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Speech of Dr. Auguste R. Lindt, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at the 10th meeting of the Council of the Inter-Governmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM), Naples, 5 December 1960
5 Dec 1960 ICEM soon to announce transportation of one millionth migrant
Has so far transported 470,000 refugees to new lives
ICEM also does much else, e.g. registration, documentation, preselection, language training
Uses wider definition of refugee than UNHCR's ("a person who left his country and is in need")
One benefit of World Refugee Year has been increased take-up of handicapped refugees
Canada, Australia and New Zealand to renew their schemes for handicapped refugees
New Bill in USA promises to match 25% of refugee take-up elsewhere in the world
Australia expecting to take 14,000 this year (a record 9,000 last year) -
Statement by Dr. Auguste R. Lindt, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, before the Pledging Conference for Extra-Budgetary Funds, 20 October 1960
20 Oct 1960 Priorities are a) resettlement of European refugees from Far East b) clearance of European camps
The Far Eastern operation will have to continue for some time to come"
Camp Clearance programme now fully funded (due mostly World Refugee Year)
At end 1960, still some 65,000 non-settled refugees outside camps in Europe
Over 200,000 Algerian refugees in Morocco and Tunisia, joint UNHCR/Red Cross programme assisting
Increased numbers of government donors underlines geographical spread of UNHCR's work -
Statement by Dr. Auguste R. Lindt, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), 25 July 1960
25 Jul 1960 Meaning of legal protection, and its duration (until the refugee ceases to be a refugee)
General Assembly refugee definition for World Refugee Year much wider than UNHCR mandate definition
This tendency already noted in GA request to UNHCR to help with funding for Chinese in Hong Kong
HC tempted to see this as a recognition of the social and economic aspects of refugee issues
Aspects of international protection benefiting from WRY:
Issue of indemnification of refugees in Germany
Feeding stations for Algerian refugee children successful
20,000 refugees still in European camps
Group planning no longer possible for these, they are all individual cases
This would be impossible without counsellors of voluntary agencies
Hopeful that funds resulting from WRY will enable Camp Clearance programme to end
Outside the camps, WRY money has enabled a beginning on a programme for handicapped refugees
Of $12,000,000 yearly target, only $8,500,000 received
Nearly half received has come from private sector
Chinese refugees in Hong Kong have benefited from increased donations -
Address to the Staff by Dr. Auguste R. Lindt, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Geneva, 28 January 1960
28 Jan 1960 Retrospective on the achievements of World Refugee Year
1. Increasing awareness of refugee issues and populations
2. Increased emigration possibilities
3. Money ("sad to mention it")
Many could help from the special focus of WRY:
Palestinians, and UNRWA's needs to do something worthwhile for them ($3,000,000)
Those in the (shameful) camps still existing in prosperous Europe
200,000 Algerians in Morocco and Tunisia living in mud huts
Chain reaction is what World Refugee Year needs
UNHCR staff must be a part of this chain -
Nansen Medal Award Ceremony: Address by Dr. Auguste R. Lindt, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, on the occasion of the presentation of the Nansen Medal for 1960 to Messrs. Chataway, Jones, Philpott and Raison
1 Jan 1960 Recipients originated the idea of World Refugee Year
Also pushed it through to acceptance by UK government -
Statement by Dr. Auguste R. Lindt, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at the 102nd meeting of the Council of the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM), Geneva, 20 November 1959
20 Nov 1959 Impact of World Refugee Year
New possibilities, from additional contributions and also from emigration offers
Non-Settled Refugee Caseload
Autumn 1959: 110,000 non-settled refugees in Europe (22,000 in camps), reduction of 50%
Hungarian Refugee Problem
Still 2,100 Hungarian refugees camps in Austria
HC gratified that appeal to countries to take Hungarians who wanted to go there was so well received
USA, Australia and Canada foremost in this
Factors Influencing Emigration
Beware changes of mind and resignation following many rejections
Concrete offers result in better take-up than abstract talk
Refugees of European Origin in the Far East
Joint UNHCR/ICEM operation
8,100 refugees still wait on the mainland of China
ICEM still needs $2,500,000 to finance transportation
UNHCR still needs $1,470,000 for assistance and settlement
Promotion of Resettlement Opportunities
Differences between emigration of a 'normal' national and a refugee
Because of these, refugees often try harder once they've arrived
Current Resettlement Schemes
Details given by receiving region and receiving countries
HC would like priority in emigration to go to refugees in camps -
Statement by Dr. Auguste R. Lindt, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, 2 November 1959
2 Nov 1959 Refugee problems in Europe
By autumn 1959, camp population down to 22,000, non-settled population now 110,000
This despite further influx over year of 6,000
Hungarian refugee problem
Progress being made but not fast enough
Yugoslav government still facing a deficit of $3,600,000
10,000 still in Austria, 2,100 in camps
List of preferred emigration countries
Refugees from Algeria in Tunisia and Morocco
Approximately 180,000 Algerian refugees in Morocco and Tunisia
Programme is strictly a relief one, UNHCR liaising and supervising
Main items required are food, clothing and blankets
Regular Programs of International Assistance
United Nations Refugee Fund dissolved on 31 December 1958
In 4 years, total income was $17,000,000; in same period, 62,000 refugees had benefited
General Assembly resolution 1166 (XII) sets up ExCom to control future funding and programmes
1959 priority to Camp Clearance and Far Eastern programmes
Far Eastern Program
Joint UNHCR/ICEM resettlement operation
3,800 more visas needed before programme can be terminated
Camp Clearance Program
As at 1 July 1959, 23,700 refugees in 114 official camps
A counsellor who has worked in the camps for 14 years quoted as saying he can see the end
Biggest difficulty is finding affordable housing
Mental health advisor appointed for some of the more difficult cases
1959/1960 requirements are $5,690,000, at present $2,500,000 available
Program for non-settled refugees living outside camps
90,000 non-settled refugees living outside camps in various European countries
Funding shortfalls have hampered dealing with this population
Some 27,000 nevertheless helped (nearly 20,000 firmly settled)
Protection
HC feels there is a need for a) improved liaison with governments b) specialising protection duties within UNHCR
Progress in international ratifications and accessions listed
Repatriation and resettlement
World Refugee Year has added impetus for many governments to reconsider policies and procedures
Specific WRY government initiatives listed
HC expects most important impact of WRY to be in immigration
Contributions to UNHCR
"One of the purposes of World Refugee Year is to obtain additional funds for international assistance to refugees"
Contribution and budget details listed
Chinese Refugees in Hong Kong
$10,000 now received for assistance, more promised (details given) -
Statement by Dr. Auguste R. Lindt, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Geneva, 20 July 1959
20 Jul 1959 World Refugee Year launched 28 June 1959
Idea is to allow each country which to help whatever group of refugees it desires
To date 54 countries have signed up
Voluntary Repatriation
UNHCR facilitates by paying transportation when necessary
UNHCR Programmes
By mid-1959, 41 countries had contributed (compare 21-2 in 1955-58)
Camp Clearance and far Eastern operation
By mid-1958, 17,000 refugees within Camp Clearance Programme
Non-settled Refugees living outside camps
To date have received "a rather raw deal"
Funds earmarked for 1960 to make "a real attack" on this problem
Refugee Emergencies
Includes refugees from Tibet and Algeria
Concerns for Algerians in Morocco and Tunisia that feeding programme still not enough
Just 3,000 Hungarians left in camps in Austria by mid-1959
Chinese Refugees in Hong-Kong
UNHCR asked to use good offices to help funding
Initial response disappointing, but World Refugee Year has helped
All in all, WRY has so far produced extra funding of $3,400,000 -
Statement by Dr. Auguste R. Lindt, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at the Special Meeting on World Refugee Year, Tenth Session, Council of the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM), 9 April 1959
9 Apr 1959 World Refugee Year discussions
To benefit all refugees, not just those under UNHCR mandate
Figures for non-settled refugee in Europe as at 1 January 1959
UNHCR priorities often circumscribed by need for political solutions, in which case assistance necessary
Not all refugees want to emigrate
If a refugee has put down roots, don't disturb him
Integration and emigration should be handled simultaneously
Suggestion that States could set quotas for refugees in their immigration schemes
Lists some current State limitations on immigration
E.g. age limits, limits on families with many children, selection by skills possessed, exclusion of the sick or handicapped
Suggests that a particular government could take on and deal with the whole population of a particular camp
Efforts must however continue beyond World Refugee Year itself
