RETURN OF REFUGEES AND THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES

Year 2023, Volume: 11 Issue: INCSOS VIII Özel Sayısı, 212 - 230, 21.06.2023

Durdu Mehmet Özdemir Gökmen Kantar

https://doi.org/10.20304/humanitas.1246023

Abstract

Refugee movements have started to be one of the main issues on the international agenda as a phenomenon that has started to be securitized by the states, especially in the post-cold war period. In the face of this situation, various policies have been tried to be implemented by the main actors in the international system in order to eliminate or minimize the risks and threats posed by them in national, regional and global terms with regard to the phenomenon of refugees. In this sense, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has come to the fore as one of the most influential actors working in this field. UNHCR has tried to contribute to the solution of the problem and to put forward certain standard practices by producing important political approaches, especially in terms of ensuring refugee returns and how it should take place. In this study, answers were sought to questions about what the return of refugees means, how these returns should be, what factors affect returns, and what roles UNHCR plays in these processes.

Keywords

Migration, Refugee, Asylum Seeker, voluntary return, UNHCR

Mültecilerin Geri Dönüşü ve Birleşmiş Milletler Mülteciler Yüksek Komiserliği

Abstract

Mültecilik olgusu, özellikle soğuk savaş sonrası dönemde devletler tarafından güvenlikleştirilmeye başlayan bir olgu olarak uluslararası gündemdeki ana konulardan birisi olmaya başlamıştır. Bu durum karşısında, mültecilik olgusunun; ulusal, bölgesel ve küresel anlamda ortaya çıkardığı risk ve tehditlerin ortadan kaldırılması ya da en aza indirilmesi amacıyla uluslararası sistemdeki temel aktörler tarafından çeşitli politikalar hayata geçirilmeye çalışılmıştır. Bu anlamda Birleşmiş Milletler Mülteciler Yüksek Komiserliği (BMMYK) bu alanda çalışma yürüten en etkili aktörlerden biri olarak ön plana çıkmıştır. BMMYK özellikle geri dönüşlerin sağlanması ve nasıl olması gerektiği noktasında önemli politik yaklaşımlar üreterek sorunun çözümüne katkı sağlamaya ve belirli standart uygulamalar ortaya koymaya çalışmıştır. Bu çalışmada mültecilerin geri dönüşlerinin ne anlama geldiği, bu geri dönüşlerin nasıl olması gerektiği, geri dönüşleri etkileyen faktörlerin neler olduğu ve BMMYK’nın bu süreçlerde ne gibi roller üstlendiğine ilişkin sorulara cevap aranmıştır.

Keywords

Göç, Mülteci, Sığınmacı, Gönüllü Geri Dönüş, BMMYK

References

• Amnesty International. (2006). Bosna and Herzegovina behind Closed Gates: Ethnic Discrimination in Employment. Amnesty İnternational.
• Black, R., Koser, K., Munk, K., Atfield, G., D'Onofrio, L., and Tiemoko, R. (2004). Understanding voluntary return. London: Home Office Publications.
• Douglas, S., and Kristin, E. (1997). What's Driving Mexico-U.S. Migration? A Theoretical, Empirical, and Policy Analysis. American Journal of Sociology. American Journal of Sociology, 102(4), 939-999.
• Fransen, S. (2012). Back to the land: the long-term challenges of refugee return and reintegration in Burundi. New Issues In Refugee Researc.
• Harild, N. V., Christensen, A., and Zetter, R. W. (2015). Sustainable refugee return : triggers, constraints, and lessons on addressing the development challenges of forced displacement (English). Washington: GPFD Issue Note Series.
• Kibreab, G. (2003). Citizenship Rights and Repatriation of Refugees. The International Migration Review, 37(1), 24-73.
• Kumin, J. (1999). Mexico/Guatemala: Repatriation Programme Officially Ends. https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/1999/7/3ae6b8234c/mexicoguatemala-repatriation-programme-officially-ends.html?query=guatemala
• Manz, B. (1988). Repatriation and Reintegration: An Arduous Process in Guatemala. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University.
• Naseh, M., Potocky, M., Stuart, P. H., and Pazeshk, S. (2018). Repatriation of Afghan Refugees From Iran: A Shelter Profile Study. Journal of İnternational Humanitarian Action, 3(13), 1-13.
• Riess, S. (2000). Return is struggle, not resignation: lessons from the repatriation of Guatemalan refugees from Mexico. New Issue In Refugee Research.
• Strand, A., Suhrke, A., and Harpviken, K. B. (2004). Afghan Refugees in Iran: From Refugee Emergency to Migration Management. Oslo: PRIO-CMI.
• UNHCR. (1969). OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. https://www.unhcr.org/about-us/background/45dc1a682/oau-convention-governing-specific-aspects-refugee-problems-africa-adopted.html
• UNHCR. (1996). Handbook on Voluntary Repatriation: International Protection. Geneva: United Nations High Comissioner for Refugees.
• UNHCR. (2002). Policy on Return to Burundi – List of Questions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany. https://www.refworld.org/category, POLICY, COUNTRYPOS, DEU, 3cd917cb4,0.html
• UNHCR. (2004). Handbook for Repatriation and Reintegration Activities. Geneva: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
• UNHCR Türkiye. (2017). Geri Dönüş Yapan Kişiler. https://www.unhcr.org/tr/11340-geri-donus-yapan-kisiler.html
• Yıldırım, S. G. (2018). Göç ve Afganlar: İstikrarlı Mülteciler. Göç Araştırmaları Dergisi, 4(2), 128-159.