Refugees Needs in War Torn Societies

Security-Driven Policies

Ó Tuathail and Dahlman (2006) examine the Bosnian war's impact on homes and homelands, highlighting the concept of 'domicide' - the deliberate destruction of homes. This concept shows the need for policies to acknowledge and address such destruction and to go past mere physical resettlement to consider the deeper, often invisible, scars left by conflict. Homes and lives are often destroyed, yet people have to keep going. The authors argue that the Bosnian war was essentially a war against homes in the name of idealized homelands. The international community's efforts in post-war Bosnia, and especially the promotion of 'minority returns' under the Dayton Peace Accords, attempted to reverse the effects of ethnic cleansing and restore multiethnic communities. However, this process was only partially successful in reconstituting the pre-war multiethnic spatiality of Bosnia.

The Positive Peace Report 2020 emphasizes the importance of creating and sustaining peaceful societies through the development of positive peace, which is defined by attitudes, institutions, and structures that foster peace. The report suggests that high levels of positive peace in a country correlate with various beneficial outcomes like economic strength, resilience, and social well-being. It also emphasizes the systemic nature of positive peace, which demands a holistic understanding of social dynamics and the way communities are interdependent upon one another.

Thus, incorporating principles of positive peace can significantly guide the development of refugee policies. The Institute for Economics and Peace (2021) emphasizes principles such as equitable resource distribution, good governance, and the acceptance of others' rights. These principles are crucial, as they focus not just on the absence of conflict but on creating environments where refugees can thrive. This approach suggests a shift from traditional security-driven policies to those that foster holistic societal well-being.

This approach depends on balancing security with humanitarian needs. Security-driven policies often prioritize state-level interests, which can sometimes be at the expense of individual rights and needs. Therefore, a balance is necessary, where security concerns are addressed without undermining the dignity and rights of refugees. This balance is important for policies to be both effective in maintaining security and respectful of human rights.

The experience of Bosnia, as described by Ó Tuathail and Dahlman (2006), also gives valuable lessons for community integration and the creation of multiethnic spaces. Policies should aim to support the physical return or resettlement of refugees but they should also facilitate the establishment of multiethnic, inclusive communities that respect the diverse identities and histories of refugees. This dual-pronged approach can help in healing the divisions caused by conflict and in building cohesive societies.

The Positive Peace Report suggests that building peaceful societies requires a long-term commitment amid systemic change. Refugee policies should be part of broader strategies to build inclusive, resilient societies. This long-term view is vital in creating sustainable peace so that the needs of refugees are met in the near and long-term.