Assessment of African Great Lakes Urban Refugees Rights to the City of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

The great lake refugee: the challenges to get urban status and their socio- economic challenges while living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia By Kwihangana John Christian May, 2016 The researcher took the case of African Great Lakes Refugees (Refuges from Burundi, Congo Democratic Republic and Rwanda) In Addis Ababa (The Capital City of Ethiopia) to answer the following research questions. a) How do Great Lake Refugees get Urban Status in Addis Ababa? b) How adequate is "the right to the city” approach to explain the everyday struggle of Great Lakes Refugees for Right and Resources? and c) What kind of urban policy measures can Ethiopian government take in order o create smooth environment to those refugees? The research is a qualitative case study where a total of 28 refugees and 12 leaders and staff from governmental institution (ARRA) and nongovernmental organizations such as; JRS, UNHCR, RRAD were interviewed. The interviews captured, described and discussed the respondents own ideas, opinions and experiences. IX The researcher found out that the urban refugees exist and interact in two different social milieus. On one hand the refugees have no right to open business and even if they can have capital(here they do not have any means to generate incomes :the one who can survive are to ones who have relatives or friends abroad who send them the money )on the other hand there are refugees who are under one nongovernmental organizations called Refugees and Returnee Affairs Department (RRAD) Under Ethiopia Orthodox Church :these groups of refugees get monthly assistance which is equivalent to fifty(50$) dollars. The study has evaluated that this amount of money is not enough to keep those refugees surviving in the city of Addis Ababa. The study has also reviewed that the government policy regarding the urban refugees and these who get chance to live in the city of Addis Ababa are not fine with the environment in with they are living in. In short the study has reviewed that those refugees have no right to participate in governance of the city, no right to business, no right to move outside the cities, etc. The researcher has gathered data through interviews, observations, discussions and questionnaires.