빠른 속도로 불어나고 있다. AP통신에 따르면 시리아 난민이 100만명을 넘어서는 데는 적어도 석달이 걸렸다.

사비아 만투 UNHCR 대변인은 전날 “이런 속도라면 우크라이나 난민은 이번 세기 최대 난민 위기가 될 수 있다”고 말했다.

 

 

 

 

21 Mar 2022


With the fastest-growing flow of people the world has ever recorded fleeing Russia's three-week- old invasion of Ukraine, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR ) has said that humanitarian needs are escalating exponentially.

The number of Ukrainian people displaced both inside and outside the country has now exceeded 10 million, says UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi. Over 3.3 million of them - mostly women and children - have poured over Ukraine’s western borders to escape Russian bombardment of towns and cities.

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams, Head of Global Communications at UNHCR, has just returned from visiting crossing points in Poland, Hungary and Moldova, where international aid organisations are racing to help the arrivals.

She tells of the shellshock and devastation among the civilians she spoke to, their fierce longing to return to their homes and the menfolk they left behind. She also warns of escalating humanitarian needs, not just among increasingly fragile Ukrainian civilians, but farther afield in Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria, where urgently needed aid is threatened by dwindling resources.

 

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: The most striking thing was not only the volume of refugees that were coming across all of the borders in the neighboring countries but just the sheer lack of men. Almost 90% are women and children coming across, and every single one of those women have men – whether it's husbands, brothers, sons – that are still across inside Ukraine. I think this sense of separation and loss, and the anxiety that comes with it, was just palpable in every single country that I visited.

What did you hear from Ukrainian refugees fleeing over the border?

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: I was able to speak to quite a few of the of the women and the families that were coming across, and it was very clear that there was a tremendous amount of shell shock. I would probably use the word trauma except that that has to be medically diagnosed, but you could see that there was just this pervasive sense of just devastation and shock in everyone's eyes.

The other thing that was incredibly notable was that nobody really expected themselves to be in this situation even a week before, so I spoke to several women who told me ‘I really didn't think that this would happen and I had just mere minutes to decide to run.’

One of the families that I met were two sisters that were traveling with their six children and one of them was carrying a two-month-old, a two-year-old and had an eight-year-old; and so if you can imagine, she didn't have hands to carry any other belonging. She said she came across with a backpack. No diapers. No baby food. No winter clothes other than essentially what they were wearing.

I think a lot of people are in that similar kind of situation where they were waiting until the last minute, hoping that things would get better, hoping that they wouldn't have to flee. And then when either the war or the shelling or even the fear of the conflict coming closer came close enough where they could either hear it or sense the shift in their own neighbourhoods. That's when they ran.

As I was there at the early onset of the crisis, I think most of the people that were coming across –  not all, but most – did have resources. They either had family members or connections in neighbouring countries in Europe or further afield. But most of them did not want to go further, so they wanted to stay even if they had family. For example, I met a woman who had her parents living in Germany but she said ‘No I want to stay here in Romania because I want to see whether or not if things get better, if there is peace, then I want to quickly go back in and be reunited with my husband and our home and make sure that everything's still there and has survived.’

I think they didn't know what to expect. They knew that they were going to need help in every possible way and what was really unique was we've seen warm welcomes. We've seen solidarity. We saw so many people that came out as local responders and activists and volunteers. But I have to say, particularly in Poland, I've never seen the level of just organized response among both the national authorities, but more so the local helpers like the people that just came out and donated volunteer time, were providing meals, shelter, opening their own homes. And there were just mounds of supplies. People had dropped off everything – not just diapers and baby food but also strollers, winter clothes, bedding. Even pet supplies because I think everybody saw that there so many people coming across with their dogs and cats.

There must be so many beloved pets and animals left behind. Were people talking about the provisions they had made for their animals?

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: Yeah I think for some it was very clear. There was an elderly couple that I met who came across and they brought their two dogs. They also had carriers – because they were on the move for ever. They said it took them about five days to come across into Poland, and they each had a very small bag. They were tiny little suitcases and so and I asked them what did you bring, and they said well you know other than the dogs we did bring some dog food and just two changes of clothes. It’s particularly poignant because they knew that they were leaving their homes possibly for the last time and instead of taking objects or mementos of their life they prioritized taking their two dogs, which meant that they were able to take very little else.

How does this compare to other huge movements of people you've experienced in your career?

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: In terms of numbers, I think the only one that comes close is the Rwanda crisis. But there we saw millions of people fleeing over a period of months. Here we've seen 3 million in three weeks, so the scale of it eclipses some of the other emergencies that I've seen. I think the other part of this which is so hard is that there isn't a single refugee among this group who haven't had their families completely torn apart. Where the men in their families, anyone between essentially 16 and 60, are not with them. And so half of their family is essentially left behind to a fate that is unknown and to a war that is raging. So both in terms of the magnitude of the numbers coming across, but also the human suffering, it’s really incomparable.

In terms of the magnitude of the numbers coming across, but also the human suffering, it’s really  incomparable.

 

What do Ukrainian women and children coming from Ukraine need most?

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: The women and children coming across from Ukraine need everything from shelter to health services to psychological and psychosocial trauma assistance. They need a safe place to land. I mean one of the things that we're most worried about is that, while there's such an overwhelming sense of solidarity and of people who want to open their hearts and homes and pocketbooks to help Ukrainian refugees, there’s unfortunately in fluid, volatile situations like this also people like predators and traffickers who will try to take advantage of the situation.

So for UNHCR and for other agencies on the ground, it is one of our primary priorities to make sure that there are protection measures to ensure women and children are safe, that after the loss and the tragedy that they've already survived, that they're not then further exposed to even greater risk at the hands of people that do not have the intention to help in the least.

How can you protect vulnerable refugees from exploitation?

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: Well, right now it is the national authorities in the neighbouring countries that are receiving and registering refugees. Some have asked for support. Together with UNICEF, for example, we are setting up at least 50 ‘blue dots’. These are safe spaces for women and children. A lot of the services will look specifically at assessing potential vulnerabilities or exposure to risk. In addition to that we're working with the governments to make sure that there is a lot of information going out. The refugee population are incredibly tapped into digital and social media. So really putting out the information of being careful, of recognizing risks, of making sure that they are using legitimate resources, and not putting themselves at greater risk.

 

We’ve heard about attacks on humanitarian corridors, but can refugees who are heading towards the border  expect to get there safely?

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: So far, those that have arrived have said that the biggest challenge was avoiding any of the fighting and the frontlines of the of the war itself. What we're most concerned about is that the other Ukrainian civilians that are still inside might be people who have less ability, access or resources to be able to leave. So it may be people living with disabilities. It may be a larger proportion of older refugees. It may be a larger number of people who have health conditions that don't allow them to make this journey.

Some of the refugees that I met talked about walking for five days, and it was freezing. It was snowing on half of the days that I was there along the border. So this is not by any means an easy journey to take and even those that came by vehicle I mean they talked about being so scared in the cars, not wanting to turn on the lights for fear of being attacked and then once getting to the borders some of the borders were so backed up that they were in their vehicles in a queue for up to four or five days. So I think there are so many conditions there that prevented people or that deterred people from being able to make the journey.

We have reports that people are drinking rainwater, that they're down to their absolute last stores of food. So the people that may be coming across in the coming weeks may be in a much more frail and weakened state than the ones who've come across in the in the first three weeks.

What kind of resources do organizations like the UNHCR, UNICEF and Red Cross need to deal with such a vast influx of people?

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: I know that with UNHCR, and with all of the other UN agencies as well as international organizations, we're all scaling up. We know that the needs are going to be huge and that they'll be sustained. And that's the thing that we're trying to tell donor governments, and the international community overall, which is that we must sustain this type of attention and support because this is going to be a long-haul crisis.

Even if there is peace within the next days or weeks, there is so much rebuilding. There's so much destruction. There's so much tragedy and trauma that will have to be dealt with. The needs will be huge. So we've pulled together and put out appeals for funding. And that involves everything from shelter and relief items to health services to infrastructure, and school education.


What can the wider international community do to help?

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: I think one of the things that we've noted is that because it is right in in the middle of Europe and because the EU is directly involved with Poland and other countries that are receiving refugees from Ukraine, we do know that the resources and the political will is there to share responsibility of this refugee crisis. It shows us that there is the capacity for more compassionate, organized manageable asylum across Europe and across the world.

I mean, we've had offers already from the US, Canada, Brazil and from other countries for temporary protection and humanitarian visas for Ukrainian refugees. And what we're trying to say is this is just as feasible for refugees from Afghanistan, from Syria, from Myanmar, from Ethiopia. And so what we're hoping is that the lesson that we can learn here and the opening that we see must be extended beyond the Ukraine crisis.

Which countries are taking the most refugees?

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: Well of the 3 million refugees that have arrived from Ukraine, almost 2 million of them have gone to Poland. It’s unclear how many will actually stay in Poland, but it was really interesting – I spoke to the senior border patrol guard in Poland at one of the border crossings, and they were extending all kinds of support to the refugees coming across, and I asked him, you know, this must be difficult for you also to see all these women and children all these families that are coming across so devastated. And what he said was ‘I look at the kids that are coming across and I try to imagine that some of these Ukrainian children that are coming across as refugees are going to settle in Poland so I try to think of them already as Polish citizens and what I would do for my own children or other Polish children.’

And I think the key is we don't know where most Ukrainian refugees will end up. We know that right now they do want to stay in the neighbouring countries. So that's Romania, Moldova, Poland, Hungary, Czechk Republic, Slovakia … but we also know that many tens of thousands have already gone to EU countries as well as even arrived in the Americas and further afield. So I think we'll only know as the war develops and also as we see how many refugees actually do leave Ukraine where they'll be for the longer run.

I think the other thing to point out is that there has been this tendency of ‘refugee’ being such a negative connotation. It's almost seen as something shameful or taboo, but this crisis has shown us that absolutely anyone and in any place at any time can really become a refugee and it's of no choice or decision that they make on their own.

And the other thing is that refugees also can bring so much. When I was in Hungary, I visited this one pop-up that was a local co-working space. It had then been opened up for any Ukrainian refugees that needed a place to work, to gather themselves, to get meals. Two of the people I met while I was there were actually working remotely. They had just fled and escaped quite heavy fighting – one from Khirkiv and one from Kyiv – and they were there in this co-working space still doing their jobs because they'd been teleworking before anyhow. One was in the travel business and one was in the IT business.

And so what I also want to stress is that Ukrainian refugees are coming with such huge skills. They're coming with skillsets and talents and professions, and these are things that we can really acknowledge and recognize. And also help to support so that they also can have a sense of contribution and livelihood and can sustain themselves. And that's also where private sector plays a huge role. We've seen more support from the private sector on this crisis than probably most of the crises put together, and it's a matter of not just funds but also sustainable programmes, employment-opportunities training and vocation; really creating these programmes that will allow Ukrainian refugees a wider array, not just a one-time assistance package but really to look at how they will be able to support themselves and their families, as well as become integrated into host communities where they live.

 

The UNHCR Director General, Filippo Grandi, is urging the world not to forget other humanitarian crises in   Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. How are these interconnected?

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: Of course, all of our attention right now, or a big majority of our attention, is on Ukraine. It has such devastating impact not just inside Ukraine and the region but also potential impact on Europe and on the world at large. One of the issues that we at UNHCR really try to stress is that everything is interlinked. So for example, in Ukraine the production of wheat is one of the highest in the world. I believe it's the fifth global producer of wheat. But within the humanitarian context it's providing almost 30% of the wheat that is feeding refugees and those at risk around the world. So we know that for example in Yemen we have the highest number of people who are food insecure. I mean we're talking about people that are living on the brink of famine and it is one of the largest humanitarian emergencies in the world today.

What’s important to note is that all of these issues are not only interlinked but refugees and internally displaced people from Yemen have been in the same situation that Ukrainian refugees are finding themselves in today. So they've been devastated by conflict, they've been uprooted and they don't know what their future holds for them.

Additionally we had Afghan refugees who were hosted inside Ukraine and right now it's very unclear whether or not they've gotten out, whether or not they've gotten to safety, because while we have over 115 staff members in Ukraine, like everyone in Ukraine most of them are bunkered and they're only able to go out and deliver aid when and where it's safe to do so. With the refugees that were already inside Ukraine, it's very hard for us to assess what their situation is.

And finally, there are 8.4 million displaced people around the world. The number is huge and sometimes numbers make it difficult to create that human connection. But with the Ukraine crisis what we've seen is that it has touched each of us so deeply because we see the suffering of mainly 90% women and children. But this is the same situation that refugees from so many other places – Ethiopia, Myanmar, Venezuela … so many places around the world are facing the same challenge.

The High Commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, is in Afghanistan today and we will continue to advocate for and to be there to protect and assist refugees and displaced people and stateless people everywhere. And that has to be the case now with Ukraine as well. But also we have to make sure that other very deserving refugee and displaced population also gets the attention and the support that they need.

What can be done to replace the wheat and the food supplies that would normally have come from Ukraine?

Joung-ah Ghedini- Williams: So I think you know what we've been saying from the beginning, as part of the humanitarian sector we can only be there to support and to try to alleviate some of the needs and some of the challenges that face displaced people around the world. Ultimately, the only solutions are political solutions in the case of Ukraine. It's only peace that will really allow life to return, agriculture to restart, markets and economies to get back to a place where they are able to produce the wheat and the sunflower oil and all the other exports that Ukraine has been known for but also that other countries are dependent on.

In terms of how we're trying to adapt, other agencies like the Food and Agriculture Organization as well as private  sector are looking at alternatives, where else can we increase production or make sure that we're looking at alternative solutions. But It's almost an impossible question right now because until we know the fate of what will happen inside Ukraine with this crisis, it's very difficult to gauge what types of needs we will need to try to accommodate.

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

정아 게디니 윌리엄스 (Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams) 유엔난민기구 긴급구호 조정관 인터뷰

유엔난민기구 공식블로그 2018. 1. 22. 


유엔난민기구는 갑작스러운 분쟁 또는 폭력 사태, 자연 재해 등으로 갑자기 고향을 떠날 수밖에 없게 된 사람들을 보호하고 지원하기 위해 위기 상황에 긴급구호로 신속히 대처합니다. 코펜하겐과 두바이 등 여러 지역에 긴급저장소를 마련하여 필요한 곳으로 구호물품이 신속히 제공될 수 있도록 대비하고 있으며, 물류 및 화물 수송업체를 포함해 관련 기구 및 파트너 기관들과 글로벌 네트워크를 구축하여 체계적으로 긴급구호 상황에 대응하고 있습니다. 72시간 이내 300명 이상의 훈련된 인력을 즉시 동원하고 최대 60만 명을 보호하고 지원할 수 있는 체계와 역량을 갖춘 유엔난민기구의 긴급구호 활동을 좀 더 자세히 알아보기 위해, 긴급구호 조정관(Emergency Response Coordinator)을 만나 현장 이야기를 들어보았습니다. 


Q1. 유엔난민기구 한국 후원자들을 위해 본인 소개를 부탁드립니다.

안녕하세요. 저는 정아 게디니 윌리엄스(Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams)입니다. 유엔난민기구에서 민간 모금 활동을 지원하기 위해 긴급구호 조정관(Emergency Response Coordinator)으로 일하고 있으며, 유엔난민기구에서 일한 지는 이제 거의 20년이 다 되어갑니다. 현재 유엔난민기구의 본부인 스위스 제네바에서 근무하고 있습니다.  

Q2. 긴급구호 조정관으로서 어떤 역할을 하고 계신지 간단히 설명 부탁드립니다.

유엔난민기구는 연간 많은 수의 긴급구호 활동에 관여하고 있는데, 저의 주요 역할은 현재 진행 중이거나 확대되고 있는 전 세계 각지의 긴급구호 현장을 계속해서 모니터하면서 민간 후원 활동과 잘 연계되도록 돕는 것입니다. 즉, 긴급구호 상황이 발생하면 가장 시급한, 생명을 살리는 중요한 활동의 대부분은 여러분과 같은 개인 후원자들의 후원금으로 이루어지는데, 이러한 활동들이 문제없이 잘 진행될 수 있도록 말이지요. 따라서 저는 긴급구호 발생 초기부터 현장에 개입하여, 가장 필요한 요소가 무엇인지, 어떤 직원들이 파견되어야 하는지, 가능한 빠른 시간내에 난민들을 보호하고 지원하기 위해 후원금을 어디에 어떻게 써야하는지 등을 검토하고 조정하는 역할을 하고 있습니다.  

Q3. 현재 가장 긴박한 긴급구호 지역은 어디라고 생각하시나요?

아무래도 가장 눈에 띄는 지역은 방글라데시의 로힝야 난민 긴급구호 현장이겠지요. 저는 최근 그곳을 방문했는데, 현장에서의 필요 정도와 수준을 제 두 눈으로 직접 보고 돌아왔습니다. 그곳에서 아무것도 없이 빈손으로 피난길에 오른 수많은 난민 가족을 만났어요. 남편은 약해진 노모를 부축하고 아내는 어린 두 아이를 이끈 채 수일을 정글과 강을 건너 그곳에 도착한 한 가족은 음식이나 여분의 옷, 그 아무것도 가지고 있지 않았습니다. 현재 방글라데시에서 어떤 일이 벌어지고 있는지 잘 모르는 사람들에게, 저는 사람들이 살아남기 위해 피난을 떠나고 있고, 이들은 임시 거처, 물과 음식, 의료 서비스 등 우리가 삶 가운데 너무 당연히 여기는 기본적인 것들을 아주 시급히 필요로 하고 있다고 전하고 싶습니다. 

하지만 방글라데시 이외에도, 가시적이지는 않지만 그만큼 우리의 관심을 받아 마땅한 다른 긴급구호 지역들도 많이 있습니다. 한 예로, 현재 가장 큰 인도주의 위기 지역 중 하나인 예멘의 경우, 수백만 명의 아이들이 급성 영양실조를 겪고 있고 물도 매우 부족하며 많은 집들은 파괴되었어요. 많은 사람들이 집을 떠나 다른 곳에서 안전한 임시 거처를 찾고 있는 상황입니다. 또한 수년째 내전이 계속되고 있는 시리아도 있지요. 주변국에 머물고 있는 시리아 난민 중 많은 수는 난민촌이 아닌 도시에서 살고 있는데, 이들은 임대한 아파트에 살면서,  아이들을 학교에 보내고 생계벌이를 찾아나서며 최대한 정상적인 삶을 살려고 노력하고 있어요. 많은 수가 6년 혹은 7년째 이런 상태로 살고 있는데, 미디어에서는 예전만큼 관심을 두고 있지 않지만 시리아의 상황은 여전이 심각합니다.    

Q4. 방글라데시 로힝야 긴급구호 현장도 얼마 전 방문하고 오셨는데, 난민들이 어떤 상황에 놓여있는지 좀 더 자세히 이야기를 들려주시겠어요?

저는 그동안 아프리카, 발칸 반도, 남미까지 많은 지역의 긴급구호 현장에서 일한 경험이 있는데, 제가 얼마 전 방문한 방글라데시 긴급구호 현장은 다른 긴급구호 지역들만큼이나 절박하고 많은 것들을 필요로 하고 있었습니다. 폭력 사태가 일어난 8월 25일 이후 63만 명 이의 로힝야 난민 피난길에 올랐습니다.  엄청난 숫자입니다. 많은 이들이 트라우마를 입은 채 매우 약해진 상태로 그곳에 도착하고 있었습니다.  배를 타고 방글라데시로 이동하던 한 가족은 배가 해안가 근처에 다다라서 전복되는 바람에 한 명의 아이를 잃었습니다. 세 명의 자식 중 한 아이를 잃은 어머니는 망연자실한 상태였지만, 남은 두 아이를 위해 용기를 내어 삶을 지속해야 할 뿐만 아니라, 폭력이 만연한 고향 마을에서 겪은 트라우마뿐만 아니라 최근의 피난 여정 가운데 생긴 트라우마를 극복해야 하는 상황에 놓여있습니다.  

이러한 난민들을 보면서 저는 이들이 임시 거처나 조리도구, 의료 서비스, 학교 등의 물질적인 것들 뿐만 아니라, 기본 인권의 ‘보호’를 필요로 한다는 것을 느꼈습니다. 기본 인권을 보장받음으로써 안전함을 느끼고, 소속감을 느끼고, 오랜 기간 얻을 수 없었던 권리를 누릴 수 있게 말이지요. 이처럼 물질적인 필요가 충족될 뿐만 아니라, 이들이 보호를 받고 그들의 존엄성과 안전을 보장받을 수 있는 환경이 있을 때, 비로소 이들은 상처를 치유하고 삶을 재건하고 다시 희망을 느낄 수 있을 것입니다.  

Q5. 그밖에도 난민들과 함께한 특별히 기억에 남는 에피소드나 특별히 기억에 남는 난민이 있다면요?

기억에 남는 난민들이 참 많아요. 저는 제가 만난 난민들을 꽤나 잘 기억하고 있어요. 그들의 얼굴과 같이 나눈 시간들을 기억하고 있고, 그들에 대해 종종 생각하기도 하고요. 얼마 전 방글라데시에서 만난 난민들도 앞으로 몇 년간 제 기억속에 남아있을 거예요. 많은 경우, 난민들의 이야기는 그 당시에는 특별히 비극적이지도 기억에 남아있지도 않은 경우가 많아요. 하지만 한 개인과 개인 사이의 만남으로 생각하면 굉장히 간단하죠.

부룬디 출신 한 난민 가족의 이야기를 들려줄게요. 방수천으로 지은 이 가족의 집을 찾아갔는데, 가족의 아버지는 당시 저와 비슷한 30대 초반이었어요. 그는 완벽한 영어를 구사했고 캐나다에서 석사학위를 받은, 심지어 독일에서도 공부한 교수 출신이었어요. 당시 그가 제게 아이가 있냐고 물었죠. 당시 저는 미혼이었고 아이도 없었죠. 그가 말하길, 자신이 현재 겪고 있는 가장 힘든 점이 집을 잃은 것도 아니고 대학 교수라는 좋은 직업을 잃은 것도 아니라고 했어요. 그를 가장 힘들 게 하는 것은, 자신의 아이들이 한순간 모든 것을 잃고 학교에 다니지도 못하고 더러운 바닥에서 잠을 청하면서 모든 것을 필요로 하는 상태에 놓이게 된 것이라고 했어요. 매우 배고픈 상태로 지내면서 아무것도 없는 아이들의 현실은 그가 아이들에게 주고 싶었던 현실과는 매우 동떨어져 있었지요.

두 아이를 둔 어머니가 된 지금, 저는 가끔씩 그를 생각해요. 당시에는 그가 했던 말을 백프로 이해하지는 못했던 것 같아요. 이제서야 그가 한 말이 어떤 의미였는지가 이해가 돼요. 부모라면 누구라도 자신의 아이가 위험에 처하거나 고통받거나, 학교에 다니지 못하고 두려워서 잠을 제대로 자지 못하는 것을 지켜보는 것이 가장 힘들고 고통스러운 일일 거예요. 가끔 그 가족이 떠올라요. 아이들과 안전한 곳에서 잘 살고 있는지, 학교에 돌아가서 교수로서의 삶을 살고 있는지, 지금 어디에서 지내고 있을지 궁금해요.

Q6. 긴급구호 조정관으로 일하면서 가장 보람있었던 그리고 가장 힘들었던 순간은 언제였나요?

쉽지 않은 질문이네요. 사실 보람있는 순간과 힘든 순간은 때때로 같이 오는 것 같아요. 최근 방글라데시에서 겪은 일인데, 저는 그날을 임시 등록 센터에서 시작했죠. 그곳은 아까 이야기했던 보트를 타고 방글라데시로 이동하던 중에 아이를 잃은 가족, 가족과 헤어져 홀로 이동하는 아이들, 아무도 없이 서로를 의지하며 피난 중인 노부부를 포함해 가장 도움이 필요한 난민들을 만나게 되는 곳이에요. 아무런 보호막도 없이 두려움에 떨며 피난 중인 아이들, 노년을 편안히 즐기지도 못하고 힘든 몸을 이끌고 수풀속을 피난다니는 나이든 난민들을 지켜보는 것은 참 가슴 아픈 일이에요.  

그날 늦게 우리는 유엔난민기구의 도움을 받은 난민들을 찾아갔는데, 사람들은 모두 집을 짓고 있었어요. 대나무를 톱으로 자르고 망치질을 하고 저마다의 집을 만들고 있었죠. 한 여성은 자신이 흙으로 만든 멋진 오븐을 제게 보여줬어요. 유엔난민기구에서 받은 조리도구 세트도 자랑스럽게 보여줬지요. 피난 중에 불을 피우면 발각될까봐 열흘이 넘게 거의 풀과 물만 먹고 이동해야 했는데, 이제서야 가족이 한자리에 모여 식사다운 식사를 할 수 있게 되었다고 말했어요. 그제서야 안전함을 느끼게 되었다고 해요.
절망과 슬픔의 감정으로 시작했던 그날은 매우 긍정적으로 마무리가 된 셈이지요. 제가 그날 겪은 두 가지 극단적인 상황은 모두 제게 중요해요. 난민들이 겪는 절망과 필요뿐만 아니라, 스스로 일어서는 난민들을 지켜보는 것 또한 제가 더욱 열심히 일하도록 만들어주기 때문입니다.
 
Q7. (그동안 일하면서 힘든 순간들도 많았을텐데) 삶의 원동력이 되는 게 있다면 무엇일까요?

솔직히 이야기하면 너무 힘들어서 그만두고 싶은 적도 있었어요. 코소보에서 일하던 당시 너무 바쁘고 힘들어서 거의 2년간 부모님과 여동생을 보지 못한 적도 있었고 몸도 많이 아팠어요. 말라리아에도 두 번이나 걸렸고 온갖 기생충 감염으로 고생하기도 했죠. 매일 현장에서 들리는 절망적이고 충격적인 이야기들에 영향을 받기도 하고요. 하지만 저는 자신이 처한 상황에서도 친절과 용기, 의지를 잃지 않는 난민들의 모습을 보았어요. 가진 게 거의 없어도 저를 집에 초대해서 커피 한잔이라도 나눠주려고 하고 제게 궁금증을 쏟아내는 난민들의 모습에서, 비록 다른 언어를 쓰고 있어지만 진정한 인간적인 교류를 느낄 수 있었어요.

제게 삶의 원동력이 되는 것은 두 가지가 있는데, 우선 제게는 제 아이들이 매우 중요하고 두 아이의 엄마로 살아가는 게 참 즐겁고 좋아요. 아이들이 자신이 좋아하는 일을 하면서 자랄 수 있기를 바라고 있어요. 더불어, 저의 또다른 가족인 유엔난민기구 직원들과 함께 일하는 것이 많은 힘이 되지요. 
 
Q8. 마지막으로 한국의 후원자들에게 남기고 싶은 말이 있다면요?

후원자들은 자신이 돕는 난민들을 볼 기회가 없지만, 저는 그들의 삶이 변화하는 모습을 가까이에서 지켜봤어요. 현장에서는 작은 후원금이라도 매우 큰 도움이 됩니다. 난민들의 삶을 지속하도록 도와줄뿐만 아니라 미래를 설계할 수 있도록 해주고 있습니다. 난민들은 모든것을 잃었고 많은 것을 필요로 합니다. 한국 후원자들은 매우 많은 후원금을 전 세계 난민들에게 전달하고 있고 이는 큰 도움이 되고 있어요. 한국 사람들이 보여주는 큰 공감은 아마도 가족을 중시하는 분위기나 사회적으로 퍼져있는 근면과 열정, 한국 전쟁의 경험, 그동안 한국 사회가 겪은 일련의 발전 과정 등에서 기인하는 것이 아닌가 싶어요. 한국 사람들은 난민과 함께 해야하고 이들의 미래를 위해 같이 노력해야 한다고 목소리를 내고 있는 것이죠.

 

유엔난민기구는 UN 본부로부터 전 세계 난민의 인권과 복지를 지키기 위한 국제적 행동을 이끌고 조정 할 의무를 부여받은 전문 UN 기구로서, 난민이 인간답게 살 수 있는 더 나은 미래를 보장하기 위해 최선을 다하고 있습니다. 지금 이 순간에도 수많은 로힝야 난민들이 폭력을 피해 고향을 떠나고 있습니다. 힘든 현실을 이겨내려 애쓰는 난민들은 우리의 보호와 관심을 누구보다 필요로 하는 사람들입니다. 유엔난민기구의 난민 보호 활동은 여러분과 같은 개인, 단체, 그리고 정부의 자발적인 후원금으로 이루어집니다. 난민들이 아픔을 극복하고 행복을 찾을 수 있도록 오늘 유엔난민기구와 함께 나눔을 실천해주세요. 

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

난민참상 전하는 '유엔의 입'-패티김 딸 길정아씨

<중앙일보 1999.04.07>


[스코페 (마케도니아) =김석환 특파원]코소보와 옛 유고지역의 알바니아계 난민문제가 세계적 관심사로 부상하면서 국제 언론에 자주 등장하는 유엔난민고등판무관실 (UNHCR) 의 마케도니아 담당관 폴라 게디니 (30.여) .

94년 보스니아에서의 난민구호활동을 시작으로 르완다 등지에서 난민문제를 다뤄온 전문가인데다 UNHCR의 보도담당관으로 각국 기자들에게 구호활동에 관한 브리핑을 맡고 있다.

그의 성 (姓) 과 이름, 영어.이탈리아어 발음으로만 보면 영락없는 이탈리아계 미국인이다.

하지만 그는 작곡가인 고 길옥윤씨와 가수 패티 김씨 사이에서 태어난 한국인으로 원래 이름은 길정아. 吉씨가 작곡한 '1990년 정아는 스물한살' 이란 노래의 주인공이다.

지난 5일 스코페의 북대서양조약기구 (나토) 공보센터에서 만난 정아씨는 각국에서 파견된 보도진을 상대하느라 눈코 뜰새 없이 바쁜 모습이었다.

주로 난민들의 생활상과 구호 활동 상황을 설명한다.

그가 UNHCR에서 일하게 된 것은 94년부터. 보스니아에 배치돼 인종과 종교문제에 눈을 뜨기 시작했다.

이듬해 르완다로 옮겨 98년까지 근무하며 후투.투치족의 갈등과 대학살.전쟁 등으로 인한 난민문제를 다뤘다.

98년 11월부터 유고의 베오그라드에서 다시 유고지역 난민문제를 맡게 된 그는 나토의 유고 공습이 있기 이틀전 헝가리의 부다페스트로 철수했다가 마케도니아로 옮겼다.

정아씨가 폴라 게디니로 바뀌는 인생유전은 네살때 어머니가 이탈리아계 사업가이자 지금은 세계적 브랜드가 된 LA기어의 설립자중 한명인 게디니와 재혼하면서 시작됐다.

그는 86년 캘리포니아대 데이비스 캠퍼스에 입학, 정치학과 이탈리아어를 전공했다.

대학 졸업후 컴퓨터회사에서 2년간 일하다 "이게 인생이 아니다" 는 생각에 회사를 그만두고 조지워싱턴대 대학원 국제관계학과에 들어갔다.

대학원에서 난민문제를 연구한 덕에 UNHCR에서 일하게 됐다.

그는 "결혼해 아이도 낳고 싶지만 현재는 일이 있고 이것이 내 인생" 이라며 "전쟁과 고통없는 세상을 위한 일에 보람을 느낀다" 고 피력했다.

또 그는 "한국의 똑똑한 여성들이 국제기구에 많이 진출했으면 좋겠다" 고 덧붙였다.