Protecting the Dispossessed: A Challenge for the International Community

An estimated 25 million to 30 million people worldwide are internally displaced - a significantly larger population than the 18 million refugees. Victims of civil wars, forced relocation, communal violence, natural and ecological disasters, and gross violations of human rights, they desperately need food, shelter, safety, basic health care, and other necessities. In March 1992 Francis Deng was appointed Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to study this harrowing situation. Here he presents a powerful personalized version of his official report to the United Nations, examining the causes and consequences of internal displacement, the legal standards for protection and assistance, enforcement mechanisms, the prevailing conditions in the affected countries, and the urgent need for an international response. In a compelling first-person narrative, Protecting the Dispossessed follows Deng's investigation and is based on interviews and information from governments, international organizations, individuals, and visits to countries in Europe, Africa, and Latin America. Deng argues that national sovereignty entails a responsibility to ensure the safety and welfare of the citizens and to protect fundamental human rights. When nations cannot or will not meet that responsibility, the international community must uphold this standard and make violators accountable. While he acknowledges that steps are being taken in the right direction, there is still much to be done. He presents a bold proposal, one that requires substantial change in the international system, in the politics of major governments, and in the relations between states.