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Tent Wars: Conflict-Induced Displacement and Displacement-Induced Conflict in Africa Rebecca Rushing. Data Sources: UNHCR Statistical Yearbook 2001; Major Episodes of Political Violence 1946-2002, a document by Monty G. Marshall, Director for the Center for Systematic Peace.
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Tent Wars:Conflict-Induced Displacement and Displacement-Induced Conflict in AfricaRebecca Rushing Data Sources: UNHCR Statistical Yearbook 2001; Major Episodes of Political Violence 1946-2002, a document by Monty G. Marshall, Director for the Center for Systematic Peace
What is a Refugee? • 1951 Geneva Convention: • “A person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution.” • Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) are not refugees • Soldiers, gunmen, terrorists, and criminals are not allowed refugee status
Why Flee? • Governments are unable or unwilling to enforce laws • Often due to conflict or civil unrest • Lives are threatened because of race, religion, or creed • By the government of a state or any other group that the government refuses to or is powerless to stop. • Economic migrants are not considered refugees by international law
Where do Refugees Go? • Responsibility of nearest bordering countries or territories • Once refugees migrate to another country, it is a “host country”, with the responsibility to care for those refugees under the 1951 Geneva Convention • States overwhelmed by large numbers of refugees often will offer temporary protection, allowing refugees to live in camps within the host country’s borders Tanzania, 1994; Thousands of displaced Rwandans struggled to protect themselves from the elements at the Benako, Tanzania refugee camp
African Refugee Crisis • Refugees leaving their homes because of conflict in Africa often are hosted by countries with similar levels of conflict • Host countries are burdened with massive numbers of refugees, often hundreds of thousands arriving all at once • Refugee migrations have the potential to make the host countries’ conflicts worse • Refugees who arrive in a host country in the middle of a conflict often become victims of that conflict as well as the one they are fleeing from