1 / 16

Eastern Zaire, 1994-1996: Refugees and the Manipulation of Humanitarian Assistance

Eastern Zaire, 1994-1996: Refugees and the Manipulation of Humanitarian Assistance. Stephen J. Stedman PS 114T May 20, 2003. Today’s Talk. 1). The problem of refugee manipulation 2). Why such a recurrent problem? 3). The case of Eastern Zaire 4). What is to be done?.

elsa
Download Presentation

Eastern Zaire, 1994-1996: Refugees and the Manipulation of Humanitarian Assistance

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Eastern Zaire, 1994-1996: Refugees and the Manipulation of Humanitarian Assistance Stephen J. Stedman PS 114T May 20, 2003

  2. Today’s Talk 1). The problem of refugee manipulation 2). Why such a recurrent problem? 3). The case of Eastern Zaire 4). What is to be done?

  3. “It is the manipulation of refugee populations for geopolitical purposes that often presents the greatest threat to refugee security.” UNHCR June 2000

  4. What is a refugee? “Owing to a 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 his 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.” The 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol.

  5. The Modern Refugee Regime Founding Assumptions Realities • A European problem • Individuals • Escaping from political persecution • Legal determination of individual status • Third country resettlement viable • Protecting a legal challenge • Host states capable of meeting obligations A Global Problem Groups Escaping from Violence Often not possible Repatriation Protecting a physical challenge Incapable or unwilling to meet obligations

  6. Rwanda and Eastern Zaire

  7. “Everyone knows what must be done; but who will bell the cat?” Sharyar KhanSpecial Representative of the Secretary GeneralNovember, 1994

  8. “the best way for the United Nations to help improve security in the refugee camps is for UNHCR to address this issue under its refugee protection and humanitarian assistance programs.” Boutros Boutros- Ghali Jan. 17, 1995

  9. Ethical Dilemmas 1). Needs of genuine refugees vs. strengthening warriors 2). Short-term vs. long-term suffering 3). Needs of refugees vs. non-combatants in the home and host country 4). Humanitarianism and sovereignty

  10. Competing Policy Prescriptions 1). Give war a chance 2). Do no harm 3). Minimize harm 4). Let humanitarianism be humanitarianism

  11. UNHCR’s Response 1). Emphasize prevention 2). Responsibility of Host State 3). When prevention fails, civilian and police monitors to assess and report 4). International police or military forces

  12. Operationalizing the Response 1). Humanitarian security officers 2). Report to DPKO 3). DPKO assesses and considers appropriate responses

  13. CISAC Critique 1). Hard to argue against prevention, but … What to do when warriors and host states don’t cooperate? 2). Long on fact finding, short on fact facing

  14. Selective Non-Engagement • Aid to be withheld • When major powers can be shamed • or • When withholding aid likely to seriously limit manipulation

  15. “Nothing empowers people quite like their own survival.”

More Related