Refugees are ordinary people facing extraordinary conditions. A refugee is a person who has fled his or her own country and cannot return due to fear of persecution, in the other hand A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war, or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Most likely, they cannot return home or are afraid to do so. War and ethnic, tribal and religious violence are leading causes of refugees fleeing their countries. They are men, women and children fleeing war, persecution and political upheaval. They are uprooted with little warning, enduring great hardship during their flight. They become refugees when they cross borders and seek safety in another country. They are displaced when they are forced to flee their homes, but remain within the borders of their native country. At the end of 2013, there were 16.7 million refugees worldwide. Internally displaced people (IDPs) are those who have been forced to leave their homes as a result of armed conflict, generalized violence or human rights violations. Unlike refugees they have not crossed an international border. An  asylum  seeker  is  a  person  who  is  seeking protection  as  a  refugee  and  is  still  waiting  to have his/her claim assessed. There are currently some 43 million uprooted victims of conflict and persecution worldwide. More than 15 million of them are refugees who have fled their countries, while another 27 million are people who remain displaced by conflict inside their own homelands — so-called “internally displaced people”. Every year on June 20, World Refugee Day gives us a chance to focus the world’s attention on the plight of refugees and displaced people around the world, the causes of their exile. Refugees are forced to flee their homes and seek safety in another country, often times without warning. Migrants are people who make a conscious decision to leave their countries to seek a better life elsewhere. Most refugees and displaced persons return to their communities when peace and stability return to their country. When conditions in countries of origin remain unstable or there is a danger of persecution upon repatriation, some refugees are able to stay in a refugee settlement in another country. Unfortunately, many host countries are unable to accept refugees permanently. Resettlement in a third country, such as the United States, is the last option, and is available to only a tiny fraction of the world’s refugees. The circumstances under which refugees leave their country are different from those of other immigrants. Often in fleeing persecution, they are without the luxury of bringing personal possessions or preparing themselves for life in a new culture. Recognizing this fact, the federal government provides transitional resettlement assistance to newly arrived refugees. In the first 90 days, agencies such as the IRC contract with the Department of State to provide for refugee’s food, housing, employment, medical care, counseling and other services to help the refugee make a rapid transition to economic self-sufficiency. Currently, India is home to about 2 lakh refugees, ranking 23rd on a list of countries with the highest refugee population. Report Refugee Populations in India, 2007 The largest refugee populations in India do not fall under the UNHCR’s mandate, but are nonetheless considered refugees by the government. At present, there are over 150,000  Tibetans  and  90,000  Sri  Lankans  who  have  fled  violence  and  persecution  and  sought  refuge  in  India. As recently as 1914, a Peace Convention was signed by Britain, China and Tibet that formally  recognized  Tibet  as  an  independent  country.  Representatives  from  the  major   monasteries   governed   the   country with   the   Dalai   Lama   heading   the government. The Tibetan people have a deep-seated faith in religion and Buddhism ruled  every  aspect  of  their  lives.  In  1949  China  invaded  Tibet.  Two  years  later  Chinese  troops  forcibly  occupied  Tibet;  killing,  detaining  and  arresting  thousands  of  Tibetan citizens.  World Refugee Day, international observance observed June 20th each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world. Each year on June 20th the countless civic groups around the world host World Refugee Day events in order to draw the public’s attention to the millions of refugees and Internally displaced persons worldwide who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, conflict and persecution. The legal status of refugees in India is governed mainly by the Foreigners Act 1946 and  the  Citizenship  Act  1955.  These  Acts  do  not  distinguish  refugees  fleeing  persecution  from  other  foreigners;  they  apply  to  all  non-citizens  equally.  Under  the  Acts it is a criminal offence to be without valid travel or residence documents. These provisions render refugees liable to deportation and detention.

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AUTHOR:
Vikas Acharya

Vikas is an Indian freelance writer who has lived in India. His articles focus primarily on travel, lifestyle and the luxury Travel market. His educational background in Hospitality and Tourism has given him a broad base from which to approach many topics. Vikas Acharya is a short story author, Blogger, and award-winning freelance writer. Acharya has written several dozen articles on Travel that were published in Travel journals and several widely read publications outside the Travel industry. Visit his website.

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