Migration, Refugees and conflicts

Outline

1.Migration2.Refugees and UNHCR

3.Conflicts Bibliography

Human migration(derived from Latin: migratio) is physical

movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups.

Migration is the movement of people across a specified boundary for the purpose of establishing a new or

semi-permanent residence.

Carol McIntyre, personal communication

Migration has continued under the form of both voluntary migration within one's region, country, or beyond and involuntary migration.

 People who migrate into a territory are called immigrants, while at the departure point they are called emigrants.  

 settlers or colonists  refugees "change of residence"

According to International Organization for Migration, man "no universally accepted definition for (migrant) exists.

 The United Nations defines migrant as an individual who has resided in a foreign country for more than one year irrespective of the causes, voluntary or involuntary, and the means, regular or irregular, used to migrate.

 tourists and businesspersons 

Different types of migration include:Seasonal human migration mainly related to agriculture and tourism to urban places

Rural to urban, more common in developing countries as industrialization takes effect (urbanization)

Urban to rural, more common in developed countries due to a higher cost of urban living (suburbanization)

International migration

Pre-modern migrations

movement of Homo erectus  Migration to the Americas  the Neolithic Revolution, Indo-European expansion

Early Medieval Great Migrations including Turkic expansion. 

Before the expansion of the Bantu languages and their speakers, the southern half of Africa is believed to have been populated by Pygmies andKhoisan-speaking people

One common hypothesis of the Bantu expansion c. 1000 BC to c. 500 AD

 New Great MigrationWorld War I - Ottoman Empire, Russian Civil War, decolonization also caused migrations.

World War IIThe Jewish communities across Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East were formed from voluntary and involuntary migrants. 

 migrated outside Europe to Israel

Pakistan-IndiaIn 1947, upon the Partition of India, large populations moved from India to Pakistan and vice versa, depending on their religious beliefs.

Balkan Turks in 1912 Swiss woman and her children leaving Civil war in Russia, around 1921

Rural Sikhs in a long ox-cart train heading towards India. 

Theories for migration for work in the 21st century

Neoclassical economic theory This is the newest theory of migration and states that the main reason for labor migration is wage difference between two geographic

locations. These wage differences are usually linked to geographic labor

demand and supply.

Dual labor market theory

This theory assumes that migration from less developed countries into more developed countries is a result of a pull created by a need for labor in the developed countries in their secondary market .

Relative deprivation theory

Relative deprivation theory states that awareness of the income difference between neighbors or other households in the migrant-sending community is an important factor in migration.

The incentive to migrate is a lot higher in areas that have a high level of economic inequality.

World systems theory

World systems theory looks at migration from a global perspective

Trade with one country, which causes economic decline in another, may create incentive to migrate to a country with a more vibrant economy.

Migration affects cities on any levels such as demography, cultural structure, economic structure, social structure and people’s psychology. Unfortunately, these effects are negative and turn to problems for urban.

Migration is an unplanned movement to cities so migration causes economic, social and environmental problems for the cities and citizensBaker, R. Robin. 1978. The Evolutionary Ecology of Animal Migration. Holmes & Meier Publishers, Inc. New York.

economical problems for the government by both decreasing the quality of workers and leaving unpaid. e.g. The portion of the migrations in U.S. is %12 in the population and %15 in the total labourer population. economical problems for the citizens. One of these problems is ‘increasing cost of living’. e.g. In U.S. a family can reach average life standards with an eight or nine dollar per hour. Immigrants and other workers gain four or five.

In U.S. a family can reach average life standards with an eight or nine dollar per hour. Immigrants and other workers gain four or five

Example - “The most well-known example in the 20th century is the Italian mafia, which built its structure on a large migratory population, especially to the New World”.

 Baker, R. Robin. 1978. The Evolutionary Ecology ofAnimal Migration. Holmes & Meier Publishers, Inc. New York.

The final consequence of migration is the environmental problems which destroy the physical appearance of the city. First and foremost, the human-made part of the cities, structural environment is becoming damaged by the migration.

Baker, R. Robin. 1978. The Evolutionary Ecology ofAnimal Migration. Holmes & Meier

Publishers, Inc. New York.

Refugees and UNHCR

UNHCR

United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees

The UN Refugee Agency

14.12.1950 – establishmentGeneva, Switzerland – headquarterUnited Nations Development Group - membership 1954 and 1981 - Nobel Peace Prize winner

Population of

concern to UNHCR

Refugees

Asylum-seekers

Returned refugees

Internally displaced persons (IDPs)

returned IDPs

Stateless persons

Other groups of concern

Who is a refugee?

Refugee

The victim of human rights abuse

(Gordenker, 1987)

Any person who is

outside the country of

his nationality

… (Convention on the Status of Refugee,

1951)

The victim of human rights abuse

(Gordenker, 1987)

Syrian Refugee Crisis

230 000 people have been displaced by the violence since the beginning of anti-government protest in Spring 2011 (UN).

only 30,000 have fled abroad, the rest of them dispersed around Syria.

http://middleeast.about.com/od/syria/tp/Current-Situation-In-Syria.htm

UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie with a young Syrian refugee in the

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.

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Video watch

Syrians at refugee camp struggle with choking sand and wretched conditionshttp://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/03/syrians-refugee-camp-wretched-conditions

Asylum-seekers

Persons who have applied for asylum or refugee status, but who have not yet received a final decision on their

application(http://www.unhcr.org/statistics/STATISTICS/

45c06c662.html#refugees)

Returned Refugees (Repatriation)

refugees who have returned to their country of origin

http://www.unhcr.org/statistics/STATISTICS/45c6c662.html#refugees

Repatriates of Kazakhstan

Located in the heart of Eurasia, Kazakhstan has been affected by powerful migration and demographic processes for over centuries.

Kazakhstan is home to over 130 ethnicities, of which 63.6% are Kazakhs and 23.7% Russians, 12.7% others.

UNDP, “Status of oralmans in Kazakhstan”, Overview, Almaty, 2006

Kazakhstan OralmansKazakhstan has become home to more than 1.1 million immigrants, of which over 464,000 are ethnic Kazakhs or “oralmans”.

The term “oralman” means returnee in Kazakh and it is generally taken that oralmans are returning to their ethnic homeland.

UNDP, “Status of oralmans in Kazakhstan”, Overview, Almaty, 2006

UNDP, “Status of oralmans in Kazakhstan”, Overview, Almaty, 2006, 13

Quota for oralmans

The oralman quota is determined on an annual basis and reflects population.

The first quota - in 1993 provided for the arrival or repatriation of 10,000 families.

In 2005 - 15,000 families.Aral Sea disaster caused 2 groups of oralmans: those included in the quota and those arriving independently.

UNDP, “Status of oralmans in Kazakhstan”, Overview, Almaty, 2006

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

individuals who have been forced to leave their homes to avoid the effects of armed conflict, violence, disasters, etc.

http://www.unhcr.org/statistics/STATISTICS/45c06c662.html#refugees

SomaliaThe conflict started since the Siade Barre regime collapsed in 1991.

September 2012 - new president-Hassan Sheik Mohamud (after Sheik Sharif).

October 2012 - 1.3 million Somalis displaced internally and over a million refugees living in neighboring countries.

184,000 IDPs in Mogadishu. 

http://www.refugeesinternational.org/where-we-work/africa/somalia?gclid=CKP4wviJ9rMCFQEd3god7TMAqA

Somalis hosting countries

Kenya, the Dadaab refugee camp - half a million Somalis.

Ethiopia, the Dollo Ado camp - 215,000 Somali refugees.

DjiboutiYemen

http://www.refugeesinternational.org/where-we-work/africa/somalia?gclid=CKP4wviJ9rMCFQEd3god7TMAqA

Returned IDPs

Internally displaced persons who have returned to their place of origin or habitual residence

http://www.unhcr.org/statistics/STATISTICS/45c06c662.html#refugees

Stateless Persons

individuals not considered as

nationals by any State under relevant

national lawshttp://www.unhcr.org/statistics/STATISTICS/45c06c662.html#refugees

Causes of stateless

Transfer of sovereignty: the break-up of the Soviet Union, former Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia in the 1990s.

Ethnic discrimination: Hill Tamils in Sri Lanka and Nubians in Kenya.

Administrative obstacles: official discrimination or bureaucratic procedures.

Gender discrimination: citizenship laws do not treat women and men equally.

http://www.unhcr.org/50a0fc4b9.html

http://www.unhcr.org/50a0fc4b9.html

Video watch

South Sudan – UNHCR in Yida http://www.youtube.com/user/unhcr

CONFLICTDefinition“Conflict is a struggle over value s or claims to status, power, and scarce resources, in which the aims of conflicting parties are not only to gain the desired values but also to neutralise, injure or eliminate their rivals.” (Coser. 1968)

Continue……………..“Conflict occurs when two related parties – individuals, groups, communities, or nation-states –-- find themselves divided by perceived incompatible interests or goals or in competition for control of scarce resources.” (Avruch 1998)

Phases of conflict

1. Potential conflict: the presence of underlying conditions of stress

2. Gestation of conflict: the increasing salience of factors mobilizing some

actors toward conflict3. Mobilization of conflict: a high

degree of tension and confrontation between conflicting parties,

4. Conflict/escalation: significant armed violence or its spread

5. Post conflict: a cessation of hostilities, but a high risk of

conflict re-emerging 

Types of Conflicts

Inter-state conflict is a conflict between two or more state member of the inter-state system – e.g. Arab War (1967)

Intra- state conflict is that conflict between or among two or more groups within the international recognised territory of the state. They include civil wars (involving the state government and a non state actor) and inter communal conflicts – two or more groups which are non state actor. (Somali War 2009)

Extra-state conflict involve conflict between a territorial state and a non sovereign entity outside the borders of the state - E.g. Greek war, Texan war, etc

(Meredith, Frank & D. Singer; 2003)

Effects of Conflict

(for children)Child soldiers; an affront to humanity.

Children in flight; refugee and internally displaced children.

Gender based violence, children and women face a heightened risk of rape, sexual humiliation, prostitution, and other forms of gender based violence.

The devastation of landmines and unexploded ordnance

(UNICEF - State of the World’s Children; 1996)

Cont……………

General effects are: Armed war/civil wars Deaths refugees Forced flee (Migration and urbanisation) Gender based Violence against women Internally Displacement Trafficking, (sexual slavery and exploitation) damage health system, environmental degradation, mental health and stress related disease. Poverty Hunger Orphans, disabilities and women head of families

(Elizabeth Rehn & Ellen Sirleaf. 2002)

History of World’s Conflict since 1945

Conflicts between states have declined sharply in number since the end of World War II and the formation of the United Nations organization. (Stephan Dosse, 2010)

During and following the end of the cold war, there has been an increase in the number of intra-state or civil wars that have been broken out.

Conti……………Many of these intra-states conflicts also involved third-party interventions which add another dimension to the conflict. (Michael Kriner; 2011)

Case study – Civil War in Sudan

Videohttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17958794

Bibliography I

1. “A year of crises” UNHCR global trends 20112. UNDP, “Status of oralmans in Kazakhstan”,

Overview, Almaty, 20063. “The state of the world’s refugees” In search

of solidarity, UNHCR, 20124. “Somalia” Overview

http://www.refugeesinternational.org/where-we-work/africa/somalia?gclid=CKP4wviJ9rMCFQEd3god7TMAqA

5. Don MacIver “Political issues in the world today”, 2004.

6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17958794

Bibliography II

Carol McIntyre, personal communication. Baker, R. Robin. 1978. The Evolutionary Ecology ofAnimal Migration. Holmes & Meier Publishers, Inc. New York.

Animal Migration. 1993-2002. Encarta.com, Microsoft Corporation . http://encarta.msn.com/find/concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=761557464#s12

Able, Kenneth P. 1999. Gathering of Angels, Migrating Birds and Their Ecology. Comstock Books, Ithaca and London.

Kerlinger, Paul. 1995. How Birds Migrate. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsville, PA