ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԻ ՀԱՆՐԱՊԵՏՈՒԹՅԱՆ ՏԱՐԱԾՔԱՅԻՆ ԿԱՌԱՎԱՐՄԱՆ ՆԱԽԱՐԱՐՈՒԹՅԱՆ
ՄԻԳՐԱՑԻՈՆ ԳՈՐԾԱԿԱԼՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ
| Engl. | Հայ. |
Integration of Refugees Within the RA State Immigration Policy
Speech
of Gagik Yeganyan, Head of the State Department for Migration and Refugees
of the Republic of Armenia
7th Conference of European Ministers Responsible for Migration Affairs,
16-17 September 2002, Helsinki
Dear Mr. Chairman
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to
take this opportunity to welcome the Conference participants and express my
deep satisfaction with such a profound approach to immigration-related issues.
For the past 12
years mass immigration of population, with all its negative consequences, once
again became a major concern for Armenia. In 1988-1992, Armenia, not yet cured
of disastrous earthquake after-effects, had to face the challenge of massive
immigration flow. In the aftermath of a four-year long conflict between Armenia
and Azerbaijan, over half a million Armenians were displaced from Azerbaijan,
and 360 thousand of them were sheltered in our republic. And what is more, during
the same period and for following years, some 48 thousand Armenian nationals
fled to our Republic from Nagorno-Karabakh and its neighboring Armenian-populated
regions. Armenia gave refuge to another 11 thousand of its nationals escaping
conflicts in some former USSR republics. Thus, before 1994-95, Armenia had to
receive around 420 thousand immigrant-refugees (an equivalent of 12% of the
current population).
Since late 90’s,
when it came clear that a safe and voluntary return of Armenian refugees displaced
from Azerbaijan is unlikely, Armenia has adopted a refugee integration
policy.
The primary objective
of that policy is to ensure a complete and successful integration and naturalization
of refugees in the Republic of Armenia. This mostly depends on the solution
of some vital problems that can be grouped as follows:
a. social-economic
- social-economic improvement of living conditions and increased welfare
etc;
b. legal-political
- adoption of laws to ensure legal protection of refugees’ rights
and interests as well as political and legal guarantees for implementation of
these laws;
c. spiritual-cultural
-ensuring adequate conditions for Armenian language acquisition and
broad-based access to the spiritual and cultural wealth of the nation;
d. moral-psychological
-treatment of psychological and emotional stress caused by forced displacement,
establishment of new social links;
e. relating to personal
mentality -most refugees fear to lose protection and assistance from
state and international organizations upon acquisition of Armenian citizenship.
It is noteworthy
that these factors had diverse impact during entire course of refugees’
integration.
So, for the initial
period of their stay in Armenia, typical were problems of spiritual-cultural
and moral-psychological nature, while later, they were gradually relieved by
adequate approach of authorities and compassion of entire society.
The situation with
legal-political problems radically changed on March 3, 1999, when the National
Assembly of Armenia adopted the Law ‘On Refugees’, as well as due
to efforts of state bodies, NGOs, and especially of UNHCR Armenia, to make refugees
acquainted with the Law provisions.
Actually, after
1999 the main impediments for successful integration were of social-economic
nature, as well as those conditioned by personal perceptions of refugees. Various
awareness raising campaigns conducted by the RA Government with the support
of UNHCR Armenia, as well as adoption of relevant by-laws, were a key in finding
durable solutions to these problems. Owing to these initiatives, the number
of refugees who applied for Armenian citizenship significantly increased.
Before 1999 only
6-7 thousand refugees acquired Armenian citizenship, needing Armenian passports
mainly to leave abroad. Whereas only during the last five months of 1999, their
number reached 8,173. In 2000, the process of acquiring Armenian citizenship
by the refugees was further accelerated upon adoption of the RA Law ‘On
Legal and Socioeconomic Guarantees for Persons Forcibly Displaced from the Republic
Azerbaijan in 1988-1992 who were Granted Armenian Citizenship’. This was
because the Law declared that acquisition of Armenian citizenship would not
waive the right of displaced persons for protection and assistance. Their citizenship
will in no way deprive them of indemnity for the abandoned property whenever
this problem is settled. Other provisions of the Law are likewise called to
alleviate refugees’ concerns.
In 2000 and 2001,
15,631 and 16,259 refugees respectively acquired Armenian citizenship having
no more doubt in this connection.
Mr. Chairman, this
year the process of naturalization is less intensive: during the past 8 months
Armenian citizenship was granted only to 6,512 refugees, i.e. just a two thirds
of 2001 total.
This fact clearly
shows that, even though the problems arousing from personal mentality, hindering
the way to citizenship, were solved, consequences of poor social-economic conditions
that this people suffer are still there, which deepen their social isolation
and feeling of being abandoned by the state and international organizations.
Various surveys
conducted in Armenia in past few years demonstrate that refugees are much more
vulnerable than local residents, particularly in the following aspects:
actual unemployment
rate is 2-3 times higher;
higher level of
impoverishment (unfavorable housing conditions, limited access to health services
and primary education);
lower living standards
and incomes.
Actually, we are
in a situation where the majority of refugees, bearing such a social-economic
burden, think twice before applying for Armenian citizenship. Thus, to remove
obstacles toward citizenship for this extensive portion of our population, we
should focus on projects aimed at improvement of their social
economic conditions. The relevance of this concept was proved by a number of
researches showing that 90% of accommodated refugees are already Armenian citizens,
while for those living in temporary shelters this figure is much lower.
Mr. Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Armenian Government
has adopted a number of analogous projects (namely Housing for Refugees
costing 54 million USD, Employment etc). However, due to other, not less
important problems (rehabilitation of 1988 earthquake zone, restoration of border
zone regions in post-conflict period) and given the scarce State budget, it
is not easy to provide sufficient funding to settle refugees’ problems.
As a result, an extensive part of the country population, making its 12% (the
highest indicator among the CIS countries) and residing for over 12 years within
the same ethnic and cultural area, continue to feel themselves as unexpected
guests in their own land. And it is not a coincidence therefore, that inclination
towards emigration among refugees is 2-3 times higher than among local population.
If continues, such situation can jeopardize social peace and integrity, destroy
security and stability in the region.
The situation urges
for immediate action through special projects aimed at ensuring solution of
social-economic problems of refugees. And here our republic can’t do without
support and assistance from the international community.
