International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI) ISSN (Online): 2319 – 7722, ISSN (Print): 2319 – 7714 www.ijhssi.org ||Volume 9 Issue 5 Ser. I || May 2020 || PP 45-52 United Nations’ On IDPS in Nigeria and Somalia: A Comparative Survey 1 2 ROOSEVELT O. IDEHEN and ERIBO, OMOLE MARIAT (MRS.) 1Department of International Relations and Strategic Studies. Igbinedion University, Okada. 2Federal polytechnic Auchi Abstract: Over the years, the number of internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has grown to an alarming state worldwide and has become one of human tragedies internationally, because of the preponderance of conflict and insecurity in the world. These IDPs who flee their homes to resettle in places within their countries and under their government’s control have become well known on international agenda. It is based on this that this paper focuses on IDPs in Somalia and Nigeria because they constitute the highest in Africa. The study examines the UN and its agencies activities in alleviating the sufferings of the IDPs, from when they became displaced till date. The major finding of this paper is that the UN have been more prominent in Somalia than Nigeria however, they have not been so active because of the protracting conflict in Somalia which makes it difficult for humanitarian workers to access and assist the IDPs in Somalia. The paper concludes that with the upsurge of IDPs globally, without proper care, there is bound to be humanitarian crises, social distrust and foreign investments challenges. This paper thus recommends that the care for IDPs should be universal because internal displacement is now too global for the UN to tackle alone. Finally, the root cause of displacement should be seriously looked into so as to proffer lasting solution. Key Words: Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Humanitarian services, conflicts, Human rights, terrorism. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Date of Submission: 28-04-2020 Date of Acceptance: 11-05-2020 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- I. INTRODUCTION The rate at which the population of internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is growing globally is alarming and has become a huge human tragedy. This is because there is conflict and insecurity everywhere in the world; from war zones to domestic violence. In the view of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR, 2015): Worldwide displacement has hit all-time high as war and persecution increase…One in every 122 humans is now either a refugee, internally displaced, or seeking asylum…In the past five years, at least 15 conflicts have erupted or reignited, eight in Africa (Cote d’lvoire, Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, North Eastern Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan…and Burundi), three in the Middle East (Syria, Iraq and Yemen), one in Europe (Ukraine) and three in Asia (Kyrgyzstan, and in several areas of Myanmar and Pakistan)…meanwhile, decades-old instability and conflict in Afghanistan, and Somalia…means that millions of people remain on the move or…stranded for years…as long-term internally displaced or refugees. IDP phenomenon gradually caught world attention in the late 1980s and became well known on international agenda in the 1990s. The main reason for this attention was the growing number of conflicts causing internal displacement after the end of the cold war (UNHCR, 2015). UNHCR (2015) posited that: There were 59.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide at the end of 2014, the highest since World War II. 19.5 million were refugees, 1.8 million asylum seekers and 38.2 million internally displaced persons…The countries with the largest IDPs population were Syria (7.6 million), Columbia (6 million), Iraq (3.6 million), the Democratic Republic of Congo (2.8 million), Sudan (2.2 million), South Sudan (1.6 million), Pakistan (1.4 million), Nigeria (1.2 million), and Somalia (1.1 million). We are witnessing a paradigm of change. An unchecked slide into an era in which the scale of global forced displacement as well as the response required is now clearly dwarfing anything seen before. In the light of this, this paper looks at IDPs in Nigeria and Somalia, because of their high population in the different regions of Africa and what the international organization like the United Nation (UN) and its organs are doing to alleviate the suffering of these displaced people in order to enhance their status and The UN is portrayed in the world today as one mighty organization people cannot do without. It has become politicians’ paradise and is regarded by most people as world forum, world court, world welfare agency, world department www.ijhssi.org 45 | P a g e United Nations’ On IDPS in Nigeria and Somalia: A Comparative Survey of education, world planning centre for industry and commerce, world financial agency and anything else people might need worldwide. In writing this paper, the researcher analyzed the activities carried but by the UN on the IDPs in Nigeria and Somalia from the time they became displaced till date, in order to find out if there is balance in UN’s welfare programme in IDP management. The United Nations in Brief There in East-Side Manhattan, New York, stands this big building in its striking coast of expensive stone, glass and glide doors. It is the United Nations headquarters in New York. It is lined with flags of member state and people from all over the world visit this building in pilgrimages of hope and peace; some for official reasons while some are for sight-seeing. The United Nations is an international organization of nations promising to promote world peace, security and to observe international law. Established in 1945 in San Francisco, U.S.A., it serves as a replacement of the League of Nations which could not prevent the outbreak of Second World War in 1939 (Anyaele, 2005). A year later in 1946, the UN headquarters moved to New York, U.S.A. The main objective of the UN, according to Mclean and McMillan (2003), are: a. To maintain international peace and security, b. To develop friendly relations among nations so as to have equal rights internationally, c. To achieve international cooperation in solving international problem of economic social cultural or humanitarian character and also promote and encourage respect for human rights for fundamental freedom for all. d. To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these goals. In the view of UN Centre (2016), UN representative globally, formally adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Right (UDHR) on December 10, 1948. It added: Human rights’ refers to the basic rights and freedom to which all humans are entitled, often held to include the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression and equality before the law. Human rights are the foundation of human existence and co-existence. They are universal, indivisible and interdependent. Human rights are recognized as fundamentals by the UN and as such, feature prominently in the preamble of the charter of the UN…to reaffirm faith in fundamental human right, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal right of men and women of nations large and small… The News Centre further explained that the UN is the only international organization in existence that has the right to apply the human right law globally, Theoretical Approach On humanitarian intervention by state against other states where law and order seems to have broken down, Criddle (2015:473), cited the works of Hugo Grotius who propounded two theories on other states’ right to such intervention. The first theory of Grotius-the Guardianship theory of humanitarian intervention, states that, “…states may intervene as temporary legal guardians for people who have suffered intolerable cruelties at the hands of their own state” . In addition, he said that the law of nature allows states to intervene in other countries’ unrest, whether they are invited or not in order to cater for and protect the oppressed people, acting as their guardians. Those other states are allowed by natural law to enter such countries and salvage the situation in order to temporarily assist or protect the people. Criddle (2015:473), also mentioned a second theory by Grotius-the theory of International Punishment which states that, “…natural law authorizes all states to punish violations of the law of nations, irrespective of where or against whom the violation occur, to preserve the integrity of international law” . He explained that both theories have been overtaken by a third theory which is the Fiduciary theory because Grotius did not foresee the United Nations Security Council charter which permits states on humanitarian intervention to work in countries with integrity, solely to benefit the citizens abroad and not for their country’s interest like the natural law allows. That natural law makes states take laws into their hands in the name of humanitarian services when there is a breakdown of law and order in such states. Criddle (2015), posited that the fiduciary theory adds contemporary touch to the old-fashioned Grotius guardianship theory; he stated: …when states engage in humanitarian intervention, the fiduciary theory suggests that they bear a corresponding obligation to consult with and honor the preference of those whom they seek to protect…intervening states must respect international human rights norms governing the use of force-including the strict proportionality standards associated with the human “right to life”…when issuing resolutions that authorize humanitarian intervention, the security council should incorporate more robust procedural and substantive checks to ensure that intervening states can be held accountable for abusing their entrusted authority (p.477). www.ijhssi.org 46 | P a g e United Nations’ On IDPS in Nigeria and Somalia: A Comparative Survey The fiduciary theory is more appropriate for this work because Grotius two theories did not foresee the UN Security Council character on humanitarian intervention.