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Internally Displaced People:
In Search of Solutions
By Premchandra Kshetri
Since 1975 the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR has been specifically paying attention to the problems of the internally displaced people (IDP). Though causes vary from one state to another, this issue is a legitimate international concern. Mass population displacement owing to various reasons force the affected population to become potential refugees leaving them stranded within their own country without recognition and care.
According to UN sources, the total number of IDP runs as high as 30 million with Asia's own share of 7 million (1995 report). The plights of the internally displaced people are similar to those circumstances that created refugees. Yet lack of access to these people by the international agencies such as Red Cross, Human Rights Commission, UNHRC etc. make the situation grimmer. This is due to the lack of co-ordination between the agencies and the state functionaries.
A thorough approach to the safeguard of basic human rights of the threatened population should be carried out within the territory of their origin. Both pragmatic as well as ethical reasons should support the problems of internally displaced people. In order to understand the subject deeper and clearer, we must know what these internally displaced person means.
According to the Article I of the Conventions of Refugees (1951) combined with Article I of the 1967 protocol of UNHRC a refugee is defined as a person who: "Owing to well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of this nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having
a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it".
Internally displaced people are those people who are forced to abandon their homes by similar circumstances that force a refugee to flee. Yet, they are not entertained the status a refugee enjoys. Will it mean that IDP does not belong to any category? The only difference between an IDP and a refugee is that the IDP does not cross any international boundary or seek refuge to a foreign country. Yet, they bear the same burden; suffer as much as a refugee suffers.
Ethnic clash, natural calamities, religious confrontation, armed conflict, poverty etc. form the core issue. This problem prevails in almost all the societies and states. As all of the affected people are civilians they continue to suffer both politically and economically with adverse effects on their society and culture.
A man's right to live a peaceful living is challenged when any of these problems erupt in the society. One major worry is that these people are denied their basic universal right to live peacefully. Violations of this most fundamental right disturb the psyche of the people and force them to sow the avoidable seeds of hatred and distrust. This rather deteriorates the situation. When there does not exist any corrective mechanism the affected people are stranded, amidst bewilderment, to their own messy arrangements.
In such circumstances, want of a quick solution revolves around the conscience of the concerned population. Question now is, don't they have the right to live peacefully in a trouble free atmosphere? Should not they protest against the systems that fail to protect their means of livelihood and life? Who would deal with them? Do local crisis management program cater to such situations effectively?
In principle IDP should get refugee status because they are victims of the same similar situations and fate. In other words, their rights are violated inhumanly. The affected people are driven out of their homes, out of their means of existence causing economic imbalance and lost of trust in the system. Such situations become breeding grounds for armed insurgency, disturbance to peace and law, drug abuse, unemployment etc. UN and domestic agencies must find a category to place them in and recognize them as "affected people".
Ethnic clash between Kukis and Nagas in Manipur could be cited as one example. Recent earthquake at Bhuj, Gujarat, which forced a section of a population to leave their homes in search of food and shelter, is another example. Kashmiris who have migrated to other parts of the country is yet another example of internally displaced people. Large-scale migration from rural to urban or urban to urban area is also a matter of concern.
No enough domestic knowledge or international law regarding the IDP does exist for the time being. Yet, very much could be done to bring about long lasting solutions to this pervasive phenomena through propaganda and fact finding efforts. Lack of awareness and zero knowledge of ones rights further cause irreparable damage to the affected population.
Measures, both domestic and international, should be formulated to prevent the situations from spreading and worsening. Investigations for a close analysis would contribute to corrective measures and solutions. This problems should not be allowed to remain as concepts in the books only. Protection of human rights and safeguard of one's right to peaceful living should be respected.
Solving their problems is one way to do service to humanity. We must understand that humans are for humanity's sake. We must find an answer.
(The writer is based in New Delhi)
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