Transcript Refugees in South Asia: Impact on Regional Security

Refugees in South Asia
and Impact on
Regional Security
Dr. Nishchal N. Pandey
Director,
Centre for South Asian Studies,
Kathmandu
www.csas.org.np
Human Migration
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History of migration is the history of
mankind.
Movement was Nomadic, often with
conflicts with the indigenous population
No. of international migrants was
estimated as 214 mln. in (2010). It could
reach 405 mln. by 2050.
Both voluntary & involuntary migration
Involuntary includes- slave trade,
trafficking, ethnic cleansing, refugees
Types of Migrants
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Seasonal
Rural to Urban
Urban to rural
Modern migration
also due to wars and
famine
Areas of shortage of
labor but excess of
capital have highrelative wage
Main Destinations of South Asian
Labor - Gulf & Malaysia
Construction &
domestic sectors are
main areas of
international
migration
 37 % of the total pop.
of GCC is foreign
workers and families
 In UAE, foreign
workers are 80 % of
the total pop.
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Role of Remittance in Developing
Economies
According to WBremittances totaled US $
414 bln. in 2009 of which
$ 316 went to
developing countries
 Daily consumption, repayment of loans,
purchase of property,
investment are the main
areas of family spending
 Remittance makes 23 %
share of Nepal’s total
GDP, standing 5th in the
world
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Positive and Negative Features
Contributes to
economy
 Brings in goods,
new skills and
technologies
 Reduces problems
of un-employment
in host countries
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Host country in
shortage of young &
able manpower
 Societal and family
problems due to long
absence of young
people
 Labor-Management
rows affecting state
to state relations
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Refugee Definition and Protocols
Person outside his/her country suffering
prosecution due to race, religion,
nationality or political opinion.
 UN Convention on Status of Refugees1951
 Protocol of 1967 expanded the concept of
‘refugee’.
 UN Declaration on Protection of women,
children in emergency and armed
conflicts-1974
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History Since World War-II
By the end of the
WW-II there was
massive enforced
migration, expulsion.
 Europe had more
than 40 mln.
Refugees
 Millions of Germans
fled eastern Europe
 Jews were also
targeted.
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Main Sources of Refugees
Afghanistan
Iraq
Sierra Leone
Myanmar
Somalia
South Sudan
Palestine
Refugee Cases in South Asia
Partition of India in
1947 led to one of
the largest human
movement in
mankind’s history
 7 mln. Hindus & Sikhs
from Pakistan moved
to India and 7 mln.
Muslims from India
crossed to Pakistan
 One mln. died
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Bangladesh Liberation
Movement
10 mln. Bangladeshis fled to India
during the Independence
movement in 1971
Mostly West Bengal, Bihar, Assam,
Meghalaya, Tripura had to harbour
them.
Amartya Sen, Bimal Roy are some
Bengalis of East Bengal origin
Afghan Refugees in Pakistan
Since the Soviet
invasion to the U.S.
campaign against
terror, 6 mln. Afghans
have fled to Pakistan
 As of 2009, some 1.7
mln. Afghans still live
inside Pakistan
 9,00,000 Afghans are
in Iran.
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Post Return Complications
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Property is not there
Ownership is unclear
Competing claims
over ownership
Taliban & other
militant groups
recruit them
Unemployment,
prostitution & drugs
is rampant
Sri Lankan refugees & IDPs
(1983-87) a total of
1,34,000 Tamils came
to Tamil Nadu
 1989-1,22,000 Tamils
fled Sri Lanka and
were in Tamil Nadu
 (1995-2002) 23,000
fled SL
 After May 2009,
1,25,000 became
IDPs
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Rohingyas in Bangladesh
2,50,000 Muslim Rohingyas fled Burma &
came to Bangladesh in 1991-92
 100,000 Rohingyas from Rakhine state in
Burma have been displaced in sectarian
violence with Buddhists in 2012.
 Dhaka says “it is not in the best interest
of Bangladesh to allow more refugees into
the country”
 3,00,000 Rohingyas are in camps in Cox
Bazaar
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Tibetans in India & Nepal
1,50,000 Tibetans live
in India
 21,000 live & run
businesses in Nepal
 Highly politicized and
controversial issue
 Nepal is constantly
at pressure from all
sides.
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Conflict IDPs in Nepal
GTZ/UNDP study in
2003 said that there
are 2,00,000 IDPs in
Nepal
 Return, resettlement,
reintegration has not
happenned even after
the end of war
 Confiscated property
is yet to be returned
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Bhutanese Refugee in Nepal
Bhutan has 75 %
Buddhists and 25 %
Hindus
1,05,000 Nepalese
were booted out in
1991
They lived in 7 camps
in eastern Nepal for 2
decades
U.S. has re-settled
60,000
Conclusion
Migration and Refugees are going to be critical
issues of the contemporary world with regional
and global consequences
 There have been tremendous failures of policy,
strategy and assessments
 Very little work being done and poor
coordination on South Asian migrant labor in
the Middle East
 Political upheaval in the middle east could have
negative fall-outs for South Asian labor force.
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Dreamed I saw a building with a
thousand floors,
A thousand windows and a thousand
doors,
Not one of them was ours, my dear, not
one of them was ours.
-W.H. Auden
Thank You!