State failure, ethnopolitical war, genocide, famine, and refugee flows are variants of a type of complex political and humanitarian crisis, exemplified during the 1990s in places like Somalia, Bosnia, Liberia, and Afghanistan. The international consequences of such crises are profound, often threatening regional security and requiring major inputs of humanitarian assistance. They also may pose long-term and costly challenges of rebuilding shattered governments and societies. A vital policy question is whether failures can be diagnosed far enough in advance to facilitate effective international efforts at prevention or peaceful transformation. This volume of original essays examines crisis early warning factors at different levels, in different settings, and judges their effectiveness according to various models. Top contributors offer answers along with analyses as they move from early warning to early response in their policy recommendations.
The orthodox definition of international security put human displacement and refugees at the periphery. In contrast, this book demonstrates that human displacement can be both a cause and a consequence of conflict within and among societies. As such, the management of refugee movements and the protection of displaced people should be a part of security policy.
'Africa's refugee and IDP camps are a cause of major concern to the international community. Millions of men, women and children endure situations of protracted displacement in deplorable conditions. In the absence of more durable solutions, refugees and IDPs in many situations are exceptionally susceptible to militarization. No Refuge describes how the phenomenon of refugee militarization threatens to undermine asylum and protection. This edited volume is a timely and invaluable resource for governments, UNHCR protection officers, UN agencies, and NGOs. It is a must-read for all concerned with improving the safety and rights of refugees and IDPs on the ground.' António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 'No Refuge provides a timely analysis by a group of Africa experts of the causes and consequences of refugee militarization in Africa. It should prove invaluable for practitioners, policy-makers and academics in their quest to find practical and effective remedies for this growing humanitarian and security problem. I highly recommend it.' Professor Gil Loescher, Centre for International Studies, University of Oxford The militarization of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) is a persistent and tragic feature of protracted displacement situations, especially in Africa. The phenomenon threatens access to asylum and protection-core pillars of refugee law and the mandates of aid agencies. But while policy debates rage over how best to disarm refugees and prevent them from destabilizing neighbouring states, there is surprisingly little evidence explaining why displaced people arm themselves or precisely how militarization affects hosting communities. No Refuge analyses the experience of refugee and IDP militarization in several African countries affected by and emerging from civil war, including Guinea, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania. It provides a considered overview of the historical, political and regional dimensions of refugee and IDP militarization in Africa, as well as international and national efforts to contain it.
"Powerful . . . well-documented, well-written, and most informative, ("Calculated Kindness") is . . . for all Americans who wish to better understand the often competing policies and principles that have regulated immigrations practices in the United States".--(Rev.) Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., President, University of Notre Dame.
