| dc.description.abstract | The study assessed security implications of an open-door policy for hosting refugees. It identified constraints and gaps in refugee camps of the host country that has obeyed International, Regional and National Refugees laws and how it attempted to secure lives despite the inadequate resources to monitor the unregulated hundreds of thousands of refugees received and managed.
Security gaps were examined to find out worst terror cell hatcheries and connections; established security implications; determined humanitarian concerns, and identified the omissions in the policy implementation of hosting politically insecure refugees in a stable country. The study was carried out in Bidibidi refugee camp where opinion, local, central government leaders, the clergy and the security officers responsible of the camps were engaged. The study employed qualitative and quantitative methods in data collection, analysis and presentations. It included discussions of selected methodology. literature reviewed, questionnaires, interpersonal interviews, focus group discussions and the survey guide were used in the field.
The 1951 UN Convention relating to the status of refugees, the 1967 Protocol; the 1987 Uganda’s ratification were extensively discussed. The 2006 Act which introduced refugee definitions based on the 1951 UN and 1969 OAU Conventions, and clear Refugee Status Determination (RSD) procedures; and international and local wave of refugees into Uganda who had come in 1955 from the then Anglo-Egyptian Condominium of the Sudan; the Mau Mau, Sudanese fleeing the conflict that followed its independence, Rwandese escaping the disastrous civil war of 1959, and Congolese in the aftermath of Lumumba’s assassination in 1961. from Ethiopian and Somalia during this period were discussed. Study findings showed that security is as central to freedoms, guarantee to refugee’s return and that armed groups of exiles actively engaged in warfare with political objectives; Camps and a host country conducive for breading of terrorist, indoctrination, radicalization, human smuggling, document fraud, forgery and financing; activities preparing its militants for future combat roles; Porous nature of the border, state failure, and communal violence makes it easy for the trafficking of illegal arms which - further contribute to worsening of the situation; Refugee vulnerability and family’s situation lived in encourages indoctrination as well as recruitment can take place anywhere and anytime especially in schools, marketplaces, and community centers and the homes of refugee families and that; Increased cases of crimes and insecurity in the form of murder, land conflicts, banditry, domestic violence, riots among others in refugee hosting areas was conducive to illicit small arms that leads to widespread illegal activities and eventually undermines the legitimate authority of the state.
It also showed that humanitarian model on social, economic, political and security implications of refugees to host nations and communities and viewed refugees as a threat to National, Regional and International security as a source of tension and in this particular case is being felt. Finally showed that terrorism, regardless of its origin or purpose, if left unchecked for long enough becomes a process, with vested interests in continuing that process, if some of these refugees together with some wrong elements that are responsible for the insecurity in the country and the neighbouring countries. The fact that it is common to find increased cases of crimes and insecurity in the form of murder, land conflicts, banditry, domestic violence, riots etc. in refugee hosting areas has made the refugees to be classified as security threats to the host nations and local communities. It is therefore worth to note that a deliberate effort needs to be made to encourage the refugees to recognize their responsibility to the host governments by demonstrating interest and effort in solving own problems and also becoming useful member in the society in the country of asylum. The report recommended that empowering and equipping leaders to register all refugees and asylum seekers both new and residents in their respective areas for records; accountability and monitoring of refugee actions. Encourage good relationship, and ensure active partnership, mutual cooperation and coexistence between the refugees, communities, local and central government leaders in management. Reform National legislation to ensure that it fully respects freedom of movement. this will be subject to reasonable restrictions; Refugees also have adequate proof of identity, to help in differentiating between refugees and illegal immigrants that could jeopardize security; Strengthening, empowering and creating a department in the East African Community (EAC) to handle refugee issues and speeding up the East African integration process to reduce on internal conflicts; Government, departments and agencies (MDGs) should allocate enough resources to enable effective and easy access to social services such as community and feeder roads, health facilities, schools, etc. to reduce on the risks the refugees undergo in an effort to look for food and other social services; Stakeholders should continuously train their workers so as to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to handle refugees in professional and humane way in order to avoid conflicts that could culminate to insecurity; Encourage the refugees to recognize their responsibility to the host government by demonstrating interest and effort in solving own problems and also becoming useful member in the society in the country of asylum; Encourage good relations by; Leveraging support from refugee assisting agencies to improve access to services for refugees and host populations alike rather than creating parallel services for refugees; UNHCR and NGOs should provide micro finance and other short term assistance to enable refugees to become self-sufficient and; consider the substitution of cash assistance for distributions of food and non-food items (NFIs) | en_US |
