InternallyDisplacedPersons(IDPs)arepersonswhohavebeenforcedtoleavetheirplacesofresidenceasaresultofarmedconflict,violence,humanrightsviolations,ornaturalorhuman-madedisasters,butwhohavenotcrossedaninternationalborder.Thereareabout55millionIDPsintheworldtoday,outnumberingrefugeesbyroughly2:1.AlthoughIDPsandrefugeeshavesimilarwants,needsandfears,IDPshavetraditionallybeenseenasadomesticissue,andtheinternationallegalandinstitutionalframeworkofIDPprotectionisstillinitsrelativeinfancy.ThisbookexplorestowhatextenttheprotectionofIDPscomplementsorconflictswithinternationalrefugeelaw.Threequestionsformthecoreofthebook’sanalysis:WhatisthelegalandnormativerelationshipbetweenIDPsandrefugees?Towhatextentisanindividual’srealriskofinternaldisplacementintheircountryoforiginrelevanttothequalificationandcessationofrefugeestatus?AndtowhatextentistheavailabilityofIDPprotectionmeasuresanalternativetoasylum?ItarguesthattheIDPprotectionframeworkdoesnot,asamatteroflaw,underminerefugeeprotection.Theavailabilityofprotectionwithinacountryoforigincannotbeasubstituteforgrantingrefugeestatusunlessitconstituteseffectiveprotectionfrompersecutionandthereisnorealriskofrefoulement.ThebookconcludesbyidentifyingcurrentandfuturechallengesintherelationshipbetweenIDPsandrefugees,illustratingtheoverallimpactandimportanceofthefindingsoftheresearch,andsettingoutquestionsforfutureresearch.
IDPS LAW SANALYSIS INTERNATIONAL
