111. Temporary Protection

Abstract

The authors argue for a humane and dignified conceptualization of temporary protection, in which "refugee containment" is emphatically rejected. Mechanisms to respond to refugee vulnerabilities, safeguard the family, preserve forms of social organization, and meaningfully involve refugees in constructive interaction with their host communities are outlined. A maximum duration of five years is proposed, subject both to early adjustment to meet special needs and a firm commitment to ensure a permanent solution at the expiration of that timefame. The necessity of mandated repatriation in safety and dignity is acknowledged, though proposals are advanced to maximize voluntary repatriation as a preferred response. This is a substantially abbreviated version of the authors' original work. Please refer to the notice at the end of this section if you are interested in obtaining a full copy of the paper, which is expected to be published in mid-1996.