|
Abstract
Refuge and Displacement in Africa
Paper Presented to The Conference
African
University
Congress On:
"Africa is a Disaster Focus Why?"
By: Hassan Aiatiya Musa.
This paper is following on the situation of refugees and IDPs in Africa;
it is an
explanation of
the two
distinguished
phenomena in the
population
movement in
Africa, which
are
characterized as
forced
migration.
People are
forced to leave
their places of
habitual
residence for
reasons of man
made or natural
disasters ,
which are common
in the 3rd
world countries
and in
particular
,Africa , which
has suffered of
foreign
aggression and
occupation , in
addition to
internal
conflicts and
tribal fightings
. Drought and
desertification
and famine are
also
contributing as
common factors .
So causes of
refuge and
displacement are
mostly political
, based on
competition over
power and
personal
conflicting
interests . In
north Africa
(Morocco
Belesarion ) .
In the Horn of
Africa (Ethiopia
and Somalia
over the region
of Ogden )
Ethiopia
border
questions) .In
Sudan (civil war
in the S.Sudan)
though ended
but flamed in
the west and the
east of the
Sudan ).
The paper has also explained the
definition of
the population
movement and the
changing people
use legal
documents to
cross the
international
borders , but
still there are
people who
manage to cross
these borders
without any
documents and
they are faced
by danger and a
lot of
difficulties .
Refugees and IDPs are similar in such
aspects but they
are different in
many other
respects .
Refugees
normally cross
the bordersΈ
while IDPs
remain within
the borders of
their own
countries and
they have
problems of
protection .
There is well-
known
definitions for
refugees , while
the IDPs
definition is
still under
consideration
though the
definition given
by Dr. Francis
Deng assistant
secretary
general of UN is
generally
accepted .
Even the concept of the refugees
is continuously
changing , in
1951 the
convention has
defined
refugees as
those who have
been affected by
the war in
Europe and found
themselves out
side their
countries before
18 January 1951.
The term refugee
applies only to
those who were
in Europe. But
when the
problems
escalated, other
countries were
included 1967
the protocol
abolished the
limitation of
time and
territories in
1969 the unity
of African
organization
added to the
continent (The
term foreign )
aggression and
occupation , as
if it is
defending the
system of
government of
the African
states which are
in most cases
non democratic
and
authoritative .
The paper has
also discussed
the problems and
impacts of
refugees and
IDPs in Africa ,
and also the
problems that
the refugees
started to face
.
In many cases the neighboring
countries
started to
resent the flows
of refugees and
even the
industrial
states who used
to provide
generous
assistance to
refugees and
resettlement
countries of
refugees started
to slow down and
reduce their
assistance to
the minimum . At
the same time
they have taken
restrictive
measures towards
the entrance of
refugees into
their countries
.
At the end the paper discussed
the universally
accepted
solution of the
problem of
refugees and
IDPs .
Repatriation,
local
integration and
resettlement in
a 3rd
country in case
of refugees and
relocation in
the same country
in case of IDPs
.
These solutions have been
generally
implemented, but
this were not
very much
effective .The
problems of
refugees and
IDPs is still
standing and the
office UNHCR is
still working
and renewed
every five years
, while
expanding around
the world , and
there is no hope
on the horizon
to end the
refugee or IDPs
problems .
It is high time that the African
states should
give full
attention to
these miserable
conditions of
the people who
are suffering of
refuge and
displacement and
try to resolve
their problems
within the
context of the
African
traditional
means.
|
