The Library
Rethinking the 'refugee warrior' : the Karen National Union and refugee protection on the Thai-Burma Border
Tools
Tools
Tools
McConnachie, Kirsten (2012) Rethinking the 'refugee warrior' : the Karen National Union and refugee protection on the Thai-Burma Border. Journal of Human Rights Practice, 4 (1). pp. 30-56. doi:10.1093/jhuman/hus005 ISSN 1757-9619.
Research output not available from this repository.
Request-a-Copy directly from author or use local Library Get it For Me service.
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/hus005
Abstract
Well-founded fears that ‘refugee warriors’ will use refugee camps as a base for military operations, exploit a wider refugee population, or misuse international aid have led to the development of policies intended to ensure the separation of combatants and civilian refugee populations. However, a dogmatic approach to that policy goal may miss the true complexity of both refugee protection and the relationships between a refugee population and a military group. This article examines an alternative possibility, that a non-state armed group may be a potential partner in refugee protection and welfare promotion. It draws on the experiences of refugees from Burma living in camps in Thailand, where there has been a long-standing connection between camp governance structures and a political/military organization movement, the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army. While camp governance activities have been flawed, they have also displayed a high level of integrity. It is argued that in such a situation, where there is a proven record of working to improve civilian welfare, international organizations might usefully explore possibilities of engagement with non-state armed groups as partners in refugee protection, with the specific goal of encouraging a more representative, accountable, and democratic approach to governance.
| Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Law | ||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | Journal of Human Rights Practice | ||||
| Publisher: | Oxford University Press | ||||
| ISSN: | 1757-9619 | ||||
| Official Date: | 2012 | ||||
| Dates: |
|
||||
| Volume: | 4 | ||||
| Number: | 1 | ||||
| Page Range: | pp. 30-56 | ||||
| DOI: | 10.1093/jhuman/hus005 | ||||
| Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
| Publication Status: | Published | ||||
| Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access |
Request changes or add full text files to a record
Repository staff actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
