Masses in Flight The Global Crisis of Internal Displacement

by Cohen, Roberta; Deng, Francis M.

• ISBN13: 9780815715122
• ISBN10: 0815715129
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-03-01
• Publisher: Brookings Institution Press

Summary

Since the end of the Cold War, increasing numbers of people have been forced to leave their homes as a result of armed conflict, internal strife, and systematic violations of human rights. Whereas refugees crossing national borders benefit from an established system of international protection and assistance, those who are displaced internally suffer from an absence of legal or institutional bases for their protection and assistance from the international community.This book analyzes the causes and consequences of displacement, including its devastating impact both within and beyond the borders of affected countries. It sets forth strategies for preventing displacement, a special legal framework tailored to the needs of the displaced, more effective institutional arrangements at the national, regional, and international levels, and increased capacities to address the protection, human rights, and reintegration and development needs of the displaced.

Author Biography

Roberta Cohen is a guest scholar at the Brookings Institution and serves as codirector of its Project on Internal Displacement Francis M. Deng is a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy Studies program at the Brookings Institution. Since 1992, he has been Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons

Table of Contents

Preface	xix
Kofi Annan
1. Introduction	1	(14)
2. Global Overview	15	(58)
Framing a Definition	16	(3)
Causes of Internal Displacement	19	(4)
Impact of Displacement	23	(3)
Internally Displaced Persons as a Special Category	26	(3)
Why Internally Displaced Persons Do Not Become Refugees	29	(2)
Statistics on Internally Displaced Persons	31	(4)
When Does Displacement End?	35	(4)
Regional Dynamics	39	(32)
Conclusion	71	(2)
3. Legal Framework	73	(53)
Applicable Law in Recognized Situations	77	(8)
Protection against Forced Displacement	85	(7)
Protecting the Particular Needs of Internally Displaced Persons	92	(21)
International Provision of Humanitarian Assistance	113	(9)
Conclusion	122	(4)
4. Institutional Arrangements	126	(61)
Mandates and Capacities of Operational Organizations	128	(15)
Coordination by the Emergency Relief Coordinator	143	(8)
UN Human Rights System	151	(5)
Representative of the Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons	156	(3)
Gaps in the International System	159	(9)
Options for Institutional Reform	168	(4)
Steps to Improve the Current System	172	(12)
Conclusion	184	(3)
5. The Role of Nongovernmental Organizations	187	(26)
Selection of NGOs	189	(1)
Mandates and Policies on Internally Displaced Persons	189	(2)
Definitional Issues	191	(1)
Scope of Assistance Activities and the Need for Coordination	191	(2)
Improving NGO Practices	193	(2)
Protection and Human Rights Concerns	195	(12)
Promoting Durable Solutions	207	(2)
Conclusion	209	(4)
6. Regional Responses	213	(26)
Africa: Grappling with Sovereignty	214	(9)
Europe: Preventive Diplomacy	223	(5)
The Americas: Institutional Innovations	228	(4)
The Middle East: A Narrow Focus	232	(2)
Asia: Organizational Vacuum	234	(2)
Conclusion	236	(3)
7. Strategies and Recommendations	239	(66)
Preventive Strategies	240	(15)
Protection Integrated with Assistance	254	(26)
Enforcement Measures When Human Rights Abuses Are Gross and Systematic	280	(4)
Solutions	284	(19)
Conclusion	303	(2)
Appendix: Proposed Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement	305	(12)
Notes	317	(84)
Index	401