ARMED ELEMENTS MUST BE REMOVED FROM REFUGEE CAMPS, REPRESENTATIVE OF RWANDA TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S THIRD COMMITTEE

4 November 1997

Press Release
GA/SHC/3436

ARMED ELEMENTS MUST BE REMOVED FROM REFUGEE CAMPS, REPRESENTATIVE OF RWANDA TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S THIRD COMMITTEE

19971104 Similar Problem Reported in Democratic Republic of Congo As Debate Concludes on Activities of UN High Commissioner

To avoid a humanitarian crisis such as occurred in Rwanda, it was vital to separate out armed soldiers from bona fide refugees as quickly as possible, the representative of that country told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) this afternoon, as it concluded its consideration of the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), questions relating to refugees and displaced persons, and humanitarian questions.

He said the return of the massive number of Rwandan refugees had been a joint effort between the UNHCR, the civil population and the Rwandan army. The nearly impossible task of reabsorbing and integrating 25 per cent of the country's population within a week without major incidents had been due to skill, commitment, organization and warmth of welcome for the returnees, but mostly, it was the desire of the Rwandan refugees to return home that had outweighed the conditions of their return. It was crucial for the international community to continue supporting reintegration of the refugees into the homogeneous, united and coherent non-sectarian society that Rwanda was becoming.

On the issue of armed refugees, the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo said his country had experienced a unique situation. For the first time, there were armed refugees in refugee camps, creating grave problems for the United Nations High Commissioner. Those armed elements used refugees as a human shield, seizing hundreds of thousands more Rwandan refugees, and had tried to prevent the liberation of the country. The work of the United Nations human rights team would allow the world to know the truth about those armed groups.

The representative of Iran said developing countries bore the major burden of the world's refugee situation, since they were the largest

* The meeting number on pages 2-11 of this press release should read the 26th instead of 25th.

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recipients of refugees. International assistance to those countries fell far short of actual needs. The representative of Croatia said the ultimate resolution of population displacement was often beyond the scope of the activities of the UNHCR. Solutions must be sought in a comprehensive approach which took account of the peculiarities of the different situations. It was necessary to establish early warning and preventive measures designed to identify massive population displacement.

The representative of Belarus said there was a new form of refugee, the "migration refugee". Problems related to migration refugees were not the problem of a single country, but of many, particularly in Eastern Europe.

The representatives of Ghana, Cyprus, Morocco, Benin, Indonesia, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Armenia, Malawi, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Pakistan also spoke. A statement was made by a representative of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The representatives of Azerbaijan and Afghanistan spoke in rights of reply.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees made closing comments.

The Third Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Thursday morning, 5 November, to begin its consideration of questions related to the elimination of racism and racial discrimination, and also with the right of peoples to self-determination.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee met this afternoon to continue its consideration of the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) regarding questions related to refugees, returnees and displaced persons, as well as humanitarian questions pertaining to these groups.

(For background on the reports before the Committee, see Press Release GA/SHC/3432 of 3 November.)

Statements

OLDRICH ANDRYSEK of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said his organization had been told that helping refugees in camps that were too close to borders which might be militarized and serve as staging points for cross-border operations would only extend and fuel conflict. His organization did not agree. Conflicts were not fuelled or extended by feeding refugees and providing clear water, basic health care or education. They were perpetuated by the fact that the root causes were not being addressed meaningfully, and when combatants were not removed from refugee camps when it was evident to everybody that they held civilians hostage. Repatriation in such circumstances, without an overall political solution to the root causes of the initial displacement, often meant exporting instability, regardless of how well the receiving Government had organized the initial reception.

He said that in the Great Lakes region there were worrying signs that new waves of refugees and displaced people would try to escape fighting and unrest. Repatriation of refugees was a special problem of humanitarian concern, and must remain voluntary and be carried out with dignity.

Focusing on repatriation as the most desirable solution for refugees in times of shrinking resources must not mean forgetting those who either could not return, or those who had been forced to flee again.

He said, support and assistance must continue to be provided in long term refugee situations, such as in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Iran or Nepal, as well as to the new refugees on the Thai border or those leaving Sierra Leone. His organization was expanding its role in the area of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) because of the acute refugee problems which continued here. It was working in cooperation with UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration. The objective was to mobilize the considerable capacities of national societies to ameliorate the immediate hardship and squalor suffered by hundreds of thousands of up-rooted people.

LESLIE K. CHRISTIAN (Ghana) said that because of obstacles in obtaining asylum for refugees and the nature of recent conflicts, the number of internally displaced persons in Africa continued to increase. While,

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unfortunately, UNHCR's mandate did not extend to cover such persons, the UNHCR had nevertheless addressed itself to their plight, offering protection and providing for their basic needs. He was encouraged by that initiative and hoped the Assembly's resolution which defined the role of UNHCR would provide the basis for an institutionalized framework for action and ensure more certainty in its work. The reduction in the financing of the UNHCR's operation was of concern.

He said Ghana had a long tradition of accepting refugees from African countries who, because of civil war or political strife, had fled their original places of abode. He cited inflows in recent years from Liberia and Togo. The assistance had been at considerable cost to the Government, given its limited resources. The UNHCR had begun the repatriation of refugees to Liberia following that country's recent elections. The repatriation of Togolese refugees was expected to be completed by the end of the year.

KORNELIOS S. KORNELIOU (Cyprus) called for comprehensive approaches to the complex problems of displacement. He said, emphasis should be placed on refugee protection, the promotion of effective responses to human rights problems, and the voluntary repatriation of displaced persons to their countries of origin. There must be closer cooperation among the Governments concerned as well as improved coordination of the UNHCR with other humanitarian, human rights and development organizations.

He said Cyprus faced a problem of internally displaced persons. In 1974, more than 200,000 Cypriots became refugees in their own homeland as a result of the Turkish invasion and continued occupation of the northern part of Cyprus. A number of findings and resolutions adopted by United Nations bodies called for the return of the refugees to their homes and properties under safe conditions. Despite repeated calls, not a single refugee had been allowed by the occupying forces to return to his/her home since the Turkish invasion in 1974.

GIDEON KAYINAMURA (Rwanda) spoke of lessons to be drawn from the crisis of the Rwanda refugees in the Central African Region. He said separating armed soldiers from bone fide refugees should be done as early as possible in any situation to avoid a potential humanitarian crisis. The massive return of Rwandan refugees had been a joint effort between UNHCR, the civil population and the army. It had been a nearly impossible task to absorb and integrate 25 per cent of the country's population within a week without major incidents. It had taken skill, commitment, organization and warmth to welcome back the refugees. In addition, the desire of the Rwandan refugees to return home had outweighed the conditions of their return.

The security of both Rwandans and members of the International community was the responsibility of the Government, he continued, and remaining isolated problems could not be characterized as a situation of grave insecurity. Those problems were associated not with the return of refugees as such, but with

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elements of the military and others who did not want to return and face justice. Those were not the types to seek voluntary repatriation.

The international community had spent 1.2 million US dollars a day catering for Rwandan refugees in camps during 1996. Now that the refugees had returned home, it was crucial to support their reintegration into a country that had ceased to be portrayed as a factory of humanitarian catastrophes and refugees, and had become a foundation for a homogenous, united and coherent non-sectarian society.

YAMINA BENNANI AKHAMLICH (Morocco) said UNHCR's vital role was the protection of refugees. For most refugees, voluntary repatriation was becoming the best course of action. It was a right that any person living in camps away from families should be able to enjoy. In no way should that right be politically manipulated. Furthermore, for the principle to have true meaning it was imperative that the refugee express himself freely, without fear of repercussions. Among other initiatives undertaken in Morocco to benefit refugees was an effort involving foreign private sector elements.

ZACHARIE RICHARD AKPLOGAN (Benin) said his Government condemned attacks against UNHCR staff. The problems of refugees should stay at the forefront of international concerns. The problems in the Great Lakes region had highlighted international vulnerability to large-scale problems. Ethnic, racial and religious animosities were behind the flow of refugees in many parts of the world. The tragedy underscored the importance of those issues and of resolving problems involved in conflicts, including that of obstructing the voluntary return of people who had had to become refugees.

Many had sought asylum in Benin because of its peaceful and welcoming nature, he continued. Voluntary return was most effective, as had been the case with nationals who had returned from Benin to Togo after the tragedies of 1993. That repatriation was brought about by UNHCR in the field and also by officials of both countries at the highest level having respect for each other, along with the will to bring about a betterment of the situation.

SUTJIPTOHARDJO DONOKUSUMO (Indonesia) said it was troubling to note from the High Commissioner's report that the increase in the number of the internally displaced resulted from obstacles being put in the way of obtaining asylum. The problem had to be resolved, with the right of asylum and the principle of "non-refoulement" upheld. Also noted were UNHCR activities in the intergovernmental process aimed to harmonize national procedures and promote comprehensive regional approaches.

Since voluntary repatriation was the most preferable solution to refugee situations, he continued, the new Reintegration and Self-Reliance Unit of UNHCR was most welcome, particularly in situations of sudden and large-scale refugee returns. Other UNHCR initiatives, particularly of interest to Indonesia, were associated with unaccompanied children and closer institutional linkages

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between UNHCR and other aid, relief and development partners in the United Nations system.

AHMET ARDA (Turkey), commending the UNHCR for its work, said voluntary repatriation should continue to be the preferred solution to refugee problems. Third country resettlement could become an alternative if the voluntary repatriation option failed to decrease the burden on the receiving country in cases of mass exodus. It was essential to preserve the civilian and humanitarian nature of refugee camps at all times, he said. When there was infiltration of armed elements, camps inevitably lost their civilian and humanitarian character. Such camps should not enjoy the protection of the UNHCR.

He said burden-sharing by the international community was of vital importance in circumstances of involuntary movements of large populations, not only to reduce the pressure but also in terms of financial and material assistance. On the right to asylum, he said domestic legislative measures should allow States to distinguish rapidly between genuine asylum seekers and those who intended to abuse that right. He announced that the Turkish Government would contribute $150,000 to the general programmes of the UNHCR.

AZRA KALAJDZISALIHOVIC (Bosnia and Herzegovina) said that among the provisions of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the most crucial for the establishment of a reintegrated Bosnia and Herzegovina was that which dealt with the return of refugees and displaced persons. It stated that "all refugees and displaced persons have the right to freely return to their home of origin". Regrettably, the number of those who had been repatriated or had been able to return to their homes was far below the anticipated level. Even those who did return or repatriated had gone to so-called majority areas -- territories controlled by their own ethnic groups. The core rationale for such a development was the lack of compliance by the Serb entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina with its obligation to create conditions for refugees freely to return to their home of origin.

She said the "open cities" projects in areas in central Bosnia had had a positive impact. The international community should utilize that model of ethnically tolerant cities throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. The results of recent municipal elections had been encouraging. Even displaced persons from Srebenica had expressed their desire to return to that town and reclaim their shattered lives. It was, therefore, of paramount importance that the election results be respected and quickly implemented.

ESMAEIL AFSHARI (Iran) said developing countries bore the major burden of the world's refugee situation, since they were the largest recipients of refugees. International assistance to those countries fell far short of actual needs. Iran had more than 2.1 million refugees and, as a traditional host country, had maintained the position of the first recipient country for the last six years. There were times when the number of refugees who had

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crossed the border or were present in Iran exceeded 5 million. That presented an enormous challenge, but they had been provided with basic needs and services, which was indicative of his country's sincere commitments to the fundamental cause of human society. Iran's generous policy had gone far beyond its obligations envisaged by respective humanitarian conventions.

Most of the recipient developing countries with economic, social and political problems were unable to meet the increasing needs of refugees for public services, or to work towards their integration. It was imperative for the international community to take serious and practical measures for burden- sharing and resettlement of refugees. This should be a priority by the developed countries, in terms of resources and all other requirements in the field. Voluntary repatriation was the best durable solution to the refugee crises, but the situation in the home country must be back to normal. In Afghanistan, he said, fighting continued to hinder repatriation programmes. Finding durable solutions to the civil and regional conflicts should be at the top of the agenda of the international community.

FIKRET PASHAYEV (Azerbaijan) said the international community should focus on revealing the roots of crisis situations that had entailed involuntary displacements. One million Azerbaijanis were refugees as a result of aggression by Armenia, he continued, and in the course of forced displacement, large numbers of people had lost their lives or had become handicapped. Others had been taken hostage and still others struggled under extremely difficult conditions in temporary shelters.

Azerbaijan needed care and maintenance programmes to neutralize the acute emergency, particularly through closer cooperation between the United Nations agencies to avoid overlaps and wastage of resources. Those same measures would become even more crucial once the refugee crisis was settled and post-conflict rehabilitation strategies began.

IGAR GUBAREVICH (Belarus) said his country was a gathering point for migrants. Large numbers of foreigners had come to Belarus either for work or after being invited by others already there, after which they had requested refugee status. Social integration of such new citizens had to be resolved by various bodies of the international community because some such people had no clear status and no means of support. Often, that forced them to turn to illegal activities.

There was now a new form of refugee, the "migration refugee", he said. The Belarus migration policy included principles for stabilization of migrants and for protection of migrant rights, such as the right to be protected from discrimination against persons seeking refugee status. The migration problem was not the problem of a single country but of many. It was a problem in Eastern Europe. Some countries and areas were donors of migrant refugees to others. Bilateral and multilateral cooperation had to be achieved through agreements such as that drawn up within the CIS context.

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Ms. MOHAMED (Yemen) said there were now 30 civil wars worldwide, in the Great Lakes and in the Horn of Africa, in southern Asia and other areas. Cost-sharing, protection against violence and reintegration efforts required international cooperation. Coordination between all United Nations agencies was needed.

She said Yemen was still suffering from the refugee disaster. Its geographical position made it the center of illegal entry through a maritime pathway. The heavy economic and social burden of refugees had added to development pressures. Yemen had the right to resolve the question of refugees in its own way, but the international community had the responsibility to help. Yemen had welcomed Somali refugees. It had created camps and reception centers and had done everything possible from the humanitarian perspective, despite the economic burden and limited resources.

Voluntary return of refugees had to be undertaken in the same spirit, she concluded. There had to be an attitude of burden-sharing in the human disaster and the emphasis had to be on guaranteeing the integrity of the refugees.

LJUBINKO MATESIC (Croatia) said the ultimate resolution of population displacement was often beyond the scope of the activities of the UNHCR. Solutions must be sought in a comprehensive approach which took account of the peculiarities of the different situations. It was necessary to establish early warning and preventive measures designed to identify massive population displacement.

Croatia had hosted hundreds of thousands of refugees over the last few years, while accommodating its own displaced population, he continued. It was presently accommodating over 287,000 refugees, displaced persons and returnees. The Croatian Government had borne most of the cost -- $1.44 billion in direct assistance by the end of 1996. The numbers had been decreasing as a result of reintegration of many refugees into their areas of origin, and it was expected that during 1997, the number would decline by 120,000.

He said he was concerned about the fate of the Bosnian-Croat population in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their right to return should receive greater support from the international community, in order for Bosnia and Herzegovina to function as a pluralistic, multi-ethnic state. It was disturbing to hear of ill-treatment of ethnic Croats in the Zemun region of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, leading many of them to flee the country. The combination of economic reconstruction and political solutions was the only approach that could ultimately resolve the tragic problem of refugees and displaced persons in that region as well as worldwide.

MOVSES ABELIAN (Armenia) said the global nature of the refugee problem required the international community to find a durable long-term solution to

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the overall situation. There was also need for an effective preventive strategy based on a combination of political, economic and humanitarian measures to forestall the re-occurrence of similar problems. He said the number of refugees who had fled to Armenia after the 1988 massacres in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgait, the 1990 pogroms in Baku and during the years of war in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as those who had to flee to escape constant shelling and bombardment from Azerbaijan, totalled almost 12 per cent of the 3.1 million population of the country.

The presence of hundreds of thousands of refugees was a heavy burden for any country and especially for one with an economy in transition, he continued. The refugee crisis was further aggravated by the blockade of main communication routes imposed by Azerbaijan as well as consequences of the devastating earthquake of 1988. Nevertheless, the Government was continuing to do its utmost to assist the refugees in meeting their needs. The United Nations system and affiliated organizations should provide assistance to those who could not meet their basic needs, as in the case of people in Nagorno- Karabakh. Humanitarian assistance should always be based on need and on the principle of impartiality. The United Nations should evaluate the needs of the civilian population of that region and provide humanitarian assistance.

LUCIUS M. CHIKUNI, Commissioner for Disaster Preparedness, Relief and Rehabilitation of Malawi, said repatriation was one of the most important durable solutions to the problem of refugees. The end of the cold war had seen continued outward bound movements of people from their countries in search of asylum, primarily as a result of ethnic differences. The international community should exert further effort to mediate to bring about peace and good governance in those countries.

He said Malawi hosted a small number of refugees from Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Contrary to claims by Amnesty International and other human rights institutions, some Rwandan refugees had returned to their country voluntarily; they were not forced to do so. They had done so in safety and dignity. He appealed to the international community together with UNHCR to explore further its mandate on repatriation of refugees, to ensure the proper reintegration of refugees. That required the involvement of the donor community and non-governmental organizations, and should occur in the context of a developmental approach. In that context, landmines had to be removed in areas to which people would be repatriated.

SOLVEIGA SILKALNE (Latvia) said geography placed Latvia into a transit region, which meant that its efforts to ensure international standards for asylum-seekers and refugees were taking place in parallel with other tasks. For example, construction on the eastern border included a complex of legislative, technical and training activities. Agreements with the Russian Federation and Belarus would include readmission agreements.

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Latvia had sought and found technical and financial assistance from various donor countries for implementing refugee law and related administrative rules and procedures, she continued. A refugee reception centre was being set up in a former Soviet military base near the capital. Extensive training would take place for such emerging areas of concern as implementing refugee law, determining refugee status, operating the centres and language training.

The common goal was to bring about a major reduction in the number of refugees worldwide, she concluded. Efforts had to go into eliminating the root causes that forced people to become refugees. That called for more work in promoting the principles of democracy, human rights and rule of law in the global community.

RYTIS PAULAUSKAS (Lithuania) said geographic location made the Baltic States an attractive transit point for illegal migrants and their traffickers on the way to Europe and North America. Recent surveys had indicated that by the time illegal aliens entered Lithuania, mostly from Belarus, the majority had crossed the borders of three or four countries. This traffic was associated with an increase in organized criminal activity. Lithuania was protecting its borders but it needed the cooperation of others.

He said readmission agreements on illegal migrants were important instruments in preventing illegal migration and migrants' trafficking. Lithuania had entered into a number of such agreements with the Nordic, Visegrad and most European Union countries. It had plans for other such agreements and was implementing other provisions of United Nations regional and global programmes.

YURIY BOHAIEVS'KY (Ukraine) said that in recent years Europe had witnessed all phases of the refugee crisis, from conflict-fraught situations and outbreaks of conflicts to post-conflict reconciliations. There now existed a comprehensive plan of preventive measures to handle the complex, often politically sensitive problems of the displaced population in his region. He said preventive strategy was an important direction for the UNHCR activities. Another important question for Ukraine concerned the problem of formerly deported people, which required cooperation and communication with neighbours. Above all, Ukraine attached great importance to the prevention of conflict situations that could cause population displacements.

MUNAWAR SAEED BHATTI (Pakistan) said the complex emergencies that gave rise to refugee movements required comprehensive approaches by the international community. Those should address root causes, the strengthening of emergency preparedness, providing protection and ensuring full observance of refugee rights. The increasing threats to the institution of asylum, even in developed countries, was of deep concern. The threats had multiplied as refugees and asylum seekers were seen as a burden and potential threat to national and regional security. The norms of international protection maybe

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abused by certain individuals, but the refugee population fleeing from repression should not be penalized for their crimes.

He said that for two decades, Pakistan had hosted one of the world's largest refugee populations. Last year, the UNHCR had helped about 120,000 out of the 1.2 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan to voluntarily repatriate. Most had returned to Pakistan because they could not find subsistence in their homeland. The presence of Afghan refugees for an extended period had deeply affected the Pakistani society at all levels. It was vital that the international community help in preparing comprehensive plans for repatriation and rehabilitation of Afghan refugees in their country, in safety and with honour.

Prospects for peace in Afghanistan would brighten, he concluded, if international assistance to Afghanistan was expanded and constructive engagement with the Government in Kabul was broadened.

Mr. KAPANGA (Democratic Republic of the Congo) spoke of the specific situation of refugees in the Great Lakes region, and said his country had been host to the refugees. For the first time, there were armed refugees in refugee camps, which had caused the UNHCR many problems. The international community had witnessed the deterioration of the situation in the region as a result of the genocide in Rwanda. His country had not been spared by the people who became mercenaries there, and who tried to prevent the liberation of the country. Those armed elements used refugees as a human shield, by seizing hundreds of thousands of Rwandan refugees. Their presence had a harmful impact on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The work of the United Nations human rights team would enable the world to know the truth about that group.

He said there was now need to address the environmental rehabilitation of the country and the reconstruction of its infrastructure. In that connection, he thanked the High Commissioner for undertaking the rehabilitation programmes. He called on the international community to pay as much attention to the urgent needs of the refugees of Congo-Brazzaville as they had done to the Rwandese refugees.

Right of Reply

ELCHIN OKTYABR AMIRBEKOV (Azerbaijan), speaking in right of reply, said he found it strange that Armenia would appeal for assistance with refugee problems when Azerbaijan was suffering from Armenian atrocities. If Armenia was interested and cared about any region of Azerbaijan, it would sit down at the conference table and work out the differences.

G. YOUNOS (Afghanistan), in exercise of right of reply to the statement of Pakistan, said the situation of Afghanistan refugee children in Pakistan should not be forgotten.

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Closing Comments

In closing remarks, SADAKO OGATA, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said the dilemmas faced by her Office during the past year indicated that the world was confronted overall by a "crisis in protection" -- not a crisis of principles and values but of their application. In statements, there had been a greater emphasis on protection issues than a few years before. The disregard of humanitarian principles was of concern.

Upholding the basic rights of refugees -- asylum and non-refoulement -- constituted the foundation of her mandate, she continued. Those principles could not be negotiated and in areas where they had been insufficiently applied or disregarded, the Office was available to discuss with governments how to make the measures more effective in the ever-changing environment.

Those delegations who had asked for material support to host countries had the right to ask, because if States were to respect basic refugee rights, they should be given the means to fulfil the responsibility. It was essential to provide assistance, particularly in situations of mass influx, and it was essential that problems due to refugee presence be addressed in a comprehensive manner. The same was true of returnees and their reintegration, and on through post-conflict situations. The "relief to development" cycle now had to evolve rapidly, in a more integrated manner, including involvement of developmental actors at the onset of humanitarian crises.

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