PROTECTION ROLE IMPORTANT AS SECURITY IN REFUGEE CAMPS IS GROWING CONCERN OF AGENCY WORKERS, THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD

12 November 1998

Press Release
GA/SHC/3507

PROTECTION ROLE IMPORTANT AS SECURITY IN REFUGEE CAMPS IS GROWING CONCERN OF AGENCY WORKERS, THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD

19981112 UNHCR Representative, Uneasy at 'Erosion of Human Rights', Welcomes Global Support for Efforts to Aid World's Displaced Persons

The Director of the New York Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Kofi Asomani, expressed gratitude for the strong support of Member States for the protection role of the UNHCR, in his concluding remarks this afternoon, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) ended its consideration of the report of the High Commissioner for Refugees: questions relating to refugees and displaced persons and humanitarian questions.

He said he also welcomed the support of Member States for the institution of asylum, the principle of non-refoulement and the right to return. He expressed concern about the erosion of respect for human rights in some situations, and said he shared the concern of many delegates on asylum abuse and restrictionist policies.

The representative of The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia told the Committee refugees represented one out of every 225 people on the planet, the majority of them women and children. Improving the speed and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance was among the main responsibilities of the entire international community. The unfortunate but real possibility of new conflicts and humanitarian disasters was a loud and clear warning that an innovative and comprehensive approach was needed.

The global nature of the refugee problem required an effective preventative strategy that combined political, economic and humanitarian measures, said the representative of Armenia, adding that national, regional and international responsibilities for refugees had to be comprehensive, involving countries of origin, host countries and other affected countries.

A disturbing recent development in the plight of refugees was the presence of armed elements in refugee camps, said the representative of Kenya. That was a major handicap to conflict management and peace processes. She underscored the importance of maintaining the civilian nature of refugee camps.

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Statements were also made by the representatives of Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Georgia, Guinea, Liechtenstein, Belarus, Iran, Ethiopia, Venezuela, India and Algeria, and by Eigel Pedersen, representative of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The representatives of Eritrea, Morocco, Ethiopia and Algeria spoke in exercise of the right of reply.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. tomorrow (13 November) to hear the introduction of a number of draft resolutions, and take action on others.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to conclude its consideration of the Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: questions relating to refugees and displaced persons and humanitarian questions. (For background, see Press Release GA/SHC/3504 of 11 November.)

Statements

KHENTHONG NUANTHASING (Lao People's Democratic Republic) said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had provided protection and relief to refugees, internal displaced persons, returnees and war-affected populations. Overall, it had been successful, leading to a significant decrease in the number of refugees compared to the previous year. This was in spite of numerous sources of potential flows of refugees and displaced persons in some regions of the world. He said his Government shared concern over the erosion of certain principles. The challenge for the international community was to uphold fundamental humanitarian principles, when countries adopted negative attitudes towards refugees. There had been difficulty in several cases where it had not been possible to separate those who were refugees from those who were not. Such a situation had made it impossible for the UNHCR to provide protection for refugees.

He said the international community and the UNHCR should cooperate closely both with countries of asylum and with countries of origin to solve the problems taking into account the specific characteristics of each of the regions concerned. It was a complex task that required patience and perseverance on the part of all involved. It was important that the UNHCR stick strictly to the humanitarian and non-political nature of its task. It would thus gain trust from all concerned parties and would be able to create conditions towards bringing about a solution acceptable to all.

He said more than 27,000 Lao refugees had returned home from Thailand and some 3,000 from China. His country had entered into the final stage of implementation of the Voluntary Repatriation Programme under UNHCR auspices. Some 1,300 Lao refugees remained in Ban Napho camp in Thailand.

HENRI MANGAYA YANGE (Democratic Republic of the Congo) said that if his country had, at one point in 1997, taken measures which caused the High Commissioner for Refugees to suspend temporarily its activities there, that could only be explained by the deterioration of conditions of cohabitation between the local population and the refugees. That situation had been made much by the refusal of the refugees to integrate in their host country. The recent signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between his country and the UNHCR demonstrated the commitment of the Congolese towards refugees on their territory. However, repatriation was a priority in the Great Lakes region. He said he would like to know what provisions the UNHCR intended to take

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regarding the refugees; there had been a particular problem with Rwandan refugees who refused to return to their homes.

The situation was deteriorating in the east, he continued, and the High Commissioner for Refugees was unlikely to be able to give the protection the refugees needed. Violence was committed against the refugees. That must be condemned. The international community could not remain silent on the issue. It must make available resources that would enable UNHCR to conduct its programmes fully. The Democratic Republic of the Congo believed it should also have greater assistance from the international community as it had suffered greatly, and because it had accepted vast numbers of refugees.

He expressed gratitude to those States which had provided assistance, even partial assistance, and assured the High Commissioner for Refugees that his country would continue to do everything it could to fulfil its commitment to care for refugees on its territory.

PETER CHKHEIDZE (Georgia) said for six years already the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, had been the subject of serious consideration at the United Nations. The number of refugees and displaced persons from the region exceeded 300,000. The social conditions were unspeakable. Despite the presence of the United Nations Observers Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) peacekeepers, the returnees had endured ongoing violence. Such kind of violence not only eroded the feeling of dignity, but had taken human life.

In the face of millions of refugees and internally displaced people, the international community had a good reason to create, activate and strengthen the protection mechanism for those people, he said. Moreover, it was clear that the protection of the rights of the returnees largely depended on the intensity of UNOMIG's functioning. The peacekeeping operation and humanitarian activities should be conducted in close union.

He said the activities of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the region of the former Soviet Union were truly remarkable. By implementing effective economic projects it succeeded in throwing a bridge between conflicting parties. Lack of resources had hampered the further effective functioning of the UNDP, and the only option seemed to be the holding of the special conference of the donor countries.

He called for the creation of an international legal framework for internally displaced people. The presence of adequate legal institutions was indispensable. The absence of such a mechanism turned out to be the reason for violence and casualties. Steps should also be taken to protect the property of displaced people.

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ZOUMANIGUI PAUL GOA (Guinea) said that after considering the various reports on refugees before the Third Committee, his Government believed there should be better coordination between host countries and the countries of origin. The African continent had been shaken by many conflicts; the West African subregion had not been spared. The Republic of Guinea, sharing borders with three regions, had received refugees from those regions. One tenth of its population was made up of refugees. That influx of population was a new challenge of a legal, economic and social nature. In spite of its limited means, his Government had tried to find solutions to the problem of refugees. There would be a committee for relief, and rehabilitation efforts for the refugee problem.

He said his Government had been involved in peace settlements with the governments of Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone. He expressed appreciation to various international and regional bodies which had proposed support and assistance for his country to cope with its burden of refugees. The provision of protection and assistance should be a matter of priority. It would be appropriate to strengthen coordination between humanitarian, peacekeeping and other measures. The international community should be involved in dealing with consequences of the problem of refugees.

CLAUDIA FRITSCHE (Liechtenstein) said the unique and universal nature of the UNHCR's mission, to extend international protection to refugees and to seek durable solutions to their problems, distinguished the UNHCR from all other United Nations bodies. It was facing a difficult task at a time when financial resources to tackle the problem were scarce.

To enable the UNHCR and other players to respond quickly to situations of humanitarian crisis there must be a solid financial basis, as well as efficient early-warning mechanisms. The overall preventative capacities of the United Nations system must be further developed. Cooperation with regional organizations was of utmost importance.

She said women and children not only constituted a majority of displaced persons worldwide, but they were the most likely to suffer disproportionally from its consequences. She was glad that particular attention had been paid in the Economic and Social Council and other bodies to the situation of displaced women, and the work done by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict.

IGAR GUBAREVICH (Belarus) said the problem of displaced persons, refugees and returnees was a major challenge. All his Government's activities to control migrants were in line with the Geneva Convention and national priorities.

The migration situation was being closely monitored by his Government, he said. Any successful solution implied respect for human rights, solidarity and a commitment to burden-sharing. In April 1998, his Government had adopted

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a State migrant policy to eliminate negative deep-seated attitudes and to ensure the real enjoyment of rights and freedoms by migrants and those persons seeking asylum.

As a basic principle, Belarus had taken successful and civilising measures to ensure fundamental rights and the prohibition of discrimination of such vulnerable groups on any grounds -- cultural, social or political. It had made efforts to engage the personal participation of migrants wherever they took up their residence, and was committed to the standards of international laws. He said the solution to refugee problems had to depend on regional cooperation, and the efforts of the UNHCR, with adequate financial support.

ROSELYN RUTH ASUMWA ODERA (Kenya) said a disturbing recent development in the plight of refugees was the presence of armed elements in refugee camps, and the subsequent inherent difficulties of reintegrating former combatants. That represented a major handicap to conflict management and peace processes. A recent World Bank paper said that as long as significant portions of a society's population was displaced, the conflict had not ended, and there could be no hope for normalcy until the majority of those displaced were able to integrate themselves in their societies. She said that reintegration was also a precondition for peace in situations where refugees were still politically and militarily active.

She underscored the importance of maintaining the civilian nature of refugee camps. As host to about 200,000 refugees, she said, Kenya had often had to bear the brunt of the proliferation of small arms through refugee movements. That had significantly contributed to the problems of insecurity when those weapons fell into the hands of criminal elements. Some refugees had abused the hospitality accorded to them by engaging in criminal activities. In that regard, her Government appreciated the assistance given by the UNHCR in such areas as training, education and logistical and material support.

FOROUZANDEH VADIATI (Iran) said the question of refugees remained a major international concern. The worst consequences were experienced by developing countries who were hosting 75 per cent of the world's refugee population. There were about 2 million people in Iran. Provision of shelter and other basic needs to such a large refugee load had imposed a heavy burden on the Iranian economy, estimated at $1.5 billion annually. Social and cultural costs, although not quantifiable, were no less exacting.

He said the ongoing crisis in neighbouring countries, particularly in Afghanistan, had further complicated the situation. Continued internal strife in that country and the forced displacement of people on ethnic and religious grounds by the Taliban had reversed the process of repatriation of Afghan refugees. The new influx was bound to further strain the available resources and subject the national economy to increased pressures.

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The international community should undertake to shoulder part of those onerous burdens, he said. Other than voluntary repatriation and resettlement as suitable solutions, the plight of the refugees could be addressed adequately only on the basis of real and genuine burden-sharing by the international community. Host countries should not be left to themselves to pay the high social, economic, cultural and political costs of the influx of refugees.

MOVSES ABELIAN (Armenia) said the global nature of the refugee problem required close concentration of the international community in finding a long-term durable solution to the overall situation of displaced persons, be they refugees or internally displaced persons. There was also an urgent necessity for an effective preventative strategy that combined political, economic and humanitarian measures to forestall other similar problems.

He said the need for concerted international efforts to provide adequate protection for refugees had been duly recognized by the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's programme at its session last month. One conclusion of the debate had focused on international solidarity and burden-sharing.

National, regional and international responsibilities for refugees had to be comprehensive, involving countries of origin, host countries, and other affected countries. Even though the primary responsibility should lie with the host country, that country often did not have the economic and social infrastructure to take care of the needs of a large influx of refugees.

In 1988 to 1990, he said Armenia had received a large number of refugees from Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh. The number of refugees and internally displaced persons, residents of the frontier regions of Armenia who had fled constant shelling and bombardment from Azerbaijan, had 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, especially for countries with economies in transition.

KONGIT SINEGIORGIS (Ethiopia) said developing countries, particularly those in Africa, were points of origin, as well as destination, for the overwhelming majority of the world's refugee population. Besides affecting the social and political stability of the recipient countries, that put an additional strain on their already beleaguered economies, their infrastructure and environment. There was a general consensus, which her country consistently favoured, that the most viable solution for refugee problems was voluntary repatriation.

She said Ethiopia had provided asylum to a large number of refugees for the last three decades, she said. The overwhelming majority were from Somalia, and with the gradual restoration of stability in northwestern Somalia, a project to begin their repatriation was under way. Ethiopia had also been receiving its own returnees. Since 1991, a total of 1.2 million

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Ethiopian refugees had returned home from neighbouring countries. Although the organized voluntary repatriation of Ethiopian refugees from the Sudan was to have been completed this year, there had been delays due to unforseen circumstances.

She said the Eritrean Government's "unprovoked war of aggression against Ethiopia" on 12 May 1998, and the occupation of part of her country, had resulted in the displacement of about 300,000 people. In addition, close to 30,000 Ethiopians had been forcefully evicted from Eritrea.

EIGEL PEDERSEN of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said that organization had worked alongside the UNHCR to support the largest refugee population in Europe, which was more than 550,000 people. The international community should continue to support and provide humanitarian assistance to both Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo. Equally, the plight of refugees in Africa and elsewhere should not be forgotten.

He said the High Commissioner had highlighted the issue of asylum, which was increasingly under threat both in developed and developing countries. Asylum remained the cornerstone of the refugee problem. Moreover, the International Federation was concerned about the growing disregard for international humanitarian law and human rights, as well as the increased risk of violence against aid workers. There was a need to reaffirm the international standards and guiding principles contained in the Code of Conduct.

DONKA GLIGOROVA (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) said refugees represented one out of every 225 people on the planet, and the majority of them were women and children. Their political and human rights should be of major concern to everyone. Improving the speed and the effectiveness of international humanitarian assistance was among the main responsibilities of the United Nations, as well as of the entire international community.

Recent events in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Kosovo, and the unfortunate but real possibility that the world could be faced with new conflicts and humanitarian disasters, was a loud and clear warning to the international community that an innovative and comprehensive approach to the problem was needed. She said she welcomed the ideas of early warning systems and the exercise of preventative diplomacy aimed at preventing military escalation. She stressed the importance of eliminating discrimination on any basis of any of the parties involved, as well as the unconditionality of the voluntary repatriation of refugees and internally displaced persons.

MARTHA DI FELICE (Venezuela) said the need to join together to support the UNHCR in the protection of refugees had been affirmed by the Executive

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Committee at its forty-ninth session. On that occasion, international solidarity and burden sharing in all their aspects had been stressed. It had also been recognised that refugee problems were complex by their nature, and in terms of solutions. The need for an integral approach to responsibility and solidarity should be evident at different stages of the problem, from integration to host country to the repatriation to the country of return, when the climate for that was right.

She said the matter of refugees was one of shared interests and was not the exclusive responsibility of the States concerned. Attention should be paid to the human rights of refugees and displaced persons, especially when it involved children and women, but humanitarian aid could not be a substitute for political solutions. There was a need to be alert to the rise of conflicts which produced the massive flow of refugees, and there should be support to the UNHCR to develop its preparedness and ability to act in coordination with other agencies.

R. MARGABANDU (India), Member of Parliament, said the United Nations must pave the way for equitable and consistent responses to all refugee situations in all parts of the world. Developing countries, who put at risk their fragile environment, economy and social fabric to provide refuge to millions, were in reality the largest donors to the refugee cause. The international community must recognize the immense contribution made by those countries and move their concerns to the forefront of the refugee agenda. It was also essential that the economic and social impact of massive refugee populations on host developing countries be systematically assessed and measures to minimize their impact be identified.

He said that ways and means must also be found to address the needs of societies which produced the vast majority of refugees. Concerted and coordinated action was required to address problems in countries of origin through assistance to returnees. While societies had a natural inclination to preserve their own prosperity, building walls to shut out refugees and violating the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers was not the right solution.

Despite all the difficulties confronting developing countries, the large majority of them had not shut their doors to those in their neighbourhood seeking refuge. It was important that their faith in humanitarianism and the principles of refugee protection were not compromised by efforts aimed at eroding the principles of refugee protection in other parts of the world.

DALILA SAMAH (Algeria) said the problem of refugees was not confined to one continent. There was a sharpening of tribal and ethnic feelings that had caused the outflow of refugees. There had also been natural disasters. Those posed challenges for the international community and for the UNHCR.

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It was up to the international community to attack the primary causes of refugee outflow. The UNHCR had counted 20 million all over the world, who were under its area of competence. The numbers, particularly vulnerable groups such as women and children, in developing countries, especially in Africa, were a major cause of concern.

She said there was insufficient capacity to solve the problems. There were different aspects of displacement, including national and international protection, and increasing and more varied demands. The international community must continue its support and assistance to bring comfort to the afflicted populations. With a deep sense of hospitality and solidarity, Algeria had always responded with commitment to the plight of people from Mali and Niger. Her Government had been involved in the efforts of repatriation, thus enabling affected persons to maintain their dignity.

One area of special concern was the Western Sahara. Conscious of its responsibilities and faithful to its principles, the Government of Algeria would continue its efforts to help the cause of displaced people.

Rights of Reply

The representative of Eritrea, commenting on remarks by the representative of Sudan on the problem of Eritrean refugees in Sudan, said there were arrangements between the Eritrean Government and the UNHCR, and Eritrea would respect its international commitments to expedite the smooth return of Eritreans. The Ethiopian accusation that Eritrea had evicted 30,000 Ethiopians was false, he said. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and United Nations agencies had verified, and the evidence had been submitted. Any Ethiopians who had returned had done so on their own free will. As a result of Ethiopia's invasion, the United Nations had estimated that 160,000 persons had been displaced.

The representative of Morocco said he regretted that the Algerian delegation had raised the issue of the "so-called Saharawi refugees". Morocco did not share that representative's assessment. Those people had been taken by force and detained by force in the Tindouf camp in Algeria. In its southern provinces, all the required conditions for the return of the Saharawi had been met. There was no reason for the issue to be raised since Morocco constantly spoke for the liberation of those persons. When the Secretary-General had visited Morocco recently, he added, thousands of Saharawi had proclaimed their allegiance to Morocco.

The representative of Ethiopia said Eritrea had portrayed itself as a victim of aggression. She said she wished to state clearly that Ethiopia had not bombed Eritrean villages. Ethiopians had once taken retaliatory measures, and those had been precisely aimed at military installations at Asmara airport. She added that she had referred to thousands of displaced persons. That had occurred as a result of the Eritrean invasion of Ethiopia in

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May 1998. On the assertion of the representative of Eritrea regarding internal displacement of Eritrean persons, the Ethiopian representative said that although the figure was exaggerated, the Eritreans bore full responsibility for the suffering of its own people, as well as of Ethiopians. It was the Eritreans who had carried out wanton acts of aggression.

The representative of Algeria said the statements of the representative of Morocco had contributed nothing to the issue of the Saharawi people. Contrary to allegations made by that representative, the Saharawi population was made up of people fleeing sequestration or detention. Many had become refugees in Algeria and they had a right to self-determination. The two parties had concluded the Houston Agreement. Algeria was conscious of its responsibility, would provide support to Saharawi refugees in liaison with United Nations agencies and was willing to undertake any measures so that the Saharawi people could exercise the right of self-determination and return to their homes.

The representative of Eritrea said he had not been referring to earlier statements, but to attacks on Eritrean villages last week. It had been reported in the Associated Press on 30 October, he said, adding that those attacks had destroyed the harvest.

The representative of Morocco said that the representative of Algeria had a short memory. At the time of liberation, the Saharawi region had not been independent. Most Saharawis had fled north. That was the problem. The question was whether the Saharawi would take part in the referendum. It was fine to be generous but people should be given the freedom to express themselves without the threat of bayonets.

The representative of Algeria said it would continue its solidarity with the Saharawi people, and with UNHCR actions and international assistance, until the Western Saharan problem was solved. The UNHCR should play a timely role under the accord concluded by Morocco and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (POLISARIO).

Concluding Remarks

KOFI ASOMANI, Director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, said he was pleased that delegates shared the concerns of the High Commissioner regarding the safety and security of humanitarian personnel. The contributions announced for the Trust Fund for Security of United Nations Personnel were encouraging.

The High Commissioner was particularly grateful for the strong support of Member States for the protection role of the UNHCR, and for calls to uphold the institution of asylum, the principle of non-refoulement and the right to return, as well as support for UNHCR's goal of universal accession to international instruments on refugees by the year 2000.

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He said he was concerned about the erosion of respect for human rights in some situations, and shared the concern of many delegates on asylum abuse and restrictionist policies. Many had reiterated that voluntary repatriation was the preferred solution, but delegates had also noted that return could take place only when conditions provided an enabling environment which would allow refugees to return in safety and dignity. He appreciated Member States' offers to increase their resettlement quotas.

He said the challenge posed by the security and neutrality of refugee camps and settlements had been noted by many delegates. It was a main preoccupation of the High Commissioner. Many initiatives had been taken, including training activities within the camps and the hiring of additional security personnel to enhance security. Solving the problem also required assistance from the international community.

Several speakers had recognized the difficult challenge faced in trying to promote post-conflict reconstruction and bridging the reconstruction gap by creating appropriate linkages between relief and development efforts that would bring about long-term stability and, perhaps, mitigate the root causes of conflict and refugee flows. Many had also indicated strong support for the concept of international solidarity and recognition of the necessity of burden-sharing. That required the cooperation of Member States, regional organizations, other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Burden-sharing could encompass a variety of activities, including protection, financial and other assistance, technical support and resettlement opportunities.

He said he was glad that many delegates had agreed that the UNHCR could not carry out its mandate without sufficient resources. The agency would do its best to use its resources effectively and efficiently, reflecting accountability and transparency. He was encouraged that some partners, such as the World Bank, the World Food Programme (WFP), the ICRC, the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Organization for Migration and others, had testified about the close collaboration and coordination between their respective activities.

There were also many positive statements about the number of regional bodies or mechanisms which were cooperating in meeting the current challenges, he said. The UNHCR would continue to be active and supportive of that trend.

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