I . TOPIC . Economic Development and Displaced Persons ( 456 ) Observation .
The presence of large numbers of Displaced Persons ( DPs ), including refugees and internally displaced persons ( IDPs ), are often the result of conflict , whether conventional military operations or counterinsurgency operations . The costs associated with their presence in large numbers can be burdensome on the local economy , the host government , NGOs and international donors , military commanders , etc . Their absence from the workforce and traditional economies results in their presence being a burden to economic recovery and development and keeps them in a state of poverty , thus retarding overall economic growth and lessening aggregate economic well-being . It also provides a ready source of unemployed and underemployed people who may harbor numerous grievances who then become potential recruits for insurgent groups .
Discussion .
DPs typically require food , water , sanitation , and medical care , along with a secure environment . If displacement is prolonged , schools will also be needed in addition to assistance with earning money . Military leaders at the operational and tactical level may be required to help humanitarian aid workers involved in these efforts directly or indirectly by providing security or , in some cases , transportation or other logistical support .
In cases where displaced people are not living in camps or other temporary shelters , such assistance can be provided as part of development assistance to the broader community . In those cases , it is important to make sure that the needs of the displaced are neither ignored nor appear to take precedence over the needs of the longer-term population . The displaced can also be employed in short-term jobs in construction , clinics and schools for their own communities .
In situations in which DPs cannot return home quickly , it is usually better to try and integrate them into the surrounding community , in lieu of housing them in temporary camps . This is because those living in camps are not only cut off from the local economy and society , but also because DP Camps often become recruiting grounds for insurgents , who may take over the camp and monopolize its resources . The presence of DPs , particularly in areas of ethnic rivalry or conflict , creates situations in which ethnically related mass atrocities are made possible by concentrating ethnically homogeneous groups among or near rival ethnicities .
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