International Humanitarianism and Refugee Protection: Consequences of Labeling and Politicization

Abstract

This study explores the inconsistency between legal frameworks and international humanitarian operations and examines characteristics of contemporary forced migration and international

humanitarian responses. Forced migration has been politicized and international humanitarian

responses have changed as follows. First, the increasing number of IDPs and changing national

refugee policies indicate that the international community is reluctant to host refugees. Second,

refugees are likely to relocate to neighboring countries, thereby intensifying the financial burdens on

host countries. Third, LDCs and developing countries are suffering from a greater burden than

developed countries to support refugees and IDPs because most forced migrants stay within their

countries of origin or within bordered countries. Finally, the recently increasing involvement of

UNHCR to help IDPs has made it difficult for a government to deny the access of the international community to displaced people in its territory.