DISPLACEMENT
SO C IA L A C T I O N T O O LKI T FROM INSPIRATION TO ACTION SOCIAL ACTION TOOKITS PRODUCED WITH PURPOSE
DISPLACEMENT
SOCIAL ACTION TOOKITS PRODUCED WITH PURPOSE
“Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.� - John F. Kennedy All around the world, human beings who live in areas where armed conflict occurs, are forced/ chased out of their homes- deprived of security, shelter, food, water, disrupting their establishments of livelihood and support of their communities. The International Committee of the Red Cross suggests that an estimated 26 million people around the word are displaced because of armed conflict in countries included, but not limited to: Afghanistan, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Georgia, Kenya, Liberia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Somalia and Sudan. Displacement in armed conflict zones occurs primarily because of violations to International Human Law (IHU) carried through by government and military in these areas. These violations include the attack on individuals and their property, starvation, the destruction of belongings, including that which is needed for survival. Many times in these areas economic hardship and disruption of access to essential resources and goods also forces displacement to occur. And in the process, danger of families being separated increases, sexual violence inflicted on women and girls, ailments and health hazards are prevalent. For many forced migration and displacement is a means of survival.
WHAT IS FORCED MIGRATION? (FORCED MIGRATION ONLINE- FMO)
International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM) describes forced migration as ‘a general term that refers to the movements of refugees and internally displaced people (those displaced by conflicts) as well as people displaced by natural or environmental disasters, chemical or nuclear disasters, famine, or development projects.’ When looking at Migration we can focus on three separate, although sometimes simultaneous and inter-related, types of forced migration: conflict induced, developmental policy and project induced, and disaster induced. For the purposes of this toolkit we will focus on Conflict- Induced displacement.
Conflict-Induced Displacement People who are forced to flee their homes for one or more of the following reasons and where the state authorities are unable or unwilling to protect them: armed conflict including civil war; generalized violence; and persecution on the grounds of nationality, race, religion, political opinion or social group. A large proportion of these displaced people will flee across international borders in search of refuge. Some of them may seek asylum under international law, whereas others may prefer to remain anonymous, perhaps fearing that they may not be granted asylum and will be returned to the country from whence they fled. Since the end of the Cold War, there has been an escalation in the number of armed conflicts around the world. Many of these more recent conflicts have been internal conflicts based on national, ethnic or religious separatist struggles. There has been a large increase in the number of refugees during this period, as displacement has increasingly become a strategic tactic often used by all sides in the conflict. Since the end of the Cold War there has also been an even more dramatic increase in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), who currently far outnumber the world‘s refugee population. In 2010, there were some 11 million refugees and asylum seekers and a further 27.5 million IDPs worldwide.
The most important international organization with responsibility for refugees is the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, UNHCR is mandated to provide protection and assistance to refugees. However, one group of refugees does not come under the mandate of UNHCR. These are Palestinian refugees in the Middle East, who come under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
TYPES OF FORCED MIGRANTS
Given below are brief descriptions of the main terms used by those researching and working with forced migrants. Refugees The legal definition of a refugee is enshrined in the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Article 1 of the Convention defines a refugee as “a person residing outside his or her country of nationality, who is unable or unwilling to return because of a ‘well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a political social group, or political opinion’. Some 150 of the world‘s 200 or so states have undertaken to protect refugees and not return them to a country where they may be persecuted, by signing the 1951 Refugee Convention and/or its 1967 Protocol. Those recognized as refugees are better off than other forced migrants, in that they have a clear legal status and are entitled to the protection of the UNHCR. Asylum seekers Asylum seekers are people who have moved across an international border in search of protection under the 1951 Refugee Convention, but whose claim for refugee status has not yet been determined. Annual asylum claims in Western Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA combined rose from some 90,400 in 1983 to 323,050 in 1988 and then peaked at 828,645 in 1992. By the end of 2004, asylum applications made in these Western countries had dropped significantly and in 2010 the total number of asylum applications in 44 industrialized countries was estimated at 358,800; the fourth lowest in the past 10 years (UNHCR, 2011). Internally Displaced Persons The most widely used definition of internally displaced persons (IDPs) is one presented in a 1992 report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which identifies them as ‘persons who have been forced to flee their homes suddenly or unexpectedly in large numbers, as a result of armed conflict, internal strife, systematic violations of human rights or natural or man-made disasters, and who are within the territory of their own country.’ Sometimes referred to as ‘internal refugees’, these people are in similar need of protection and assistance as refugees but do not have the same legal and institutional support as those who have managed to cross an international border. There is no specifically mandated body to provide assistance to IDPs, as there is with refugees. Although they are guaranteed certain basic rights under international humanitarian law (the Geneva Conventions), ensuring these rights are secured is often the responsibility of authorities, which were responsible for their displacement in the first place, or ones that are unable or unwilling to do so. The number of IDPs around the world is estimated to have risen from 1.2 million in 1982 to 14 million in 1986. However, it is likely that earlier estimates are woefully low, as little systematic counting was being conducted at the time. Estimates on numbers of IDPs continue to be controversial, due to debate over definitions, and to methodological and practical problems in counting. In 2010 there were an estimated 27.5 million IDPs worldwide (IDMC, 2011).
GET INFORMED “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” –Albert Einstein
Forced Internal Displacement (IDP) “… persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border.” (UN’s Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement) International Humanitarian Law (IHL) International humanitarian law (IHL) is a set of rules which seek, for humanitarian reasons, to limit the effects of armed conflict. It protects persons who are not or are no longer participating in hostilities and restricts the means and methods of warfare. The Essential Rules of International Law “The parties to a conflict must at all times distinguish between the civilian population and combatants in order to spare the civilian population and civilian property. Neither the civilian population as a whole nor individual civilians may be attacked. Attacks may be made solely against military objectives. People who do not or can no longer take part in the hostilities are entitled to respect for their lives and for their physical and mental integrity. Such people must in all circumstances be protected and treated with humanity, without any unfavorable distinction whatever. It is forbidden to kill or wound an adversary who surrenders or who can no longer take part in the fighting. Neither the parties to the conflict nor members of their armed forces have an unlimited right to choose methods and means of warfare. It is forbidden to use weapons or methods of warfare that are likely to cause unnecessary losses or excessive suffering.
GET INFORMED The wounded and sick must be collected and cared for by the party to the conflict which has them in its power. Medical personnel and medical establishments, transports and equipment must be spared. Captured combatants and civilians who find themselves under the authority of the adverse party are entitled to respect for their lives, their dignity, their personal rights and their political, religious and other convictions. They must be protected against all acts of violence or reprisal. They are entitled to exchange news with their families and receive aid. They must enjoy basic judicial guarantees, (The Red Cross)
“If we are to live together in peace, we must come to know each other better.” - Lyndon B. Johnson
ARTICLES 200,000 Flee in Biggest Displacement of Syrian Conflict CNN World In The Eye of a Man Made Storm- Foreign Policy Magazine Number of Displaced Iraqis Rising Press TV South Sudan Conflict ‘Quickly Turned Ethnic,’ Obasanjo Tells UN Rights Council- Voice of America Weekend Edition: Displacement- BBC
GET INFORMED VIDEOS
A Look at 3 Sisters Displaced by Colombian Conflict Colombia’s Displaced People Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH70hQStqCY Displaced and Desperate: Doro, South Sudan Forced Migration and Displacement Map the World: Wars and Armed Conflicts since 1946 Syria: Displaced Families Speak
RELATED FILMS/ DOCUMENTARIES Note: These films or movies may contain graphic language, sexual content, and violence. While they expose the truth about homelessness around the world, they may not be appropriate for all audiences.
This is not a comprehensive list; we do not endorse the movies and films on this list.
FILMS FEATURED IN HOLLYWOOD FILM FESTIVAL 2014 #ChicagoGirl
Synopsis: From her childhood bedroom in the Chicago suburbs, an American girl uses social media to run the revolution in Syria. Armed with Facebook, Twitter, Skype and camera phones, she helps her social network in Damascus and Homs brave snipers and shelling in the streets of one of the most brutal dictators. But as the revolution rages on, everyone in the network must decide what is the most effective way to fight: social media or AK-47s.
GET INFORMED A World Not Ours (Presented by SIMA - Social Impact Media Awards/ WINNER SIMA 2014 Best Documentary Feature) Synopsis: An intimate, humorous portrait of three generations of exile in a Palestinian refugee camp in South Lebanon filmed for over 20 years by members of the same family.
OTHER FILMS: Blood Diamond (Edward Zwick, 2006) The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Mark Herman, 2008) Displaced but Not Defeated (María Ceballos Paz, 2003) Fog of War (Errol Morris, 2003) Kandahar (Mohsen Makhmalbaf, 2010) The Power of One (John G. Avildsen, 1992) RESTREPO (Tim Hetherington, 2010) War Child (Christian Karim Chrobog, 2008)
BOOKS: A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier By Ishmael Beah Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go to War By Jimmie Briggs War Child: A Child Soldier’s Story by Emmanuel Ja The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane Lord of the Flies by William Golding
GET INFORMED HELPFUL STUDIES “Internal Displacement in Armed Conflict: Facing Up to the Challenge” (The Red Cross) “The Rights and Guarantees of Internally Displaced Children in Armed Conflict” (Children and Armed Conflict) “Violence Against Women in Situations of Armed Conflict and Displacement” (World Health Organization) “International Human Law” (The Red Cross) “Palestine in Israeli School Books” Look to Forced Migration Online’s Research Resources:
“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” - Mother Teresa
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GET CONNECTED TO AN ORGANIZATION AIDING IN SERVING COMMUNITIES VICTIM TO DISPLACEMENT AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS THAT AFFECT THOSE WHO LIVE IN TERRITORIES OF ARMED CONFLICT Here are a few great organizations/ groups you can connect with: American Refugee Committee Amnesty International Child Rights International Network Forced Migration Online Human Rights Watch The International Committee of the Red Cross National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Refugee Council Refugee Law Project The United Nations Refugee Agency The United Nations Relief and Work Agency US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Warchild International Network
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THREE MINUTE ACTION
TWEET! IN JUST ONE CLICK YOU CAN SPREAD THE WORD THROUGH TWITTER #displacement #stopdisplacement #stopforcedmigration #reunifydisplacedfamilies
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SPREAD THE WORD THROUGH ART Art in all its forms, from film, to photograph, literary arts, performance, dance and visual are powerful vehicles to move an issues and help communities and individuals connect to it in a deeper way. Often news clips and articles are circulated on the internet or in communication that make us aware of the atrocities happening around the world, but often we are distanced from these issues and easily adopt the attitude that it was “those people, over there”, and that we would be “fighting for something that didn’t affect us, or mean something of significance to us”. Art often has a way of humanizing the issues at hand and is why art can be so effective. Whether it be a photograph or a quote, a film or a song, people sometimes need a reminder that these are real people who are suffering. Take action with Artistry by sharing images and videos on your Facebook page or (via other social media outlets) and write a message about why it is important to you to be aware and make change of Displacement
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Art that focuses on spreading awareness of Displacement: Exile Images (a sight with a number of photographers works documenting experiences of displacement around the world) Compiled by John Harris The Curious Brain Invisible People Cardboard Art Raeema’s Poem- A Young Syrian Refugee’s Words (Oxfam America) Necessary Targets- A Play by Eve Ensler’s
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TEN MINUTE ACTION
DONATE MONEY/ PROVISIONS TO AN ORGANIZATION AIDING THE FORCED MIGRANTS AND DISPLACED COMMUNITIES There are thousands of organizations across the country that are working to combat forced migration and displacement all over the world in different ways. These organizations depend on the donations of people: 85% of funding for non-profits comes from individuals. Whether you can give $5 or $500, it is a valuable action to contribute your money to make sure that this organizing, educating, and mobilizing continues. Also in aid to displacement and refugee communities, food, clothing and provision donations are crucial (below are links to places you can donate items to). Think about the work that you find most inspiring. Do you think national or local work is more important? Legal strategies? Education? Mobilization? Change?
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GET YOUR IDEAS OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA Write down your thoughts on displacement and armed conflict and the ways to stop it. Send them to your friends, family, and organizations through Facebook and other social media.
“Peace between countries must rest on the solid foundation of love between individuals.” - Mahatma Gandhi
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30 MINUTE ACTION
ENGAGE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE- TALK ABOUT IT It is tempting to separate ourselves from others disagree with us on this or other social justice matters. It can be painful to know that someone you know or care about holds views that you know to be biased. However, as someone committed to the human rights of all, a powerful way to create change is to engage others in dialogue, to see talking about an issue like homelessness, poverty, and hunger with them as our responsibility. Think back to how your analysis and perspective were shaped:
– Listen well to what the other person is saying, and why they see things the way that they do. – Ask questions to help clarify. – Withhold judgment. The goal is to move them forward, not to prove something about yourself. – How did the people in your life move you through dialogue? When was it about the presentation of facts that you didn’t know, and when was it about shifting a framework, asking questions, or a deeper connection? The following are some suggestions for how to respond to conclusions others often have around the ideas of displacement. The goal is not to read these as a script, feel free to modify as makes sense for your conversations and life. Displacement touches upon a number of human rights issues and violations sometimes at their most extreme occurrence because of the high vulnerability that forced migrants are subjected to- without assurance of secure shelter, without governmental aide, often separated from family and in the midst of war and conflict. Talking about the importance of these issues to others begins with also looking at how these human rights issues and violations take place close to home. Understanding this and seeing how it is intensified in these situations can help others to connect and engaged in the discussion.
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BELOW ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW TO ENGAGE IN THIS WAY: Topic: Displacement Camps (Related Human Rights Topics: Segregation, Homelessness, Division of Communities) Initial Engagement: The conditions of these camps are often unfit to live in and are situations where individuals living in these camps are in a sense imprisoned, surrounded by militia and police forced that keep them under “control.” But more so camps deflect the world’s attention from the harsh truth of internal displacement- the segregation and degradation of groups of peoples because of their identification in relation to ethnicity/race, religious and social/ economic backgrounds. Discussion Questions: How does the segregation of displacement camps connect to the ways in which land is divided all over the world? How can looking at this structuring relate to ethnicity/race, religious and social/ economic division by land even here in the U.S.? Topic: Military and Police involvement in initiating and aggravating unfit living situations of displacement victims. (Related Human Rights Topics: Police Brutality and Abuse of Power, Militarization of the Police) Initial Engagement: Displacement can be extremely complex, but it is important to speak about how bodies of power do not help, but hurt the situations that these forced migrants are already facing. Military and Police are situated in these areas to maintain order, but many times will abuse this power. Discussion Questions: Military and Police abuse and exploitation are present all over the world, including in the U.S. How and in which ways can we address how Military and Police aggravate situations of hardship not only in places that are populated by those experiencing forced migration? Topic: Violence against Women and Girls in situations of armed conflict (Related Human Rights Topics: Women’s Rights, Gender Violence, Rape Culture)
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Initial Engagement: In areas of armed conflict and mass distress, violence and exploitation against women and girls is one of the most predominant and severe occurrences of crime that take place. Discussion Questions: How do we look at this violence in connection to all gender violence that takes place around the world? What are ways that we can continue to speak against and support the fight and cause in our own towns to raise up and not keep down women and girls?
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SIXTY MINUTE ACTION
DO SOME WRITING- REFLECTIONS, ARTICLES, LETTERS TO EDITORS, LOCAL OFFICIALS OR ONLINE COMMENTS Here are some expressive writing prompts: The issue of displacement in areas of armed conflict matters to me because… I am standing up and raising my voice to say that we need to address armed conflicts and war and how it affects human beings all around the world because enough is enough… Displacement and forced migration exists all over the world and I believe that all people deserve the ability to sustain shelter over their head, communities to be supported by and the ability to create a sustainable livelihood, without the fear of not being able to survive and I work to fight for that in my life by… Having a life free of threat means….. and everyone should have this because…. You can also write a formal letter to the editor of your local paper about displacement and armed conflict and how it is important to you And you can meet with and/or write to your local, state, and federal government representatives to let them know that you care about combating displacement in communities around the world, and ask what they are doing to address the reality of displacement and armed conflict.
“Those who love peace must learn to organize as effectively as those who love war.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
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TAKE A DAY OFF YOUR USUAL GRIND AND SPEND A FEW HOURS IN THE STREET! For any action, meeting, or in-person event please take pictures or a short video and upload it to your social media pages. See if there is a local action near you and go with some friends. Make some signs to get your message out. Great messages to use:
“Enough is Enough- No More Displacement” “Stop Displacement Now” “We Should All Fight for Our Homes” “Protect the Homes of All” “Displacement is Violence” At the action: engage with others. Talk to them about why they are there and whether they’re involved with displacement and peace in conflict zones and awareness organizations. Use YouTube videos, a short movie, or an article on homelessness to spark conversation with people in your community.
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HOST A PARTY SCREENING OF A MOVIE ABOUT DISPLACEMENT LIKE A WORLD NOT OURS AND CHICAGO GIRL
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A World Not Ours (Presented by SIMA - Social Impact Media Awards/ WINNER SIMA 2014 Best Documentary Feature)-
Some Conversation Questions for A World Not Ours 1) How was the story of territorial conflict broadened for you by learning of intergenerational experience that the film brings to our attention? 2) What were commonalities you connected with in the human experience being shared through the film? How did you connect with the ways in which the people of Ain el-Heweh continued their living despite the extreme hardships they faced? 3) How does the making of this film and the stories of everyday experience for these individuals resonate with you? What would your everyday experience look like?
Actions attached to Film: * SIMA has a Discussion Guide Available to viewers, use this guide to create deeper discussion around the film in gatherings and teaching settings where the film is screened.
Some Conversation Questions for #ChicagoGirl 1) Often being in the United States, we find ourselves so disconnected from issues and happenings of great tragedy that take place in other countries around the world. How can we create practices and deep discussion that will connect us with these human experiences? 2) Alaa shows how the power of the internet and having communication at our fingertips is something that can be utilized as an important organizing tool. “From my laptop I am running a revolution in Syria,” she says in the films opening. What can we do to use the organizing that we see being utilized in the film to combat issues like forced migration and displacement in armed conflict or any issue that we feel most passionate about? 3) How can we see our presence on the web in social networking as having “responsibility” and a “role” to influence and to inspire? In what ways can we use social media to support social change?
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“One of the biggest messages of #ChicagoGirl is that being active on social media is not enough to affect change- it takes a combination of social media + action to get results. “We can see governments becoming more and more afraid of this technology, but what they are really saying is that it is not technology that is powerful, it is people who are powerful if they are enabled.” - Vint Cerf
Actions attached to Film: The power of press is in the hands of the public now, because we have the tools available to us to capture injustice and tragedy. #ChicagoGirl inspires the use of cameras, mobile phones, social media to do this in your home countries and from afar. Follow #ChicagoGirl Facebook @chicagogirlfilm Follow Alaa Basatneh and share her mobilization workFacebook Twitter: @AlaaBasatneh
Host a hacker event/ a social media party that is around any issue that you are passionate about, including issues around forced migration and displacement in areas of armed conflict and flood the internet with posts, photos, comments and links that engage others to think about the issue. Have live conversations on twitter and create blog and article posts to spread the word. Focus in even 3 hours of filling a space where everyone is focused on posting about that issue. Use this also as an opportunity for a training party/workshop of using social media as an organizing tool.
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ONGOING ONGOING ACTION
TAKE PART IN A DIRECT ACTION OR CREATE A CAMPAIGN TO BRING AWARENESS AND AID TO THE HOMELESS CAMPAIGN EXAMPLES INCLUDE:
The Red Cross IHL Action Campaign The IHL Action Campaign is an exciting new youth program of the American Red Cross, designed and piloted in 2013. With the IHL Action Campaign, young people (aged 14–24) get to learn about international humanitarian law (IHL) and implement campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of IHL and make a difference! Every year, IHL Action Campaign Teams compete to present their outstanding campaigns at the National IHL Youth Symposium. Campaign Video: A World Without Forced Migration Campaign(Connected to the Campaign for People’s Goals for Sustainable Development-/) PDF of International Migrants Alliance (IMA)- Campaign for People’s Goals for Sustainable Development United Nations Refugee Agency Ongoing Campaigns “Through international campaigns, UNHCR raises awareness, funds and support for a broad range of specific programs and causes. We have a General Fund which allows us to respond when and where we are most needed. By donating to the Fund, you can be sure that your gift will help those who need it most. We also run campaigns to raise money from the private sector and the general public for specific major operations or emergencies in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Sudan.”
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ONGOING ONGOING ACTION
JOIN A LOCAL ORGANIZATION OR GET YOUR ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS TO GET INVOLVED Look to the previous list of larger scale organizations and do your research of organizations work to aid Displacement Victims:
Parents: Encourage your local schools to partner with students and include the issue of creating peace in armed conflict areas and the occurrence of displacement in their curriculum. As a parent, educator, or school administrator, be aware of how armed conflicts affects children. Students: Take action on your campus. Join or establish a university or secondary school club to aid and spread awareness about displacement and other results of armed conflict in the worlds and initiate action throughout your local community. Consider doing one of your research papers on a topic concerning displacement. Professors: Request that armed conflict zones and displacement be an issue included in university curriculum. Increase scholarship about armed conflict zones and displacement by publishing an article, teaching a class, or hosting a symposium.
“We are experiencing a new kind of revolution. It is a revolution of the mind, in the way we think and see the world. It is also a revolution of the heart, in the way we see and act towards each other.� - Occupy Together
With the presence of the Internet and social media, we are given the opportunity to delve deeply in the happenings of the world. The dangers, however, are that things can become oversaturated for us and issues will only come to our attention when they are trending and we find ourselves moving with the relevance of an issue for a moment. The question is how can we work to keep conversations alive, to continue to be connected to and establish for ourselves what we are most passionate about and commit ourselves to continuously serving that cause and issue. If learning about the issue of displacement in armed conflict zones is something you feel moved by, use this kit to help you engage deeper.
PRODUCED BY:
WWW.CINECAUSE.COM
SOCIAL ACTION TOOLKIT TEAM:
JLOVE CALDERĂ“N, JANA LYNNE UMIPIG, CLARA WALOFF
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FILMMAKERS AND ACTIVISTS FEATURED IN THE FILMS ESPECIALLY JOE PISCATELLA, ALAA BASATNEH, DANIELA KON
DESIGNED BY:
KAILEY STRACHAN KAILEYSTRACHAN.COM
DISPLACEMENT
SO C IA L A C T I O N T O O LKI T FROM INSPIRATION TO ACTION SOCIAL ACTION TOOKITS PRODUCED WITH PURPOSE