Internally displaced persons are those who have been forced to flee their homes and who do not cross an internationally recognised border. Unlike refugees, they have no organisation to deal with their plight. Very little is known about how people respond to the experience of displacement. This is the first book to put together information on the networks that people have evolved for coping in such situations. Examining those people who have become IDPs as the result of violence and war, it uses case studies from different countries, different settings and different phases of displacement. The authors identify cross-cultural patterns of coping strategies, examine whether these strategies are effective and highlight to what extent they are dependent upon culture or the experience of displacement. This is a practical handbook that will help international organisations formulate their relief plans to support - rather than inadvertently damage - existing coping mechanisms. Case studies include Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, Burma, Colombia, Georgia, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Sudan and Uganda.

Acknowledgements Foreword Introduction and Background 1. Africa Angola: 'Deslocados' in the Province of Huambo Burundi: Developing Strategies for Self-Reliance, A Study of Displacement in Four Provinces Sudan: The Unique Challenges of Displacement in Khartoum Uganda: The Resilience of Tradition, Displaced Acholi in Kitgum 2. Asia Afghanistan: Displaced in a Devastated Country Burma: Displaced Karens, Like Water on Khu Leaf Sri Lanka: Developing New Livelihoods in the Shadow of War, Displaced, Relocated and Resettled Muslims 3. Latin America Colombia: Creating Peace Amid the Violence, The Church, NGOs and the Displaced 4. Europe Georgia: Coping by Organizing, Displaced Georgians from Abkhazia Yugoslavia: Displacement from Kosovo, From Patronage to Self-Help Conclusion Contributors Bibliography Burundi Annexes Index