English

Practically all armed groups are heavily dependent on external support. Armed groups primarily seek support from both other states and from the diasporas, displaced populations and other armed groups, in order to prevent the burden of  the war effort from falling entirely on the civil population they claim to protect, a situation that has its own political costs. States too need external support to deal with outbreaks of instability and violence; during the Cold War this was normal and it still continues today in most current armed conflicts.

The role of these armed groups and the consequences of their actions on the welfare of civilians have all been extraordinarily negative. Unfortunately, the accountability of these groups for civilian protection has been largely ignored while their notoriety has more to do with Western concerns over terrorism, piracy and security than the protection of civilians.

The telephone is the most critical piece of technology for resettled refugees’ connection to family members in terms of availability and familiarity. However, it is not without challenges – such as the limited communication technology choices back ‘home’ and the costs involved.

Technology has some but not all the answers to the many problems associated with poverty and displacement. However, amongst the internally displaced Somali population of more than two million, and the hundreds of thousands of refugees in Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti, people are beginning to have access to basic banking services. This is due in part to their use of remittance enterprises that they trust as a reliable and well-established way of receiving and sending cash.