Diasporas and Peace: a Comparative Assessment of Somali And
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brief 42 Diasporas and Peace A Comparative Assessment of Somali and Ethiopian Communities in Europe Contents Preface 4 Ethiopia: About DIASPEACE 5 2 Conflicts and migratory flows 58 Acknowledgements 5 Introduction 6 2.1 Ethiopian organisations in Germany 61 Andrea Warnecke and Clara Schmitz-Pranghe 1 Somalia: 2.1.1 Ethiopian migration to Germany 61 Conflicts and migratory flows 13 2.1.2 Immigration and refugee legislation 61 1.1 Somali organisations in Italy 16 2.1.3 Ethiopian diaspora organisations 62 Petra Mezzetti and Matteo Guglielmo 2.1.4 Peacebuilding activities and projects 68 1.1.1 Somali migration to Italy 16 2.1.5 Diaspora perceptions of peace and 1.1.2 Immigration and refugee legislation 17 conflict 71 1.1.3 Diaspora organisations 18 2.1.6 Networking and co-operation 73 1.1.4 Diaspora perceptions of peace and 2.1.7 Concluding remarks 75 conflict 23 2.2 Ethiopian organisations in the Netherlands 78 1.1.5 Diaspora’s role: Political protagonists and Antony Otieno Ong’ayo development actors? 24 2.2.1 Ethiopian migration to the Netherlands 78 1.1.6 Networking and co-operation 28 2.2.2 Immigration and refugee legislation 79 1.1.7 Concluding remarks 30 2.2.3 Ethiopian diaspora organisations 80 1.2 Somali organisations in the United Kingdom 32 2.2.4 Diaspora perceptions of peace and Päivi Pirkkalainen conflict 84 1.2.1 Somali migration to the United Kingdom 32 2.2.5 Networking and co-operation 87 1.2.2 Immigration and refugee legislation 32 2.2.6 Concluding remarks 88 1.2.3 Support structures for migrant organisations 34 2.3 A comparative assessment of Ethiopian 1.2.4 Diaspora organisations 35 diaspora organisations in Europe 90 Clara Schmitz-Pranghe 1.2.5 Diaspora perceptions of peace and conflict 39 2.3.1 Context in the settlement country 90 1.2.6 Networking and co-operation 41 2.3.2 Diaspora features and attributes 92 1.2.7 Concluding remarks 41 2.3.3 Concluding remarks 95 1.3 Somali organisations in Finland 43 Päivi Pirkkalainen Summary and perspectives 96 1.3.1 Somali migration to Finland 43 References and bibliography 103 1.3.2 Immigration and refugee legislation 43 Annex I: Methods: “Interview Table” 113 1.3.3 Support structures for migrant organisations 44 1.3.4 Diaspora organisations 45 Annex II: Methods: “Interview Guidelines” 118 1.3.5 Diaspora perceptions of peace and conflict 48 1.3.6 Networking and co-operation 49 The project has received funding from the European Community‘s 7th 1.3.7 Concluding remarks 50 Framework Programme (FP7/2007- 1.4 A comparative assessment of Somali 2013) under grant agreement diaspora organisations in Europe 52 No. 217335. The content of this project is the sole Petra Mezzetti and Päivi Pirkkalainen responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European 1.4.1 Contexts in the country of settlement 52 Community. 1.4.2 Diaspora group characteristics and attributes 54 UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ brief 42 Diasporas and Peace A Comparative Assessment of Somali and Ethiopian Communities in Europe Andrea Warnecke (ed.) 3 Preface he Horn of Africa is affected by numerous long- This brief comprises innovative findings of the Tstanding and protracted conflicts with serious DIASPEACE project on Ethiopian and Somali diaspora humanitarian, socio-economic and political organisations in five European countries. Based on in- consequences for the entire region and beyond. depth research in the United Kingdom, Finland, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands, this study provides a In the conflict and peace processes, not only are the comparative assessment of diaspora organisations, states concerned, non-state actors, foreign powers their activities and the framework conditions and international actors involved, but increasingly determining their interventions in the Horn of Africa. It diaspora communities who have emerged as actors assesses both the characteristics and own resources actively engaging in the respective countries of of diaspora organisations as well as factors and origin and neighbouring countries. Conflict is often conditions that shape this engagement, and therefore considered a primary cause of migration but in turn allows for an analysis of the diaspora organisations’ can also fuel violent conflicts. The involvement of potential to contribute to peace and development in individual diaspora members and organisations in their countries of origin. In consequence, it allows for conflict resolution is manifold and ranges from financial a more objective policy and intervention of diaspora contributions and social remittances, lobbying actors in the receiving countries of the European activities and direct involvement in political processes Union. to humanitarian and developmental projects. Based on comprehensive empirical data, the present The role of the diaspora in their countries of origin is study enriches the discourse on diaspora communities increasingly acknowledged not only by the research from the Horn of Africa and the role of the diaspora community but also by policy- and decision-makers, in conflict settings in general. It also seeks to provide both in the countries of origin and in the countries first entry points to enhancing the co-operation of of residence. The African Union officially endorses diaspora actors with other governmental and non- the active participation of the African diaspora governmental institutions, thereby improving the in its affairs. Moreover, various African states have integration of diaspora organisations into existing established diaspora departments or ministries to peacebuilding policies and initiatives in the region of further institutionalise state–diaspora relations. In the origin and the receiving countries. countries of residence, governmental institutions and non-governmental organisations are looking for ways Peter J. Croll to involve diaspora members and organisations in May 2010 their developmental and integration endeavours. However, these efforts are often hampered by restrictive migration legislations due to fears of security threats and demographic imbalances. Whilst most initiatives focus especially on diaspora engagement in the field of development, researchers and policy-/decision-makers still have to take the potential contribution of diaspora communities to peacebuilding as well as indigenous approaches of the diaspora to peaceful conflict resolution more systematically into account. Research within the DIASPEACE project focuses on the contribution and impact of diaspora actors in peace and conflict processes by carefully studying diaspora organisations from the Horn of Africa in Europe, their interfaces with European civil society and state institutions, and their engagement in the Horn. 4 About the project iasporas for Peace: Patterns, Trends and Poten- Dtial of Long-distance Diaspora Involvement in Acknowledgements Conflict Settings. Case Studies from the Horn of Africa (DIASPEACE) is a three-year research project looking irst and foremost, the authors would like to thank into how diaspora groups can foster peace and de- Fall the interview partners, representatives of velopment in their countries of origin. diaspora organisations and other institutions, who were willing to share their expertise and experiences DIASPEACE seeks to generate evidence-based knowl- with us to make this research possible. edge on how exiled populations from conflict regions play into the dynamics of peace and conflict in their We are also especially grateful to the European countries of origin. In a globalised world such diaspo- Community, which has funded the DIASPEACE ras have become new forces shaping the interac- research under its Seventh Framework Programme. tions between countries, regions and continents. In We hope that this research will stimulate further the mainstream literature, diasporas are often seen to European-wide collaborative research on migrant fuel conflict and exacerbate tensions through radical communities. mobilisation along ethnic and religious lines. New re- search findings, however, show that diaspora groups In the process of developing and revising this study, are playing an increasingly prominent role in peace many colleagues, both within and outside our and reconciliation processes. In DIASPEACE, the focus joint project, have supported the research and is on positive initiatives, while keeping in mind also the offered their assistance. We would like to thank the non-intended and negative impacts. reviewers, Dr. Nauja Kleist of the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) and Dr. Marja Tiilikainen The project has an empirical focus on diaspora net- of the University of Helsinki, for their valuable inputs works operating in Europe, which extend their trans- and comments. Among the DIASPEACE colleagues, national activities to the Horn of Africa. This is a re- special thanks are due to Peter J. Croll, Dr. Cindy gion where decades of conflict have resulted in state Horst, Prof. Liisa Laakso, Dr. Ferruccio Pastore, Dr. collapse and the dispersal of more than two million Giulia Sinatti, Dr. Pekka Virtanen, and last but not people. The project involves six partners from Europe least Julia Ojanen for bringing us all together. and two from the Horn of Africa and conducts field re- search in both Europe and Africa. At BICC, several colleagues have helped commenting, revising and editing the manuscript. DIASPEACE aims to: a) devise and test methodologies In particular, the editor is indebted to Marc von of multi-sited comparative research and to develop Boemcken, Marion Bolten, Elvan