Refugees in the Horn of Africa* For the most part, African states have accepted Political Factors Contributing their postcolonial boundaries, though this has not been the case in the Hom, especially with to the Generation of Refugees- Somalia. The popular territorial ambitions of in the Horn of Africa the Somali people in general. including those living in areas of northern Kenya, and the areas of Haud and Ogaden in Ethiopia, increased by Peter Woodward tension throughout the region and contributed to the attack upon Ethiopia in 1977-78. Ethiopia repulsed the invasion. but not before a The exposue by the mass media of the large number of refugees fled to Somalia. conditions of refugees in eastern Sudan and of camps of displaced people in northern Ethiopia Somalia's active plrsuit of boundary changes is in October 1984 first alerted the world at large relatively unusual. though Idi Arnin made to the extent of the famine in that area But highly imaginative claims to his neighbow' clearly the problem is mom complex than most territories, and it war an incursion by his people then rdized, for in the Horn refugees. troops into northern Tanzania that provided the famine and politics an inexhicably linked. carus belli for the Tanzanian-led invasion of Uganda which brought about his downfall. Northeast Africa has the biggest concentration number. Also. the Sudan-Ethiopia border has been in of refugees in the world The largest single dispute on a number of occasions during the group are those from Eritrea and Tigre living in Tension in the region may in part be blamed on past twenty years, and at present, with refugees eastem Sudan. followed by the people of Haud the arbitrary borders bequeathed by colonialism. of both countries on either side, it is once again and Ogaden regions of Ethiopia who have especially in the case of Somalia, but often the a source of tension beween the two countries. sought refuge in Somalia and Qlbuti. In opposition movements do not regard Ethiopia there are also opponents of Somalia's inappropriate borders as the heart of their The presence of refugees creates serious government and refugees from the southean problems. For them the origins lie more in the tensions within recipient countries. Econo- Sudan. In addition there are Ethiopian refugees discrimination which peoples of regions have mically, the management of refugees is likely in Kenya, Ugandan refugees in the southern suffered at the hands of their government. Yet to be far beyond the capacity of the host Sudan, and refugees from Chad in western their suffering is not only the result of community, especially since border areas are. Sudan. The one generalization that can be developments in their own country, but also for reasons of domestic economy, often made L that they are all escaping from must be seen in the wider international setting. amongst the least-developed areas. The United conditions in which political conflict is as For instance, the strategic importance of the Nations High Commission for Refugees 1 significant as environmental degradation and Horn to the Middle East has meant that both (UNHCR) and a numba of other agencies have famine. Middle Eastern states and the superpowers have given large amounts of aid to refugees, but this become involved. All too often outside powers may only exacerbate local tekion. For It would be the contention of most host have exacerbated tension by supporting instance, the short-term aid provided for governments that refugees originate in the guerrilla movements or one government against refugees may not be available-to the local peripheries of the states involved. But the another. population who may, as in eastem Sudan in refugees themselves see their relationships to 1984-85. be in similarly desperate circum- the states from which they have fled as far more There are numerous examples of the stances. Likewise. longer-term refugee aid may complex. For example, people from the Haud international exploitation of peripheral groups include resettlement. and this will impinge on and Ogaden regions of Ethiopia, who regard in the Horn Libya's "radical" activities have local economic resources. The economic themselves as Somalis. would like to see the included support for the Sudan People's distortion that huge refugee communities can boundary of Somalia redrawn in such a way as Liberation Anny, as a result of Resident produce has been particularly obvious in recent to incorporate them in that country, a view Qaddafh opposition to ex-Resident Numeiri, years in Somalia; and recently in eastern Sudan. which is encouraged by Somalia and which while the southern Sudanese have also been there have been several incidents of tension conm%uted to the Somali attack on Ethiopia in assisted by Israel as part of its anti-Arab resulting from competition for scarce services, 1977. The Eritrems. on the other hand, are activities. In turn, a number of Arab states especially in such fields as education and health less concerned with boundary changes than with have aided the Eritrean Liberation Front, the Care. their claim for an independent state of Erieea, fvst guerrilla movement in northan Ethiopia. while the Tigrean movement seeks greater The superpowers have also provided military Politically. too, the presence of refugees can regional autonomy within a reformed Ethiopia aid to a number of govmunents in the region. generate a range of mexpected problems. Even enabling than to meet opposition with force. if refugees accept their new status and resettle, panicularly in Ethiopia they are likely to affect local, regional and even national political developments, as has become * ?he zutida by Paer Woodward. Muy Diand particularly evident in Somalia Similarly, Taha AWL were commissioned by the Refugee Leaving broader international rivalries aside for following the downfall of Amin in 1979. Studies Programme for the Independent Commission the moment, relations between neighbowing on International Hummitarian Issues, which has states are central to the problems which have refugees from Uganda have had an impact on Equatorial agdto rhei pubLicuiar in Refuge. ' generated refugees in the Horn. politics in the Sudan. Further, refugees usually feel involved in the Historically there has been rivalry and tension political issues that gave rise to their exile, and between Christianity and Islam in the Horn. News Digest this often leads to their support of guerrilla with Ethiopia traditionally regarded as a bastion movements. Many men from the Western of anti-Islamic power. More recently. Middle The next volume of Refuge will start with a Somali Liberation Front, for instance, left their East conflicts have had an impact on the area, Special Issue partly devoted to Bill C-55 on families in camps in Somalia and returned to with Israel first actively supporting Haile amendments to the Immigration Act. Articles the struggle in the Haud and Ogaden. even after Selassie, and subsequently the Marxist regime and commentaries in the Forum section will the Somali defeat in 1978. Similarly. Ethiopia against their common Arab enemy. Arab discuss the implications of the proposals. has ikequentiy alleged that the refugee camps in involvement in the Horn came fist through the There will also be a comprehensive section on eastern Sudan harbour its enemies from Eritrea, rival revolutionary activities of the Syrians and the refugee and asylum situation in the United Tigre and Wollo. Iraqis, who at various times have given States. Publication is anticipated for August/ financial and military expression to their September 1987. It is a short step from these allegations to solidarity with the Eritreans. accusations that neighbowing states are The Working Group for Refugee Women. condoning and perhaps even encouraging Although Arab and Israeli involvement has Canadian Council for Refugees. is conducting a subversive activities. Ethiopia has accused not become a factor in the Horn, it is not decisive. literature review of studies on Refugee Women. only Somalia and the Sudan but also a number The Eritreans in particular are not overly Many studies are difficult to locate bccause they of other Arab states. Similarly. the Sudan and dependent on their Arab supporters, nor are the are subsumed under larger research documents. Somalia have made counter-accusations about Israelis the major backers of Ethiopia Instead. If you have written a report or prepared a guerrilla movements in southern Sudan and superpower rivalry is the most significant bibliography, please call or write to Noreen northem Somalia factor in the polarization of political relations Nimmons at the Refugee Documentation in the Horn. Project, York University, 4700 Keele Stree~ In northeast A£iica in general there have indeed North York, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3, or been a number of interventions in the affairs of The growing US and Soviet involvement has telephone (416) 736-5061, extension 3639. neighbouring states. sometimes connected with contributed most to the polarization of the The editor and staff of Refuge would be refugees. Tanzania's army backed the Ugandan region and led to the initial international pleased to consider articles for possible refugees returning home after the overthrow of response to the 1984-85 famine, notably to the kclusion in future editions. ~rticlesshould Amin, Libya. the Sudan and Egypt have all criticism cast on the Ethiopian, Soviet-backed focus on refugee issues and situations, backed factions in Chad, some of which had leadership. Still. it would be too easy to W including government policy and social action, sought refuge in their territory; and the Sudan that their presence makes superpowers the and be properly documented ' in standard condoned and sometimes encouraged guerrilla dominant forces in the area. This is not the scholarly format and presentation. Please mail forces in northern Ethiopia. In turn. Ethiopia case, for none of the leaders in the Horn is a your submission to the Managing Editor of (and Libya) backed the Sudan People's puppet of the superpowers.