Reintegration of displaced populations and peacebuilding

Fahil Jabbar
Displaced populations such as refugees or internally displaced persons, whether in camps, communities, host families or cities, may be in danger or living in difficult circumstances as a result of leaving their homes at the outbreak of conflict, They migrated to protect their lives, and States must take further measures to ensure their return to their areas and homes, Interventions aimed at assisting internally displaced persons and refugees returning to their homes in fragile States will succeed if they pay attention to local political and economic contexts in the aftermath of the war because of their profound impact on the reintegration of war-affected populations. Land disputes among war-affected populations threaten peace efforts in many fragile post-conflict environments. During Liberias 15-year civil war, nearly 1 million people fled their homes, either displaced in their own countries or took refuge abroad, leaving their homes and land behind. When some returned to their properties during the post-conflict reconstruction phase, many of these returnees found that strangers had taken over their properties, leading to heightened tension and land disputes.

Persons forcibly displaced within the country by conflict fall under a refugee-like category and receive support to various degrees (within an internationally recognized legal framework for refugee protection). Liberia has experienced two civil wars (1989-1996 and 1999-2003). Since 2003, Liberia has been the target of international efforts to build the States capacity and reintegrate war-affected populations. Similar challenges are faced by both refugees, displaced persons and ex-combatants, each perceived as separated groups of relations with their communities of origin that make them in need of support. Interventions to promote their sustainable reintegration are very similar. However, the situation on the ground may be quite different, interests may be conflicting and the results of interventions for the reintegration of ex-combatants may differ from those for the reintegration of forcibly displaced persons in the context of State reconstruction.

Hence, local political realities must be understood after the war, as such understanding is a critical element in the success or failure of returnees reintegration efforts. The international community must: observe domestic and economic political contexts when intervening in assisting displaced persons and refugees in fragile States and to translate international standards and norms such as those described for the reintegration and adoption of ex-combatants and forcibly displaced persons according to the contexts of emerging domestic political regimes in fragile States to ensure real impacts on the ground, as well as the establishment of reintegration programmes for both ex-combatants and former displaced persons on evidence-based research and taking into account the real political and economic situation in fragile post-war States, as in Somalia during 1991-1992. All international efforts have failed to find a political settlement to the Somali civil war. in view of the breadth and ambiguity of the objectives that governed this process, with unprecedented United Nations tasks of disarming Somali factions and maintaining internal security. This is the reason for the confrontation between international forces and Somali factions, and it is essential to provide a better understanding of States vulnerability and that this understanding be accompanied by improvements in the policy and financing of displaced populations to prevent the spread of further regional conflicts.

These examples illustrate the policy contents of both the host country and the international community of humanitarian donors and humanitarian organizations. For the host country, support must be provided to refugees arriving, their demands must be addressed quickly and assistance must be provided in finding a rewarding job and a permanent place to live. Displacements lead to a marked increase in the number of deaths, such as those of Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as malnutrition and the spread of diseases, especially among children. For non-governmental organizations, funding for these positive outputs is very important. However, sustainable solutions for displaced populations will be achieved only through the exercise of political will and smart and evidence-based decision-making. Otherwise, we will continue to see what can be likened to a series of interactions of civil conflicts in fragile neighbouring states.

Addressing the root causes of major displacement of refugees and migrants due to conflict, including by increasing efforts to prevent early crisis situations on the basis of preventive diplomacy. These causes will also be addressed through the prevention and peaceful settlement of disputes, increased coordination of humanitarian and development efforts and peacebuilding efforts, the strengthening of the rule of law at the national and international levels, and the protection of human rights.

It is clear from the foregoing that the reintegration of displaced and displaced populations will not take place unless they have some aspects such as security, access to their homes, assistance to rebuild or restore their homes and the purchase of tools that may have been stolen during the conflict. s rights ", job creation, although not high, as most return to poor and marginalized areas with no jobs and decent lives, as exemplified by Mosul. Our experience in Zamar has also shown that, in implementing the International Organization for Migration (IOM) project on peacebuilding and social cohesion in Nineveh governorate, we sought these aspects in the words of the people of this region.

Other indicators of progress in the reintegration process should be seen, including the establishment of the Peacebuilding Mission, the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Peacebuilding Fund, as there are additional opportunities to mobilize resources and develop integrated strategies for post-conflict reintegration and recovery in war-torn societies. Every effort should be made to ensure that such innovations have a significant impact on the quality of life and on the sustainability of reintegration in the areas to which these people return. Displaced persons may be relocated from one place to another, hidden, forced to be in inhospitable or unhealthy environments or face other conditions that make them particularly vulnerable. Social bonds of displaced communities can be harmed by physical movement, families can be dismantled or separated, and women may have to exercise non-traditional roles or face specific difficult circumstances.

A framework for placing displaced persons rights in durable solutions was developed at the request of the former Secretary-General of the United Nations (Ban Ki-moon) on the human rights of internally displaced persons. The framework includes contributions from the Government, donors, international agencies, non-governmental organizations, civil society and internally displaced persons organizations, and support for this international humanitarian law, which reflects a human rights-based approach to creating a set of criteria for stakeholders to assess whether a durable solution has been achieved. The United Nations Inter-Agency Standing Committee has developed eight interrelated criteria as indicators to determine the extent to which a durable solution has been achieved:
1- Safety and Safety
2- An adequate standard of living
3- Opportunity for livelihood
4- Rehousing, land and property
5- Obtaining official documentation
6- Family reunion
7- Participation in public affairs
8- Access to effective solutions and justice.