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THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING its resolutions AG/RES. 1971 (XXXIII-O/03), “The Protection of
Refugees, Returnees, and Stateless and Internally Displaced Persons in the
Americas”; AG/RES. 1892 (XXXII-O/02); AG/RES. 774 (XV-O/85); AG/RES. 838
(XVI-O/86); AG/RES. 951 (XVIII-O/88); AG/RES. 1021 (XIX-O/89); AG/RES. 1039
(XX-O/90); AG/RES. 1040 (XX-O/90); AG/RES. 1103 (XXI-O/91); AG/RES. 1170
(XXII-O/92); AG/RES. 1214 (XXIII-O/93); AG/RES. 1273 (XXIV-O/94); AG/RES. 1336
(XXV-O/95); AG/RES. 1416 (XXVI-O/96); AG/RES. 1504 (XXVII-O/97); and AG/RES.
1602 (XXVIII-O/98);
REITERATING the principles established in the Inter-American Democratic
Charter, especially those referred to in its Chapter III, “Democracy, Integral
Development, and Combating Poverty;
RECALLING the pertinent international norms on human rights, humanitarian
law, and refugee law, and recognizing that the protection of internally
displaced persons has been reinforced by the identification, reaffirmation, and
consolidation of specific protective standards, in particular the Guiding
Principles on Internal Displacement, prepared by the Representative of the
United Nations Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons;
RECALLING ALSO that, according to those Guiding Principles, internally
displaced persons are “persons or groups of persons who have been forced or
obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in
particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict,
situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or
human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized
State border”;
EMPHASIZING that the states have the primary responsibility to provide
protection and assistance to internally displaced persons within their
jurisdiction, as well as to address, as appropriate, the root causes of the
internal displacement problem and to do so, when so required, in cooperation
with the international community;
TAKING NOTE that several countries in the Hemisphere are using the Guiding
Principles on Internal Displacement, prepared by the Representative of the
United Nations Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons, including
those on the development of national policies and strategies;
UNDERSCORING the holding of the Regional Seminar on Internal Displacement in
the Americas, in Mexico City in February 2004, which made it possible to
evaluate and identify possible solutions to the problem of internal displacement
in the region;
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT that the problem of internally displaced persons is of
significant proportions and that their needs, particularly with regard to
protection and assistance, require immediate attention;
UNDERSCORING the importance of implementing effective policies for preventing
and averting forced internal displacement and for protecting and assisting
displaced persons during displacement, their return or resettlement, and their
reintegration;
UNDERSCORING that to promote enhanced protection for internally displaced
persons, comprehensive strategies and lasting solutions are needed, which
include, among other aspects, the safe and voluntary return of internally
displaced persons, the promotion and protection of their human rights, and their
resettlement and reintegration, either in their place of origin or in the
receiving community; and
REAFFIRMING the importance of international cooperation, both from
governments and civil society institutions and organizations, in addressing
fully and effectively the needs of internally displaced persons,
RESOLVES:
1. To urge member states to include, as appropriate, in their sectoral plans
and programs the special needs of internally displaced persons.
2. To appeal to member states to consider the Guiding Principles on Internal
Displacement in designing public policy on this matter.
3. To urge member states to make every effort, as far as possible, with the
support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, other
international organizations and the international community, to address the root
causes of the internal displacement of persons.
4. To encourage member states to provide, on the basis of comprehensive and
lasting strategies, protection and assistance to internally displaced persons,
and to facilitate efforts and access by pertinent United Nations agencies, as
well as humanitarian organizations. |
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