Refugees, Exiles, and Refugees, Exiles, and Displacement in the Displacement in the Contemporary WorldContemporary World

Key definitionsKey definitions

• Migrants: (leave voluntary Migrants: (leave voluntary (documented and nondocumented--(documented and nondocumented--illegal aliens)illegal aliens)

• Refugees: forced to leaveRefugees: forced to leave

• Internally Displaced people (IPS)Internally Displaced people (IPS)– within national borderswithin national borders

Forced Migrations: Forced Migrations: A History ofA History ofRefugees and Displaced PersonsRefugees and Displaced Persons

– Triangular slave trade Triangular slave trade (c.10 million 1710-1820)(c.10 million 1710-1820)

– Settler economies:Settler economies:• Australian convicts (165,000 1786-1850)Australian convicts (165,000 1786-1850)• the Trail of Tears (16,000 Cherokee 1830s: GA-OK)the Trail of Tears (16,000 Cherokee 1830s: GA-OK)• apartheidapartheid

– Colonial economies and famine Colonial economies and famine • e.g., Irish potato famine 1840s – several million leavee.g., Irish potato famine 1840s – several million leave

– World War I – 6 million displacedWorld War I – 6 million displaced– World War II – 45 million worldwideWorld War II – 45 million worldwide

• 1939-47 – 27 million displaced in Europe1939-47 – 27 million displaced in Europe

Causes 1: Causes 1: Colonial origins of Colonial origins of dispossessiondispossession

•Colonial processes:Colonial processes:– ‘‘tribes’ and ‘ethnic groups’ fixed tribes’ and ‘ethnic groups’ fixed

identitiesidentities– Racialized class divisionsRacialized class divisions

•Certain groups favored for colonial serviceCertain groups favored for colonial service

•Racism, law, and settlementRacism, law, and settlement

•Differential access to material resourcesDifferential access to material resources

•Migrant labor recruitment systemsMigrant labor recruitment systems

Causes 2. Causes 2. Nationalist origins of Nationalist origins of dispossessiondispossession

• Nationalist responses to ethnic differences Nationalist responses to ethnic differences • Modernize, assimilate,Modernize, assimilate,

– Modernization process generates social dislocationsModernization process generates social dislocations– Assimilation: E.g., Ethiopia Amaharic hegemonic Assimilation: E.g., Ethiopia Amaharic hegemonic

drive: language, religion, music, dressdrive: language, religion, music, dress• Physical violence and intimidationPhysical violence and intimidation

• MarginalizationMarginalization– Access to jobs, discrimination, racialized lawsAccess to jobs, discrimination, racialized laws

• Voluntary out-migrationVoluntary out-migration• Forced expulsionForced expulsion

Causes 3: War and Causes 3: War and displacementdisplacement

• Classical WarClassical War: World War I, World War II: World War I, World War II

• Cold WarCold War: Korea, Viet-Nam, wars of : Korea, Viet-Nam, wars of national liberation as proxy warsnational liberation as proxy wars

• Gang WarGang War, identity-based warfare, rise of , identity-based warfare, rise of failed states, warlords, ethnic conflict, war failed states, warlords, ethnic conflict, war for sex & loot, transnational criminal for sex & loot, transnational criminal cartels, terrorist-criminal alliances, global cartels, terrorist-criminal alliances, global crime as a profitable business modelcrime as a profitable business model

Representative Representative “Warlords”“Warlords”

• IraqIraq– Saddam HusseinSaddam Hussein

• YugoslaviaYugoslavia– Slobodan MilosevicSlobodan Milosevic– Franjo TudjmanFranjo Tudjman– Radovan KaradzicRadovan Karadzic

• CambodiaCambodia– Pol PotPol Pot

• SomaliaSomalia– Mohammed AideedMohammed Aideed

• Sierra LeoneSierra Leone– Foday SankohFoday Sankoh

• HaitiHaiti– Raoul CedrasRaoul Cedras

• Many OthersMany Others– from Angola & Congofrom Angola & Congo– to Afghanistan & Colombiato Afghanistan & Colombia

Causes 3. Neo-Liberal origins Causes 3. Neo-Liberal origins of dispossessionof dispossession

• ColonialColonial nationalnational borders borders• The ‘state’ is the enemyThe ‘state’ is the enemy

– Weak. Indebted. Corrupt. Comprador.Weak. Indebted. Corrupt. Comprador.– Militarization. Militarization. – Structural adjustment, debt, and povertyStructural adjustment, debt, and poverty– Reactions: Defense of the ‘nation’ against the Reactions: Defense of the ‘nation’ against the

state – e.g., state – e.g., Zapatistas and the Militia movementZapatistas and the Militia movement

• Economic crises and unemploymentEconomic crises and unemployment• Famine and environmental crisisFamine and environmental crisis

Where do refugees go?Where do refugees go?

• Displaced within a countryDisplaced within a country• Neighboring countriesNeighboring countries• Burden on poor nationsBurden on poor nations• Asylum countries and citiesAsylum countries and cities• Economic, Social, Legal, Medical impacts of Economic, Social, Legal, Medical impacts of

RefugeesRefugees• ““Host” Nations and Hostility towards refugeesHost” Nations and Hostility towards refugees• Anti-Immigration MovementsAnti-Immigration Movements

International Agencies and the International Agencies and the Evolution of Refugee PoliciesEvolution of Refugee Policies

• UNHCR and NGOs and their policiesUNHCR and NGOs and their policies• Promote voluntary repatriation (requires Promote voluntary repatriation (requires

dramatic changes at home)dramatic changes at home)• Promote integration in new society (problem: Promote integration in new society (problem:

resistance of hosts)resistance of hosts)• Seek resettlement in a third country Seek resettlement in a third country • Vulnerable Position: Economically, Legally, Vulnerable Position: Economically, Legally,

Politically, PsychologicallyPolitically, Psychologically

Global refugee population, 1975-1995Global refugee population, 1975-1995

• Year MillionsYear Millions Year MillionsYear Millions

• 1975 2.41975 2.4 1989 14.81989 14.8

• 1977 2.81977 2.8 1990 14.91990 14.9

• 1978 3.31978 3.3 1991 17.21991 17.2

• 1979 4.61979 4.6 1992 171992 17

• 1980 5.71980 5.7 1993 18.21993 18.2

• 1981 8.21981 8.2 1994 16.21994 16.2

• 1982 9.81982 9.8 1995 14.41995 14.4

• 1983 10.41983 10.4 2002 222002 22

• 1984 10.91984 10.9

• 1985 10.51985 10.5

• 1986 11.61986 11.6

• 1987 12.41987 12.4

• 1988 13.31988 13.3 Source: UNHCR web site Source: UNHCR web site

Global Refugee PopulationGlobal Refugee Population

• http://http://www.unhcr.chwww.unhcr.ch

• http://http://www.iom.intwww.iom.int//

• http://www.state.gov/www/global/prm/index.hthttp://www.state.gov/www/global/prm/index.htmlml

Africa’s first ‘modern’ refugee crisis occurred in the late 1950s during Algeria’s independence struggle. UNHCR provided assistance for 200,000 refugees who fled to surrounding countries.

UNHCR/533/1961 S.Wrighthttp://www.unhcr.ch/pictorial/photo01.html

As colonialism came to a close, conflicts erupted in many parts of Africa in the 1960s including, not for the last time, strife in the central African state of Rwanda.

UNHCR/1149/1964/W.McCoy

An estimated three million persons, including these Vietnamese boat people arriving in Malaysia in 1978, fled in the wake of the various conflicts in Indochina.

UNHCR/8268/1978/K.Gaugler

A cycle of repression and violence engulfed Central America in the 1980s and more than 300,000 people, including this Guatemalan woman in Mexico, received assistance.

UNHCR/12177/1982/M.Vanappelghem

Drought and war resulted in a massive influx of Ethiopians into Sudan during the 1980s and tens of thousands of persons died before a relief effort became effective.

UNHCR/15065/1985/M.Vanappelghem

Nearly 1.5 million Mozambicans fled civil war to neighboring countries in the 1980s, receiving assistance and education. In 1992, UNHCR began helping them return home in the largest repatriation of refugees in African history.

UNHCR/18024/1988/A.Hollmann

By late 1991 nearly 750,000 Somalis were sheltering in Ethiopia’s Hararghe region and the need for wood became a serious environmental burden in one of Africa’s most inhospitable spots.

UNHCR/21053/1991/B.Press

War and displacement ripped through West Africa in the last few years. More than 800,000 Liberians fled their homeland in the early 1990s, followed by tens of thousands of Sierra Leoneans. The supply of clean water was essential to prevent the spread of disease.

UNHCR/23112/1993/L.Taylor

The 1994 genocide in Rwanda triggered a massive exodus into neighboring Zaire and Tanzania where huge refugee camps such as the one established in the Ngara area of Tanzania sprung up.

UNHCR/25192/1995/C.Sattlberger

The Gulf War in the early 1990s was followed by the exodus of 1.5 million Iraqi Kurds. Some refugees, including these children, were able to return home within weeks. Many are still displaced.

UNHCR/21008/1991/A.Roulet

Within days of NATO’s air strikes against Serb positions in 1999, nearly one million civilians fled or were forced into exile from Kosovo, including these civilians at a border crossing with neighboring Macedonia.

UNHCR/29015/1999/R.LeMoyne

Conflict Specifics for Conflict Specifics for 1995-20001995-2000

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000HIC Levels Off

LIC Business is Good

Internal Political & Ethnic Violence Goes Through the Roof

High-Intensity Conflict Low-Intensity Conflict Internal War

Source: PIOOM (NL), data with permission © A. Jongman

Collateral Specifics for Collateral Specifics for 20002000

Complex Emergencies29 Countries

Refugees/Displaced67 Countries

Food Security27 Countries

Child Soldiers42 Countries

Modern ‘Plagues’‘#’ countries

Peacekeeping Forces18 UN, 20 Other

Landmines62 Countries

Torture Common94 Countries

Corruption Common78 Countries

Censorship Very High63 Countries

*State of the World Atlas, 2000, all others from PIOOM Map

Major Displacement and Return in 2000Afghanistan (250,000 newly displaced; 172,000 flee to Pakistan; 183,000 repatriate from Iran; another 76,000 repatriate from Pakistan); Angola (300,000 civil war); Bosnia (59,300 return home); Burundi (150,000 flee from civil war); Colombia (315,000 political violence; 266,000 leave the country); Congo-Kinshasa (1 million flee war and atrocities); East Timor (40,000 repatriate from West Timor); Eritrea (750,000 flee border war with neighboring Ethiopia); Guinea (60,000 Guineans flee from attacks by rebels from Sierra Leone); Indonesia (800,000 displaced by religious and ethnic violence); Kosovo (9,900 newly displaced; more than 100,000 Kosovars repatriate); Liberia (50,000 Liberians flee insurgent attacks and retaliations by Liberia troops); Philippines (800,000 temporarily displaced; 650,000 return home by year's end); Sierra Leone (210,000 flee renewed civil war and rebel atrocities); Sri Lanka (230,000 temporarily displaced); Sudan (100,000 forced from homes by civil war and aeal bombing); Uganda (120,000 newly uprooted by insurgency and atrocities).

These numbers reflect movement during the year, not necessarily year-end totals.

Which is ‘normal’? Which is ‘normal’? Peace or violence?Peace or violence?