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Addressing Internal Displacement in Peace Processes, Peace Agreements and Peace-Building

Author: Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement
Date: 2007
Size: 88 pages (297KB)

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Summary

How can internal displacement best be integrated into peace processes, peace agreements and peacebuilding? This report from the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement contends that resolving displacement is strongly connected to achieving peace, especially in cases of large-scale displacement. Assisting displaced people to return and reintegrate has the potential both to address the root causes of conflict and to prevent further displacement. Durable solutions to displacement should form an integral part of effective peacebuilding.

The rights of internally displaced people (IDPs) are enshrined in international human rights law and international humanitarian law. However, peace processes must include a specific focus on IDPs given that their needs are often different from those of refugees and other war-affected populations.

IDPs rarely participate directly in ‘track-one’ peace processes due to a number of factors, including: the formal and high-level nature of such processes; a lack of skills or capacity for engagement; and the risks entailed for IDPs such as fear of reprisal. IDPs can participate in ‘track-two’ processes involving groups that may be excluded from formal negotiations such as civil society organisations, or ‘track-three’ processes involving grassroots organisations. In order to be effective, these alternative processes must have a real input into negotiations and take account of the specific needs of IDPs. Complementary approaches are also useful where the participation of IDPs in peace processes is not feasible or desirable. Such approaches include advocacy efforts by international mediators during formal negotiations or promoting the legal rights of IDPs through international, regional and national mechanisms.

Drawing from experiences of displacement worldwide, as well as case studies from Colombia, Georgia, Sri Lanka and Sudan, the report provides guidelines for addressing displacement in peace agreements.

• Peace agreements should clearly define four main elements: i) key definitions (such as distinctions between refugees and IDPs, international definitions, and locally-used terminology); ii) roles and responsibilities of parties to the agreement; iii) rights of IDPs; and iv) implementation processes.
  
• Commitments to displaced people in the text of peace agreements may be undermined by poor drafting, weak implementation measures, insufficient resources, and the absence of robust compliance.

Donors must recognise that resolving internal displacement and achieving lasting peace are inextricably linked. The return of displaced populations can help to send positive signals and build trust in the new post-conflict political order, whereas the failure to sufficiently address the concerns of IDPs may lead to renewed insecurity and jeopardise the chances of sustainable peace. Key recommendations include the following:

• Integrating internal displacement into peace processes. Options include directly involving the legitimate representatives of IDPs in formal peace negotiations; consulting with IDPs on their priority needs and addressing them where possible during negotiations; and identifying obstacles to the political mobilisation of IDPs.
• Taking full account of displacement issues during the drafting of peace agreements. Clear frameworks and mechanisms should also be established at the national level for monitoring, evaluating, and overseeing the implementation of commitments to IDPs.
• Mainstreaming internal displacement in peacebuilding efforts and prioritising the search for durable solutions. For example, national authorities can address displacement in the context of security, reconstruction, reconciliation, and political transition processes. The UN Peacebuilding Commission should mainstream durable solutions for displacement in its work and play a leading advocacy role at the international level.

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Source: Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, 2007, 'Addressing Internal Displacement in Peace Processes, Peace Agreements and Peace-Building', The Brookings Institution-University of Bern Project on Internal Displacement, The Brookings Institution, Washington DC.
Organisation: Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, http://www.brookings.edu/projects/idp.aspx