The International Protection of Internally Displaced Persons (Cambridge Studies in International and Comparative Law, Series Number 38)

Despite the fact that there are up to 25 million internally displaced persons around the world, their plight is still little known. Like refugees, internally displaced persons have been forced to leave their homes because of war and human rights abuses, but they have not left their country. This has major consequences in terms of the protection available to them. This 2005 book aims to offer a clear and easily accessible overview of this important humanitarian and human rights challenge. In contrast with other books on the topic, it provides an objective evaluation of UN efforts to protect the internally displaced. It will be of interest to all those involved with the internally displaced, as well as anyone seeking to gain an overall understanding of this complex issue. ISBN-13: 9780521826860 Half-title 3 Series-title 5 Title 7 Copyright 8 Dedication 9 Contents 11 Acknowledgments 14 Table of cases 16 Table of treaties and other international documents 18 Abbreviations 20 Introduction 23 Internal displacement and containment policies 25 A problem of international concern 28 Analysing the problem of internal displacement within a human rights framework 31 1 Internally displaced persons and refugees: conceptual differences and similarities 35 Refugees and internally displaced persons 38 The concept of refugee 38 The importance of the border-crossing element: inherent to the concept of refugeehood or imposed by international law? 44 Refugees and internally displaced persons: a legal synthesis? 46 The problem raised by formulating a legal definition of the internally displaced 48 Defining internally displaced persons 50 The transposition of the refugee definition 50 Situations leading to internal displacement 51 Attempts at a definition 55 When does internal displacement end? 58 Conclusion 59 2 The legal protection of internally displaced persons 61 An overview of the law applicable to situations of internal displacement 62 Protection of internally displaced persons under human rights law 64 Protection under humanitarian law 66 Refugee law as a point of comparison 69 Towards the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement 70 Gaps in the normative framework of protection 70 Strengthening legal protection for the internally displaced 74 Legal analysis of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement 78 A comprehensive approach to internal displacement 78 A reformulation of existing law 80 The borderline between the restatement of existing law and the creation of new law 82 An example: the right of restitution of property in international law 83 The weaknesses 87 Beyond the Guiding Principles? 88 A practical document intended for the field 88 Application of the Guiding Principles 91 State concerns about the Guiding Principles 93 Towards a legally binding instrument? 95 Conclusion 96 3 The institutional framework of protection for the internally displaced 98 The role of UNHCR with regard to internally displaced persons 99 UNHCR’s mandate 99 Increasing involvement with internally displaced persons 102 Criteria for involvement 104 An extended role for UNHCR? 106 UNHCR’s ambivalence toward internally displaced persons 106 Proposals to improve the UN response to crises of internal displacement 107 Reactions 109 Risks of politicisation and operational problems 112 Formulating coherent IDP policies in other international agencies 114 Intervening in situations of armed conflict: the International Committee of the Red Cross 115 Responding to specific IDP needs: the World Food Programme, the International Organization for Migration and the World ... 118 Dealing with vulnerable groups: the United Nations Children’s Fund 121 Bridging the gap between emergency relief and development: the United Nations Development Programme 122 Human rights mechanisms 124 Improving the UN response to crises of internal displacement 124 The role of OCHA 125 Mechanisms for initiating and coordinating UN action for the internally displaced 127 Promoting a common understanding of the IDP problem: the OCHA Internal Displacement Unit 132 Coordination in the field 133 Conclusion 137 4 Protection strategies for the internally displaced 139 Defining protection for internally displaced persons 140 Focusing on human rights protection 140 Defining preventive protection 144 Means of protection for internally displaced persons 147 Protection through humanitarian assistance 147 Engaging in more proactive protection strategies 152 A particular protection strategy: providing protection in safe areas 158 Protection through evacuation 162 Protection upon return, resettlement and reintegration 163 Special protection strategies for vulnerable groups of internally displaced persons 164 Internally displaced women 165 Internally displaced children 167 Other vulnerable groups of internally displaced persons: older persons and the handicapped 169 New initiatives 170 Mainstreaming IDP protection issues within the UN 170 An extended role for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 173 Conclusion 174 5 Case study: internal displacement in Bosnia and Herzegovina 177 Background to the crisis 179 Overview of displacement (1991-1996) 179 The failure of international diplomacy 182 EU asylum and immigration policies 183 International responses to internal displacement 187 Preventive protection 187 Delivery of humanitarian assistance 189 Protection in situ? 191 Creation of safe areas 193 International responsibility towards the internally displaced 196 Over-emphasis on assistance to the detriment of protection 197 Manipulation of UNHCR? 200 An implicit acceptance of the partition of Bosnia and Herzegovina 201 Recreating the pre-war Bosnia and Herzegovina? 204 Reversing ethnic cleansing: strategies for the return of refugees and internally displaced persons 206 Initial obstacles to minority returns (1996-2000) 206 At the heart of the return process: solving property disputes 213 Return or relocation? 217 Increased minority returns (2000-2003) 223 Conclusion 227 6 Reconceiving sovereignty and intervention 230 Internal displacement and sovereignty issues 231 Internal displacement as a ‘symptom of state dysfunction’ 231 The erosion of sovereignty by human rights law 234 Sovereignty as responsibility 239 Situations of internal displacement justifying external intervention 241 Threats to international peace and security and displacement 241 Internal displacement and human rights violations 245 The special case of failed states 246 Means of intervention and impact on IDP protection issues 248 Securing humanitarian access through international pressure and negotiation 248 Military intervention and its limits: lessons from Kosovo 250 Beyond military intervention: post-intervention obligations 253 Conclusion 254 Conclusions 257 Refugees and internally displaced persons: different frameworks of analysis 257 Internal displacement as a human rights issue 259 Possible improvements to the UN’s response to the problem of internal displacement 261 Internal displacement, human rights and sovereignty 263 Annex 1 The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement 266 Introduction-Scope and Purpose 266 Section I. General Principles 267 Principle 1 267 Principle 2 267 Principle 3 267 Principle 4 267 Section II. Principles Relating to Protection from Displacement 268 Principle 5 268 Principle 6 268 Principle 7 268 Principle 8 269 Principle 9 269 Section III. Principles Relating to Protection During Displacement 269 Principle 10 269 Principle 11 270 Principle 12 270 Principle 13 270 Principle 14 271 Principle 15 271 Principle 16 271 Principle 17 271 Principle 18 272 Principle 19 272 Principle 20 272 Principle 21 273 Principle 22 273 Principle 23 273 Section IV. Principles Relating to Humanitarian Assistance 274 Principle 24 274 Principle 25 274 Principle 26 274 Principle 27 275 Section V. Principles Relating to Return, Resettlement and Reintegration 275 Principle 28 275 Principle 29 275 Principle 30 276 Bibliography 277 WEBSITES 300 Index 301 Half-title......Page 3 Series-title......Page 5 Title......Page 7 Copyright......Page 8 Dedication......Page 9 Contents......Page 11 Acknowledgments......Page 14 Table of cases......Page 16 Table of treaties and other international documents......Page 18 Abbreviations......Page 20 Introduction......Page 23 Internal displacement and containment policies......Page 25 A problem of international concern......Page 28 Analysing the problem of internal displacement within a human rights framework......Page 31 1 Internally displaced persons and refugees: conceptual differences and similarities......Page 35 The concept of refugee......Page 38 The importance of the border-crossing element: inherent to the concept of refugeehood or imposed by international law?......Page 44 Refugees and internally displaced persons: a legal synthesis?......Page 46 The problem raised by formulating a legal definition of the internally displaced......Page 48 The transposition of the refugee definition......Page 50 Situations leading to internal displacement......Page 51 Attempts at a definition......Page 55 When does internal displacement end?......Page 58 Conclusion......Page 59 2 The legal protection of internally displaced persons......Page 61 An overview of the law applicable to situations of internal displacement......Page 62 Protection of internally displaced persons under human rights law......Page 64 Protection under humanitarian law......Page 66 Refugee law as a point of comparison......Page 69 Gaps in the normative framework of protection......Page 70 Strengthening legal protection for the internally displaced......Page 74 A comprehensive approach to internal displacement......Page 78 A reformulation of existing law......Page 80 The borderline between the restatement of existing law and the creation of new law......Page 82 An example: the right of restitution of property in international law......Page 83 The weaknesses......Page 87 A practical document intended for the field......Page 88 Application of the Guiding Principles......Page 91 State concerns about the Guiding Principles......Page 93 Towards a legally binding instrument?......Page 95 Conclusion......Page 96 3 The institutional framework of protection for the internally displaced......Page 98 UNHCR’s mandate......Page 99 Increasing involvement with internally displaced persons......Page 102 Criteria for involvement......Page 104 UNHCR’s ambivalence toward internally displaced persons......Page 106 Proposals to improve the UN response to crises of internal displacement......Page 107 Reactions......Page 109 Risks of politicisation and operational problems......Page 112 Formulating coherent IDP policies in other international agencies......Page 114 Intervening in situations of armed conflict: the International Committee of the Red Cross......Page 115 Responding to specific IDP needs: the World Food Programme, the International Organization for Migration and the World .........Page 118 Dealing with vulnerable groups: the United Nations Children’s Fund......Page 121 Bridging the gap between emergency relief and development: the United Nations Development Programme......Page 122 Improving the UN response to crises of internal displacement......Page 124 The role of OCHA......Page 125 Mechanisms for initiating and coordinating UN action for the internally displaced......Page 127 Promoting a common understanding of the IDP problem: the OCHA Internal Displacement Unit......Page 132 Coordination in the field......Page 133 Conclusion......Page 137 4 Protection strategies for the internally displaced......Page 139 Focusing on human rights protection......Page 140 Defining preventive protection......Page 144 Protection through humanitarian assistance......Page 147 Engaging in more proactive protection strategies......Page 152 A particular protection strategy: providing protection in safe areas......Page 158 Protection through evacuation......Page 162 Protection upon return, resettlement and reintegration......Page 163 Special protection strategies for vulnerable groups of internally displaced persons......Page 164 Internally displaced women......Page 165 Internally displaced children......Page 167 Other vulnerable groups of internally displaced persons: older persons and the handicapped......Page 169 Mainstreaming IDP protection issues within the UN......Page 170 An extended role for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights......Page 173 Conclusion......Page 174 5 Case study: internal displacement in Bosnia and Herzegovina......Page 177 Overview of displacement (1991-1996)......Page 179 The failure of international diplomacy......Page 182 EU asylum and immigration policies......Page 183 Preventive protection......Page 187 Delivery of humanitarian assistance......Page 189 Protection in situ?......Page 191 Creation of safe areas......Page 193 International responsibility towards the internally displaced......Page 196 Over-emphasis on assistance to the detriment of protection......Page 197 Manipulation of UNHCR?......Page 200 An implicit acceptance of the partition of Bosnia and Herzegovina......Page 201 Recreating the pre-war Bosnia and Herzegovina?......Page 204 Initial obstacles to minority returns (1996-2000)......Page 206 At the heart of the return process: solving property disputes......Page 213 Return or relocation?......Page 217 Increased minority returns (2000-2003)......Page 223 Conclusion......Page 227 6 Reconceiving sovereignty and intervention......Page 230 Internal displacement as a ‘symptom of state dysfunction’......Page 231 The erosion of sovereignty by human rights law......Page 234 Sovereignty as responsibility......Page 239 Threats to international peace and security and displacement......Page 241 Internal displacement and human rights violations......Page 245 The special case of failed states......Page 246 Securing humanitarian access through international pressure and negotiation......Page 248 Military intervention and its limits: lessons from Kosovo......Page 250 Beyond military intervention: post-intervention obligations......Page 253 Conclusion......Page 254 Refugees and internally displaced persons: different frameworks of analysis......Page 257 Internal displacement as a human rights issue......Page 259 Possible improvements to the UN’s response to the problem of internal displacement......Page 261 Internal displacement, human rights and sovereignty......Page 263 Introduction-Scope and Purpose......Page 266 Principle 4......Page 267 Principle 7......Page 268 Principle 10......Page 269 Principle 13......Page 270 Principle 17......Page 271 Principle 20......Page 272 Principle 23......Page 273 Principle 26......Page 274 Principle 29......Page 275 Principle 30......Page 276 Bibliography......Page 277 WEBSITES......Page 300 Index......Page 301 Despite The Fact That There Are Up To 25 Million Internally Displaced Persons Around The World, Their Plight Is Still Little Known. Like Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons Have Been Forced To Leave Their Homes Because Of War And Human Rights Abuses, But They Have Not Left Their Country. 1. Internally Displaced Persons And Refugees : Conceptual Differences And Similarities -- 2. The Legal Protection Of Internally Displaced Persons -- 3. The Institutional Framework Of Protection For The Internally Displaced -- 4. Protection Strategies For The Internally Displaced -- 5. Case Study : Internal Displacement In Bosnia And Herzegovina -- 6. Reconceiving Sovereignty And Intervention -- Annex 1. The Guiding Principles On Internal Displacement. Catherine Phuong. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 255-278) And Index.