Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) now comprise the main war victims, and are probably twice as numerous as refugees. Paradoxically, a legal framework and a special institution exist for the latter whereas neither exists for the former. This serious structural flaw in the international humanitarian system has been recognized with the appointment of a representative of the UN Secretary-General on internally displaced persons. Over the last half decade, international discourse has changed and guiding principles have been developed for dissemination. It is time for action to replace oratory. A review of the progress to date and gaps in the present coverage for IDPs provide the background for analyzing intergovernmental options currently under consideration.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Annan, Kofi , 1997. Renewing the United Nations: A Programme for Reform. New York: United Nations.
2.
Annan, Kofi , 1998. `Peacekeeping, Military Intervention, and National Sovereignty in Internal Armed Conflict', in Jonathan Moore, ed., Hard Choices: Moral Dilemmas in Humanitarian Intervention. Lanham, MD: Roman & Littlefield (55-69).
3.
Biersteker, Thomas J. & Cynthia Weber, eds, 1996. State Sovereignty as Social ConstructCambridge: Cambridge University Press.
4.
Boutros-Ghali, Boutros , 1992. An Agenda for Peace. New York: United Nations.
5.
Cohen, Roberta , 1998. `A New Tool for NGOs: Principles Provide Structure for Protection of IDPs', Mustard Seed49(1): 9-11.
6.
Cohen, Roberta & Jacques Cuénod, 1995. Improving Institutional Arrangements for the Internally Displaced. Washington, DC: Refugee Policy Group.
7.
Cohen, Roberta & Francis M. Deng, 1998a. `Briefing Paper on New Directions for the Mandate of the Representative of the Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons', Brookings, Washington, DC, 30 September.
8.
Cohen, Roberta & Francis M. Deng, eds, 1998b. The Forsaken People: Case Studies of the Internally Displaced. Washington, DC: Brookings.
9.
Cohen, Roberta & Francis M. Deng, 1998c. Masses in Flight: The Global Crisis of Internal Displacement. Washington, DC: Brookings.
10.
Cohen, Roberta & Francis M. Deng, 1998d. `Roundtable Report on New Directions for the Mandate of the Representative of the Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons', Brookings, Washington, DC, undated draft report.
11.
Deng, Francis M. , 1993. Protecting the Dispossessed: A Challenge for the International Community. Washington, DC: Brookings.
12.
Deng, Francis M. , 1995. `Frontiers of Sovereignty: A Framework of Protection, Assistance, and Development for the Internally Displaced', Leiden Journal of International Law8(2): 249-286.
13.
Deng, Francis M. & Larry Minear, 1992. The Challenges of Famine Relief: Emergency Operations in the Sudan. Washington, DC: Brookings.
14.
Deng, Francis M. & I. William Zartman, eds, 1991. Conflict Resolution in Africa. Washington, DC: Brookings.
15.
Deng, Francis M. ; Sadikiel Kimaro, Terrence Lyons, Donald Rothchild & I. William Zartman, 1996. Sovereignty as Responsibility. Washington, DC: Brookings.
16.
de Waal, Alex , 1997. Famine Wars: Politics & the Disaster Relief Industry in Africa. Oxford: James Currey.
17.
Goodwin-Gill, Guy , 1999. `Refugee Identity and Protection's Fading Prospect', in Frances Nicholson & Patrick Twomey, eds, Refugee Rights and Realities: Evolving International Concepts and Regimes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
18.
Goodwin-Gill, Guy , 1996. The Refugee in International Law. 2nd edn.Oxford: Clarendon.
19.
Hampton, Jamie , ed., 1998. Internally Displaced People: A Global Survey. London: Earthscan.
20.
Jean, François & Jean-Christophe Rufin, 1996. Economie des Guerres Civiles. Paris: Hachette.
21.
Keen, David , 1998. The Economic Functions of Violence in Civil Wars. Adelphi Paper 320. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
22.
Korn, David A. , 1999. Exodus Within Borders. Washington, DC: Brookings.
23.
Lyons, Gene M. & Michael Mastanduno, 1995. Beyond Westphalia? National Sovereignty and International Intervention. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
24.
Maren, Michael , 1997. The Road to Hell: The Ravaging Effects of Foreign Aid and International Charity. New York: Free Press.
25.
Minear, Larry & Thomas G. Weiss, 1995. Mercy Under Fire: War and the Global Humanitarian Community. Boulder, CO: Westview.
26.
Norwegian Refugee Council , 1993. Norwegian Government Roundtable Discussion on United Nations Human Rights Protection for Internally Displaced Persons, Held in Nyon, Switzerland. Washington, DC: Norwegian Refugee Council and Refugee Policy Group.
27.
Pugh, Michael & S. Alex Cunliffe, 1997. `The Lead Agency Concept in Humanitarian Assistance: The Case of the UNHCR', Security Dialogue28(1): 17-30.
28.
Refugee Policy Group , 1991. Human Rights Protection for Internally Displaced Persons: An International Conference. Washington, DC: Refugee Policy Group.
US Committee for Refugees , 1998. World Refugee Survey 1998. Washington, DC: US Committee for Refugees.
31.
UN Commission on Human Rights, 1992. `Analytical Report of the Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons', UN document E/CN.4/1992/23.
32.
UN Commission on Human Rights, 1993. `Comprehensive Study Prepared by Mr. Francis M. Deng, Representative of the Secretary-General on the Human Rights Issues Related to Internally Displaced Persons, Pursuant to Commission on Human Rights Resolution 1992/73', UN document E/CN.4/1993/35.
33.
UN Commission on Human Rights, 1996. `Compilation and Analysis of Legal Norms', UN document E/CN.4/1996/52/Add.2.
34.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees , 1993. The State of the World's Refugees, 1993: The Challenge of Protection. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
35.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees , 1998. The State of the World's Refugees, 1997-98: A Humanitarian Agenda. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
36.
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs , 1998. Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. New York: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
37.
Wallensteen, Peter & Margareta Sollenberg, 1998. `Armed Conflict and Regional Conflict Complexes, 1989-97', Journal of Peace Research35(5): 621-634.
38.
Weiss, Thomas G. , 1998. `Humanitarian Shell Games: Whither UN Reform?'Security Dialogue29(1): 9-23.
39.
Weiss, Thomas G. , 1999. `Principles, Politics, and Humanitarian Action', Ethics and International Affairs 13, in press.
40.
Weiss, Thomas G. & Cindy Collins, 1996. Humanitarian Challenges and Intervention: World Politics and the Dilemmas of Help. Boulder, CO: Westview.
41.
Weiss, Thomas G. & Amir Pasic, 1997. `Reinventing UNHCR: Enterprising Humanitarians in the Former Yugoslavia, 1991-1995', Global Governance3(1): 41-57.
42.
Weiss, Thomas G. & Amir Pasic, 1998. `Dealing with Displacement and Suffering Caused by Yugoslavia's Wars', in Cohen & Deng, eds (175-231).
