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Kosovars at Fort Dix: The Story of ‘Operation Provide Refuge’ SEARAC announces the publication of this new booklet entitled Kosovars at Fort Dix: The Story of ‘Operation Provide Refuge’ Developed by SEARAC for the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Department of Health and Human Services, which was the Operation’s lead agency, the booklet describes events involved in the unprecedented refugee "camp" for refugees from Kosovo, established at the New Jersey military installation from May to July 1999. It traces the Operation from its White House beginning through the cessation of hostilities in the Balkans and the departure of more than 4,000 Kosovar refugees into resettlement in communities throughout the United States. It provides detailed discussions of administrative arrangements by ORR, the Army, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, voluntary resettlement agencies and others, of refugee arrival and processing, of camp life, of refugee health, volunteer provision of goods and services by the American public, and resettlement locations. Based on in-depth interviews with many of those who took part and on scrutiny of hundreds of official documents, the booklet was written by a veteran of the refugee movement who himself participated in the Operation. Concluding that "by any reasonable measure, Operation Provide Refuge was a resounding success," the report notes the success of Federal, State and private agencies with widely divergent interests, missions, cultures and laws to uphold who were able to function effectively — almost seamlessly — when given a common task and dedicated leadership and staff. It extends particular praise to "the enthusiastic generosity of thousands of American volunteers and businesses" and to the American communications media "for telling the refugee story of need and response with warmth and compassion." Operation Provide Refuge "rekindled and reaffirmed the sacred and historic American ideal of providing welcome, shelter and hope to those who are persecuted and rejected in their own lands," it states. Copies of the 52-page booklet may be ordered without charge (shipping and handling are included) from SEARAC by mail, e-mail, or telephone.
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