Divided Nations: The Paradox of National Protection

• Author: Francis M. Deng
• DOI: 10.1177/0002716205283019
• Published date: 01 January 2006
• Date: 01 January 2006
• Subject Matter: Articles

10.1177/0002716205283019 603JanuaryTHE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMYDIVIDED NATIONS

Internal displacement, which in many cases leads to ref-

uge across international borders, has emerged as one of

the major crises confronting the world today. The

assumption, clearly erroneous, is that unlike refugees,

who have lost the protection of their own governments

by crossing international borders, the internally dis-

placed remain under the protection of their national

governments. In most cases, these same governments

are actually the cause of their displacement, and

worse—they neglect and even persecute them. This arti-

cle aims to develop a new international response to the

global crisis of internal displacement in acutely divided

nations. It suggests the problem is more than a humani-

tarian and human rights issue; the underlying causes

have much to do with gross inequities in the shaping and

sharing of values and the gross discrimination and

marginalization of certain groups. Citizenship becomes

largely of paper value. The crisis is ultimately a challenge

of nation building.

Keywords: United Nations; displaced people; state

responsibility; humanitarian crises

Overview of the Problem

The United Nations Millennium Declaration

of September 8, 2000, states that in addition to

their separate responsibilities to their individual

societies, the heads of state and government rec-

ognize that they have a collective responsibility

to uphold the principles of human dignity,

equality, and equity at the global level. This is

explicitly stated as entailing a duty to all the

world’s people, especially the most vulnerable,

and in particular,children. The declaration elab-

orates on this theme by stating, “We will spare

ANNALS, AAPSS, 603, January 2006 217

Francis M. Deng is director of the Center for Displace-

ment Studies at the School of Advanced International

Studies (SAIS) and research professor of international

law, politics, and society at Johns Hopkins University.

He serves as representative of the UN secretary-general

on internally displaced persons and is a nonresident

senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. He served as

the ambassador of Sudan to Canada, the Scandinavian

countries, and the United States as well as Sudan’s minis-

ter of state for Foreign Affairs.

DOI: 10.1177/0002716205283019

Divided

Nations:

The Paradox

of National

Protection

By

FRANCIS M. DENG