World Refugee Day: FG to support efforts to reintegrate IDPs
World Refugee Day: FG to support efforts to reintegrate IDPs
NAN, 15 Jun 2016
URL: http://nannewsnigeria.com/world-refugee-day-fg-support-efforts-reintegrate-idps
NAN-H-51
IDPs
Abuja, June 15, 2016 (NAN) The Acting Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugee, Migrants, and Internally Displaced persons (NCFRMI), has said that the Federal Government will support every effort targeted at re-integrating Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Mrs Margaret Essien, who made this known in Abuja during an event to commemorate World Refugee Day, said that government would ensure that IDPs engaged in meaningful skills acquisition programmes.
According to her, promoting peace, stability, and human rights around the world is very crucial at this time, so that the displaced population can someday, return to their homes in safety and dignity.
She reiterated government’s commitment to seeking durable solution to the plight of refugees and IDPs and also urged Nigerians to show love to them.
She said that theme of the occasion which is "We stand together with Displaced People" was apt as it is an expression of solidarity and support to the IDPs.
"It is also an opportunity to raise awareness on refugee issues and remind people everywhere in the world of their conditions.
"Let's not forget the responsibilities to help those who have lost their homes, lives and livelihood.
"As peace is returning to the North-East of Nigeria, hundreds of our citizens in the neighbouring countries are seeking to return voluntarily.
"We all have a moral obligation and responsibility to lend a helping hand to people who fled as a result of the conflict.
"The government of Nigeria is firmly committed to these principles and to seeking lasting and durable solutions.
"Domestically, we are committed to offering protection to genuine refugees and to ensuring that we strengthen our international commitments and humanitarian traditions."
Essien explained that the 17th World Refugee Day aims at raising awareness that Nigerians stand together with displaced people to celebrate together and share their experiences.
The Acting Federal Commissioner commended the courage and determination of the displaced persons who had fled the persecution and violence in their homelands.
Also speaking, Ms Angele Dikongue-Atangana, the Representative of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Nigeria, urged Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of being their brother’s keeper, adding that being displaced could happen to anyone.
"We have in Nigeria more than 2.1million displaced persons; these are potential refugees if we fail to provide them with what they need when they are still within the territory of Nigeria.
"Our actions towards these displaced persons must be preventive, to alleviate the sufferings they are already living through.
"If we don’t want to stand up to help those wandering, those destitute around us, we should stand up to help ourselves in preventing the troubles from reaching us.''
Dikongue-Atangana said that more than 60 million people around the globe roughly one in every 122 people on earth, qualify as displaced persons.
" That’s more than at any time since World War II. Over half of them are children unaccompanied; over 2.7million are refugees and over 10 million are `stateless'.''
She said that UNHCR, in its continuous humanitarian assistance, had initiated an advocacy for a sound legal framework to attend to the needs of IDPs and build the capacity of stakeholders.
NAN reports that in attendance were representatives of the UN Resident Coordinator to Nigeria and ECOWAS, senior officials from the Ministry of Information and Culture, six secondary schools and members of the diplomatic community.
World refugee Day is marked on June 20 every year as a tribute to the courage and resilience of millions of people uprooted due to ongoing conflicts, wars and natural disasters globally. (NAN)
AIR/NKO/NKO
IDPs
Abuja, June 15, 2016 (NAN) The Acting Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugee, Migrants, and Internally Displaced persons (NCFRMI), has said that the Federal Government will support every effort targeted at re-integrating Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Mrs Margaret Essien, who made this known in Abuja during an event to commemorate World Refugee Day, said that government would ensure that IDPs engaged in meaningful skills acquisition programmes.
According to her, promoting peace, stability, and human rights around the world is very crucial at this time, so that the displaced population can someday, return to their homes in safety and dignity.
She reiterated government’s commitment to seeking durable solution to the plight of refugees and IDPs and also urged Nigerians to show love to them.
She said that theme of the occasion which is "We stand together with Displaced People" was apt as it is an expression of solidarity and support to the IDPs.
"It is also an opportunity to raise awareness on refugee issues and remind people everywhere in the world of their conditions.
"Let's not forget the responsibilities to help those who have lost their homes, lives and livelihood.
"As peace is returning to the North-East of Nigeria, hundreds of our citizens in the neighbouring countries are seeking to return voluntarily.
"We all have a moral obligation and responsibility to lend a helping hand to people who fled as a result of the conflict.
"The government of Nigeria is firmly committed to these principles and to seeking lasting and durable solutions.
"Domestically, we are committed to offering protection to genuine refugees and to ensuring that we strengthen our international commitments and humanitarian traditions."
Essien explained that the 17th World Refugee Day aims at raising awareness that Nigerians stand together with displaced people to celebrate together and share their experiences.
The Acting Federal Commissioner commended the courage and determination of the displaced persons who had fled the persecution and violence in their homelands.
Also speaking, Ms Angele Dikongue-Atangana, the Representative of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Nigeria, urged Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of being their brother’s keeper, adding that being displaced could happen to anyone.
"We have in Nigeria more than 2.1million displaced persons; these are potential refugees if we fail to provide them with what they need when they are still within the territory of Nigeria.
"Our actions towards these displaced persons must be preventive, to alleviate the sufferings they are already living through.
"If we don’t want to stand up to help those wandering, those destitute around us, we should stand up to help ourselves in preventing the troubles from reaching us.''
Dikongue-Atangana said that more than 60 million people around the globe roughly one in every 122 people on earth, qualify as displaced persons.
" That’s more than at any time since World War II. Over half of them are children unaccompanied; over 2.7million are refugees and over 10 million are `stateless'.''
She said that UNHCR, in its continuous humanitarian assistance, had initiated an advocacy for a sound legal framework to attend to the needs of IDPs and build the capacity of stakeholders.
NAN reports that in attendance were representatives of the UN Resident Coordinator to Nigeria and ECOWAS, senior officials from the Ministry of Information and Culture, six secondary schools and members of the diplomatic community.
World refugee Day is marked on June 20 every year as a tribute to the courage and resilience of millions of people uprooted due to ongoing conflicts, wars and natural disasters globally. (NAN)
AIR/NKO/NKO