Kenneth Bacon, 1944 - 2009

Brussels Ken Bacon, President of Refugees International, passed away this past weekend.

For those who were not lucky enough to know Ken, his career trajectory would seem incongruous: hard-nosed investigative journalist for the Wall Street Journal for 25 years, spokesperson for the U.S. Pentagon for nearly a decade under President Clinton, and president of a highly respected humanitarian NGO since 2001. But for his legion of friends, family and colleagues, Ken's life and career were marked seamlessly by the qualities of principle, humanitarianism, and personal sacrifice.  His was a strong, unwavering advocate in defense of the world's most vulnerable people in places like Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, Congo, and Sudan.  He took on the toughest issues - such as the treatment of Iraqi refugees in 2005 - long before they became fashionable.  Under his purposeful leadership, Refugees International enhanced its global leadership role in focusing attention on the world's displaced community and identifying solutions to better their plight.  The world has lost one of its foremost voices of conscience.  Ken's many friends within Crisis Group extend our deepest condolences to his family.