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The article presents abstracts on refugee topics which include the history of the problem on Palestinian refugees, the response of nations to refugees and asylum seekers and a guide for activities in repatriation and reintegration.

The article presents abstracts of reference books including "L'action humanitaire du Canada: histoire, concepts, politiques et pratiques de terrain," edited by Y. Conoir and G. Verna "After Involuntary Migration: The Political Economy of Refugee Encampments," by M.Z. Bookman and "A Bed for the Night: Humanitarianism in Crisis," by D. Rieff.

The article presents abstracts of books related to refugees including "Afghanistan: A New History," by M. Ewans "Caught Between Borders: Response Strategies of the Internally Displaced," edited by M. Vincent and B. Refslung Sorensen and "China's Tibet Policy," by D. Norbu.

This book focuses on the issue of armed humanitarian intervention in situations of internal conflict and civilian suffering. It discusses the dilemma of external engagement in intra-wars both within the contemporary context and through the history of military-civilian interactions. It studies the conceptual innovations since the 1990s and uses various case studies and cost-benefit analysis to prove the need for military action and political will in cases of humanitarian crisis. To judge the utility and success of each mission, it makes an assessment of interventions in N. Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Haiti, Kosovo and E. Timor on the basis of three variables: the military costs of intervention, the state of the civilian crisis prior to the intervention, and the civilian benefits following intervention. On the basis of these assessments, the author concludes that military force is essential to successful interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This book chronicles the journey of Maya survivors from the Guatemalan genocide of the 1970s to 1980s in their search for truth, justice and community healing. The author demonstrates that the Guatemalan army carried out a systematic and intentional genocide against these indigenous people, killing over 200,000 civilians and displacing one and a half million people. As the author traces truth telling and political change from isolated Maya villages to national political events, she reveals how integral a survivor’s memory is to the analysis of terror and genocide and to the transition from authoritarian rule and societal reconstruction. The author bases her research on an insider’s look into the workings of the Commission for Historical Clarification through the exhumation of clandestine cemeteries and from personal testimonies from massacre survivors, human rights leaders and the Guatemalan establishment. Though the research focuses on Guatemala, the theoretical and practical issues it raises resonate with current internal turmoil in many countries which continue to be plagued with unsettled histories of past repression impacting contemporary power struggles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1996, a forum organised at the initiative of ICRC has brought together groups of professionals in human rights and refugee law, humanitarian law, practitioners and academics to discuss ways on how civilians can be protected in armed conflict and situations of internal violence. This publication summarises the highlights of their deliberations. It is intended to help organisations integrate protection work more effectively into their own programmes and provide guidelines for training of field staff. It represents a step toward a broader recognition of shared principles in dealing with the protection issues integral to today's conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This book goes beyond the stereotypes to discuss contemporary Iranian society and attempts projections on possible directions Islamic democracy may take in the future. According to the author, the Iranian Revolution has taken on a greater importance since Khomeini’s death and has transformed Iranian society and Islam. The author describes revolutions within revolutions and compares the resulting movement as radical to the world of Islam as Luther’s Reformation was to the Christian world - empowering women, modernising social traditions, encouraging creativity and giving birth to a new generation that is redefining Iran’s political agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this guidance document is to provide a working tool to ensure the provision of appropriate programmes and services to and with women affected by armed conflict. It is targeted to ICRC policy-makers, field staff and international organizations concerned with the planning, funding and implementation of humanitarian programmes for women. The document also presents an overview of the relevant legal framework of humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law specific to women in situations of armed conflict. It is divided into two parts. Part 1 discusses violations of human rights when the distinction between civilians and combatants gets blurred in conflict situations. Part 2 highlights the specific needs of women deprived of their freedom and offers tools for more effective and appropriate responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite universal consensus on a large number of standards in the field of human rights and humanitarian law, large-scale violations of fundamental human rights continue and the international community to prevent these violations. The author believes that it is important to understand why these violations occur and investigate what can be achieved with the already existing body of normative instruments. The author initiates a comparative study of the two legal systems of human rights and humanitarian law. The study analyses systemic similarities and differences in the construct of human rights and humanitarian law and assesses to what extent they protect individual integrity or whether gaps exist whereby neither set of norms apply. The inquiry in conducted through three transversal themes. The first traces the normative frameworks of human rights and humanitarian law and the legal structures used to achieve their related goal of protection of the individual. The second theme deals with their reciprocity, a fundamental principle in human rights and humanitarian law. The final theme studies the normative indeterminacy in the application of human rights and humanitarian law and examines the difficulties faced by the international community to translate protection norms into concrete standards. The analysis reveals a significant difference between human rights and humanitarian law but each body performs a task for which they are best suited. The author supports his thesis by presenting relevant material from UN, ICTY and ICTR and regional organizations in Europe, Africa and Latin America. He presents extensive tables of cases, treaties and international instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This book examines the evolution in the thinking and practice of humanitarian organizations. It discusses the major challenges they face within their own ranks and in the coordinating work between different humanitarian organizations. The author exposes tensions between delivery of assistance and the protection of basic human rights, between the ‘neutrality’ of humanitarian activities and the political arena in which they take place. He reviews the record of humanitarian actors in strengthening the capacity of local institutions and individuals and examines the challenges they face. The author offers his recommendations for more effective structure and functioning of these organizations. He examines the dynamics of institutional change and reflects on the contribution of the Humanitarian War Project. The epilogue to this volume studies the impact of terrorism and antiterrorism with specific reference to Afghanistan. The appendices provide a chronology of selected seminal events; list of Project publications; financial contributions; list of consultants, authors and staff and a list of abbreviations used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights was established in 1993 to spearhead United Nations’ efforts to protect those at risk or whose human rights were being violated. This book attempts to evaluate and analyse the accomplishments of this office over the last ten years of its existence in the protection and promotion of human rights. It argues that limited protection functions are carried out by the Security Council, the Secretary-General, the Commissioner on Human Rights and its special procedures. Major areas of inadequacy of exiting international efforts for human rights need attention to bring about a protection system that effectively anticipates and prevents gross violations, contributes to mitigation and cure and facilitates remedies and compensation. The book includes four appendices: the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 48/141 creating the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, mission statement of the office of the High Commissioner, statement of the High Commissioner to the chairpersons of the treaty bodies and the address of the High Commissioner to the Commission on 18 June, 2001. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This occasional paper deals with contemporary issues significant to building peace in West Africa. It addresses four principal questions: first, the political, economic and security constraints to establishing a sub-regional security mechanism and promoting economic integration in West Africa between 1960 and 1990; second, the domestic, sub-regional and external factors that hampered or helped peacemaking efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau and that account for the unresolved security and political processes in these countries; third, the factors that were responsible for similar or different outcomes in these countries; and lastly, the lessons that can derived from these three cases for building sustainable peace in West Africa and for institutionalising ECOMOG as a permanent security mechanism here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the lessons of a decade of peacemaking and conflict management, this book reviews and evaluates the issues involved in the building of sustainable peace. It provides guidelines on how to maximize all contributions to peace building and underlines the need for greater attention to the contributions made by those working in the field. The guide introduces concepts and tools for sustainable peace building. These include more adequate preparation of field workers for the challenges they face on a daily basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This practical guide compiles the different ways in which international law can be used for relief actions for the benefit of the victim. It sets forth an interpretation of the rules that defend the interest of the weakest. It covers humanitarian law and other applicable branches of international law, as well as certain aspects of international relations. The guide presents the main provisions of the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols relating to protection and assistance for victims of conflict. It also discusses key elements of other legal instruments likely to be applicable to situations in which humanitarian law cannot be applied like refugee law; conventions on torture, genocide, the rights of the child and human rights; international criminal law; and rules governing peacekeeping, including the interstate solidarity mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report, by the Independent International Commission on Kosovo, attempts to explore into the reasons why the international community was unable to provide timely response to the escalation of conflict in Kosovo, and focuses on the capacity of the UN to act as a global peacemaker. It is divided into three sections. Part I documents the factual chronology of the Kosovo crisis, beginning with its origins. Part II provides an analysis of aspects of the intervention and examines the failure of diplomacy, particularly that attempted at Rambouillet, to end the conflict, and considers the alternatives to intervention. It assesses in detail questions of international law and the legitimacy of humanitarian intervention. Part III of the report sets out the Commission's conclusions to ensure lasting peace and security for Kosovo and the larger Balkan region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the principal and most urgent needs of women in situations of armed conflict and analyses the ICRC's response to those needs even when these needs do not fall within the ICRC's mandate. It identifies the applicable law governing situations of armed conflict and uses international humanitarian law as the yardstick for the assessment of ICRC's response. Each section of the study identifying a specific need contains a sub-section on the law that sets out the applicable norms of relevance to that need. In addition to identifying relevant general and specific rules relating to women, the study also outlines rules for the protection of the girl child. It contains an annex on the ICRC response to detained persons in situations of internal violence, an extensive bibliography, a glossary of abbreviations and detailed notes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This occasional paper is the result of the author's firsthand experience on human rights in Kosovo between 1999-2000. Despite the deployment of NATO's forces in Kosovo and the UN's direct involvement in governing the province, human rights abuses were routine. The author analyses the nature of this violence and assesses efforts to guarantee public security. He discusses the particular evolution of the Kosovo Liberation Army and its negative consequences for the rule of law and how weak UN and Nato policies may have contributed to this trend, and offers recommendations on how the situation may be reversed. The lesson emerging from Kosovo is that the UN, NATO and regional bodies need to marginalise the extremists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This book attempts at a fresh perspective on the subject of building local capacities in emergency and post-emergency situations. One of the core commitments of international humanitarian organizations is to strengthen local capacity to respond to crisis, however, relations between international and local organizations more often turn out to be those of patronage rather than partnership. This book examines the dynamics what actually happens on the ground during and after emergencies. It includes case studies written by international aid practitioners and journalists and commentaries from those actually affected by wars. The chapters present a cross section of emergencies in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. The cases selected bring out different aspects of the challenge at different points of time. The aim of the book is to identify and examine innovative practices that have contributed to building short and long-term local capacities, which can deal with peace building, reconstruction and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This historical account of the Kosovo conflict begins with Slobodan Milosevic’s speech at Kosovo Polje in April 1987 which marked the beginning of his ascension to power on the ticket of Serbian nationalism. This volume traces the growth of tensions in this region and a concurrent increase in international concern. It details the international effort to diffuse the escalating violence in Kosovo from 1998 through 1999, beginning with economic sanctions and continuing through the threat of NATO air strikes, the January Racak massacre and the Rembouillet negotiations. The volume then follows the evolution of the diplomatic and US domestic environment during NATO 1999 air campaign and the June 1999 deployment of KFOR. Each chapter in the volume is comprised of key arguments, speeches, communiqués and statements of major nation states and international agencies involved in the Balkans. In an appendix the editor also provides a complete list of internet and other sources for documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]