REFUGEES OFTEN COME TO REGIONS WHERE RESOURCES ARE SCARCE OR. IN FACT, NON-EXISTENT. WELLS HAVE TO BE DUG OR WATER OTHERWISE BROUGHT IN. FOOD, TENTS, MEDICINES HAVE TO BE PROVIDED AND OFTEN TRANSPORTED OVER LONG DISTANCES. BUT, ALREADY IN THE EMERGENCY PHASE, SOME INDISPENSABLE MEASURES MAY HAVE A DEVELOPMENT CONNOTATION. EXAMPLES INCLUDE THE PROVISION OF SAFE DRINKING WATER OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF DISPENSARIES. CAN THESE BE REGARDED AS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE?
UNHCR SEES ITS TASK AS NOT ONLY TO HELP PEOPLE TO SURVIVE BUT, AS STATED IN THE STATUTE OF THE OFFICE, TO HELP THEM REACH A DURABLE SOLUTION. IN THIS ENDEAVOUR, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE HIGH COMMISSIONER TO ASK OTHER AGENCIES TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT IS BORDERING ON DEVELOPMENT? THIS, SUGGESTED MR HARTLING, IS NOT EASY IN PRACTICE, UNHCR WORKS CLOSELY, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, WITH UNITED NATIONS AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES BUT THE USUAL SITUATION IS THAT OTHER AGENCIES ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTIES WHEN
IT COMES TO TAKING OVER ENTIRE OPERATIONS. THE FACT IS THAT THE PHASES INVOLVED IN REFUGEE WORK - RELIEF,
SELF-SUFFICIENCY, DEVELOPMENT - OVERLAP EASILY. MEASURES THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED AS DEVELOPMENT MUST SOMETIMES BE TAKEN IN THE EARLY STAGES OF A RELIEF OPERATION - AS IN THE CASE OF LACK OF WATER AT A REFUGEE SITE.
THE HIGH COMMISSIONER THEN TURNED TO A FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT OF HIS WORK: ITS ABSOLUTELY NON-POLITICAL CHARACTER. THIS TOO, HE STATED, IS LIKE WALKING A TIGHTROPE. OFTEN GOVERNEMENTS, MOVEMENTS, PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS TRY TO ENLIST UNHCR IN A POLITICAL EFFORT, IF ONLY BY LENDING ITS NAME TO A CAMPAIGN. THE ANSWER, SAID MR HARTLING, MUST ALWAYS - AND WILL ALWAYS - BE 'NO'.
NOR, HE PURSUED, CAN OR SHOULD UNHCR TØRY TO TACKLE ANY OF THE SO-CALLED 'ROOT CAUSES XOF REFUGEE PROBLEMS. NOT BECAUSE UNHCR IS AFRAID OF PROTESTING AGAINST A GOVERNMENT, OR OF GOING AGINST RULERS. THE OFFICE MUST SOMETIMES DO SO IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF REFUGEES. BUT THE HIGH COMMISIONER MUST REMAIN OUTSIDE ANY POLITICAL FIGHT. IF HE WERE TO DO OTHERWISE, HE MIGHT MOMENTARILY BE PRAISED IN SOME QUARTERS, BUT WOULD SEE MANY DOORS CLOSED TO HIM AND HE WOULD BE HINDERED IN DOING THE JOB HE IS MEANT TO DO.
WHILE MUCH OF THE SUFFERING IN THE WORLD IS THE OUTCOME OF CONFLICTS AND WARS BETWEEN NATIONS THE RESULT OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INJUSTICE, THERE, AT THE SAME TIME, IS A WILL - WIDESPREAD, EVEN UNANIMOUS TO HELP THE VICTIMS OF WAR, DISEASE, INJUSTICE. THE HUMANITARIAN WORK OF THE UNITED NATDIONS TESTIFIES TO THIS WILL.
THE HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITY IS ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. WHY?
FIRST, SAID MR HARTLING, BECAUSE WE DEAL WITH PEOPLE, NOT ONLY WITH FIGURES AND STATISTICS. SECONDLY, BECAUSE HUMANITARIAN WORK DOES SHOW CONCRETE RESULTS. FINALLY, BECAUSE THE NON-POLITICAL, HUMANITARIAN ROLE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE IS ACCEPTED AND RECOGNIZED IN ALL QUARTERS.
IN CONCLUDING HIS STATEMENT, MR HARTLING SAID HE HOPED FOR AND EXPECTED TWO THINGS FROM THIS SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE D COMMITTEE. IN THE FIRST PLACE THAT ITS DELIBERATIONS LEAD TO A CLEAR RECOMMENDATION THAT THE MANDATE OF UNHCR REMAIN UNCHANGED. SECONDLY, THAT IT WILL BE CLEAR AFTER THIS SESSION THAT 'WE - IN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - WE IN THE OFFICE DO NOT GET TIRED. WE ARE NOT FATIGUED IN OUR COMPASSION. WE ON THE HUMANITARIAN FRONT ARE STILL READY TO FULFIL OUR OBLIGATIONS'. FOR MANY REFUGEES IN THE WORLD THE WORK OF THE UNITED NATIONS OF UNHCR - IS LITERALLY THE ONLY HOPE. 'LET US NOT LET THEM DOWN (UNHCR GENEVA)
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