Contents of this message from:
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)
 http://www.internal-displacement.org/

Countries with highest number of 'Internally Displaced People' (IDPs) at end of 2008
Sudan 4,900,000
Colombia 2,650,000 – 4,360,000
Iraq 2,840,000
DRC 1,400,000
Somalia 1,300,000

Download report: IDMC_Internal_Displacement_Global_Overview_2008.pdf

At the end of 2008, the number of people internally displaced by conflict, generalized violence or human rights violations across the world stood at approximately 26 million, the same figure as in 2007.

Commonly, the displaced are forced to flee in moments, losing their possessions, land and separated from family and communities. Millions are left destitute with little or no access to basic services, to food, water, adequate shelter, or livelihoods. Displacement, whatever the context, is all too often only the beginning of an ordeal that may last for years or even decades, marked by suffering, discrimination and a daily fight for survival.

But unlike refugees, Internally Displaced People (IDPs) have not crossed an international border, and are thus not protected under international refugee law. Their predicament may, in some circumstances, be worse than that of refugees because many IDPs are persecuted by their own government, subject to abuse, discrimination and neglect in their own countries.  http://tinyurl.com/dhxcjq

Some 4.6 million people were forced to flee their homes as a result of new outbreaks of conflict and violence in 24 of the 52 countries monitored. Of these, ten countries had large-scale new displacements of 200,000 people or more. The figure of 4.6 million people newly displaced in 2008 represented an increase of 900,000 compared to the same total in 2007.

Three countries had a significantly larger internally displaced population than any others: Sudan, Colombia and Iraq together accounted for 45 per cent of the world’s internally displaced people (IDPs).

Most forced internal displacement in the last decade was caused by internal armed conflicts rather than international or internationalized conflicts. This trend continued in 2008.

After fleeing the effects of armed conflicts, generalized violence or human rights violations, IDPs often failed to find security and safety in the place of displacement. In 26 countries, IDPs moved to areas where they still faced attacks and violence, which in most cases specifically targeted their settlements. In 14 countries, government forces or associated armed groups were among the main perpetrators. Attacks and violence were also perpetrated against IDPs in countries where international peacekeeping operations were deployed with specific man-dates to provide protection to IDPs and returnees, as in Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR), Côte d’Ivoire, DRC and Sudan.

In eight countries (Ethiopia, Indonesia (in Papua), Israel (inclu-ding in OPT), Myanmar, Sudan (Darfur), Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe), the displacement of some four million IDPs was not acknowledged by the national authorities.

Most affected continent Africa (11.6 million IDPs in 19 countries)

Region with largest relative change in number of IDPs in 2008, South and South-East Asia (with 13 per cent increase from the end of 2007)

Number of countries with new or ongoing conflicts or violence which generated internal displacement in 2008, 24

Number of countries with a significant proportion of IDPs living in protracted displacement 35

Countries with at least 200,000 people newly displaced in 2008 (in order of scale)Philippines, Sudan, Kenya, D R Congo, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Colombia, Sri Lanka and India. (These figures have significantly increased in the last 4 months)

Number of countries in which internally displaced children were recruited into armed forces or groups At least 13

Number of countries in which internally displaced women and children were exposed to rape, sexual exploitation and gender-based violence At least 18

Number of countries in which IDPs were still exposed to violence in the area of refuge, although they fled to escape violence At least 26

Number of governments denying the forced displacement of ethnic minorities At least 36

Countries denying situations of internal displacement caused by conflict, generalized violence or human rights violations, Ethiopia, Indonesia (in Papua), Israel (including OPT), Myanmar, Sudan (Darfur), Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe.


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Source for this Message:
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)