Jun 22, 2007

World Refugee Statistics

June 20 marked World Refugee Day and, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there was a 14 percent increase in the global refugee population. This figure is largely due to the sectarian turmoil that has prompted many to flee Iraq but

The UNHCR says that there are 9.9 million refugees worldwide. Below are the refugee totals for 2006 (with a couple of current amendments) as well as some other numbers regarding internally displaced people (IDP) estimated by the Norwegian Refugee Council.

TOP REFUGEE COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN

1. Afghanistan - 2.1 million

2. Iraq - 1.5 million (now 2.2 million)

3. Sudan - 686,000

4. Somalia - 460,000

5. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) - about 400,000

5. Burundi - about 400,000

In Sudan's western Darfur region, conflict persists but President Omar al-Bashir appears to have finally agreed to accept a UN force to help the struggling African Union (AU) peacekeepers. Many Darfuris have fled into neighbouring Chad. A recent curfew imposed in Mogadishu suggests that fighting is far from over between Islamic militants, clans and the Ethiopian-backed Somali government. Most Somali refugees have escaped into Kenya.

The 1998-2002 civil war in DRC is officially over but insecurity in eastern provinces has prevented people from returning. Burundi's 13-year civil war, which ended in 2006, caused the exodus of hundreds of thousands into Tanzania. The process of refugee repatriation continues.

PEOPLE INTERNALLY DISPLACED BY CONFLICT

There are a total of 24.5 million IDPs, 12.9 million of whom are protected or assisted by the UNHCR.

MAIN COUNTRIES WITH INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE:

1. Colombia - 3 million

2. Iraq - 1.8 million (now more than 2 million)

3. Uganda - 1.6 million

4. Sudan - 5 million (of whom UNHCR assists 1.3 million)

5. DRC - 1.1 million

Another deadline is approaching for the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to assemble in Ri-Kwangba, a camp in southern Sudan. If this occurs, after nearly one year of problematic negotiations, it could put an end to Uganda's 20-year civil war in the north. But reintegrating 1.6 million IDPs into society, many of whom grew up in the camps, will pose new difficulties.