Lecture 12. Refugees Article 1 OAU Convention Governing the specific aspects of refugees problem of 1969 (UN Convention Relating to the status of refugees of 1951 A refugee is a person who is outside the country of his or her nationality(or place of last habitual, residence, in the case of a stateless person) due to a well founded fear of persecution in account of race, religion, nationality, membership of particular social group or political opinion.

Lecture 12.1 In 1996 there were 23 million refugees and asylum seekers, 26 million internally displaced people Refugee movements and population displacement in Africa have longer history than is usually imagined and dates back to pre-colonial period.

Lecture 12.2 Hence, the cases are rather diverse. Refugee is an indication of a failed state as the role of the state is to provide people and and security for its citizens within the actual boundaries as well as to ensure their protection against threats from outside.

Lecture 12.3 Cause of Refugee Movements The exploitation of Refugees as foreign policy tool of the sending state Protecting economic and political influence in cluding tereritorial control or extension of sovereignty. Effect changes in policies and politics of other states (e.g. colonialism) present Rwanda, Burun di, Morocco and Western Sahara.

Lecture 12.4 Refugee movements as foreign p[olicy of receiving state Political, ethnic and ideological sympathies and considerations of national and international security rather than humanitarian concerns. Bolstering their domestic power base, national self cionfidence or dominant ethnic community.

Lecture 12.5 Environmental factors – Drought, economic deprivation, outright economic oppression and exploitation Way Forward Address the arrest of refugees – relocation, integration Find the roots#Conflict situation, Environmental disasters, Individual, states Democratisation, Multilateral institutions,Strengthening and decentralising UNHCR