Role of Humanitarian Organizations in Ensuring Peaceful Coexistence between Host Communities and Refugees: In case of the Bambasi and Jewi refugee camps

Abstract

Ethiopia is host to the second largest refugee population in Africa with over 735,204 refugees from nineteen countries, the majority originating from neighboring South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan. Most of these refugees reside within the Gambella Region, while new arrivals have been relocated to the Benishangul-Gumuz Region to ease the pressure on Gambella. Education, employment opportunities and access to water are three major challenges refugees in Ethiopia face today. Conflicts are often seen within refugee camps making it challenging not only for refugees and even host communities but also for humanitarian aid workers to effectively implement their projects. Therefore, the aim of the study is to show the role of humanitarian organizations to ensure peaceful co-existence between refugees and host communities in the case of Bambsi and Jewi refugee camps. The study employed a qualitative research method to get in-depth insight of the study and used explanatory research design to carry out the study. Purposive sampling technique was used where 15 participants were selected and all of which are employees of Lutheran World Federation as it is the selected study organization. The method of data collection includes in-depth interview, key informant interviews and observation. The data’s collected were then analyzed thematically by following the basic qualitative study procedures. The study identified the intervention methods used by Lutheran World Federation to tackle such conflicts and bring peaceful co-existence between refugees and host communities, how effective the intervention methods are and the sustainability of those interventions. Implementing the 70/30 method where 70% of their beneficiaries would always be refugees while 30% will be from host community came out as one of the most effective and significant intervention method to tackle conflict related issues sustaining within the camps. The study also ensured the effectiveness of the interventions and their sustainability. Finally, conclusion and possible recommendations were included. Making individual based psycho-social support, making the Community-Based Psycho-Social (CBPS) Approach more intentional, creating more viable economic opportunity, and focusing on gender and gender based violence were among the recommendations included.