The widespread upheaval brought about by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 prompted ongoing large-scale population movements. The most significant is that of ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking people from the other former Soviet Republics to the Russian Federation.…
The idea of constructing a dam on the Fourth Cataract of the Nile, 350 km upstream from Khartoum, was first proposed by British authorities in the early 20th century. Due for completion in 2007, the massive dam will be 65…
In June 2004 I was appointed by the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights as Special Rapporteur on Refugees, IDPs and Asylum Seekers in Africa. This is a broad and challenging mandate. Article 12 of the African Charter states…
A decade of civil conflict has left a trail of human devastation in Sierra Leone. The rebels' trademark of severing of limbs of innocent civilians has left thousands of amputees and war wounded, most of whom face an unforgiving future…
As the international community mulls over the criteria for ending internal displacement , a leading NGO in Sri Lanka has come up with a 45-page guide on how to do just that in its own country. The Practitioner's Kit for…
In March 2004, Lynn Fritz, director general of Fritz Institute, and George Rupp, CEO of International Rescue Committee (IRC), received an enthusiastic response from the executive committee of the Board of Directors of the IRC when they reported on the…
With the adoption of the Brazil Declaration and Plan of Action in 2014,[1] 28 countries and three Latin American and Caribbean territories committed themselves to eradicate statelessness in the region following the guidelines of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Global…
The signing of peace agreements in 1996 ended 36 years of civil war between the Guatemalan government and the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unit.[1] An estimated 200,000 people were killed during the war, while about one million people were internally displaced…
As we observe the global picture of both protracted and newly developing displacement situations, Latin America and the Caribbean may look like a haven of relative safety, spared from recent massive displacements caused by persecution, conflict and violence. Regrettably, and…
Ecuador has the largest recognised refugee population in Latin America. Of the more than 230,000 refugees and asylum seekers in the country, 60,500 are registered refugees, 90% of whom are from Colombia.[1] Refugees and asylum seekers have freedom of movement…