Much in the same manner as the Joint Emergency Team was established as a means to allow for an international co-ordinated aid effort in times of humanitarian crisis it is now intended to establish the same for supporting refugees. The Joint Emergency Team took the manner of humanitarian aid out of the hands of organisations like the CTO and made it an independently run, but internationally supported agency. JET have since seen action in every major crisis across Mundus and saved countless lives. What I am today proposing is that we do likewise with Refugees. The CTO Refugee Council has been the only part of that organisation that has consistently and successfully worked and as such the failing of the CTO should not be permitted to see its good work fall into the dust.
I am therefore proposing an international agreement between nations willing to do their bit in times of crisis and thus keep the spirit of the refugee agency alive.
The International Refugee Support Agency (IRSA) shall be a multi-national non governmental organisation ran by a Board of Representatives.
DEFINITIONS
For the purpose of this document a refugee shall be defined as any who; owing to well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,
membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.
In the case of a person who has more than one nationality, the term “the country of his nationality” shall mean each of the countries of which he is a national, and a person shall not be deemed to be lacking the protection of the country of his nationality if, without any valid reason based on well-founded fear, he has not availed himself of the protection of one of the countries of which he is a national.
AIMS
1. To provide a framework to allow refugees to receive timely and organised aid
2. To put in place provision for the safe movement of refugees
3. To maintain a database of refugees
4. To aid refugees in returning, whenever possible, to the county of his nationality.
5. To liase with nations affected by refugees
6. To liase with nations and agencies involved with aiding refugees
7. To act as a guardian for the rights of refugees
ARTICLES
1. Any nation who is willing to abide by this charter may appoint a person to the Board of Representatives so long as they have not held a role within a nations government or military within the last five years.
2. The Board of Representatives shall appoint from within their number a Chairperson who shall ensure this charter is followed.
3. The Chairperson shall remain in power for three years unless a majority vote of no confidence is called or they resign. A candidate may stand for re-election as often as they wish.
4. The Chairperson shall be required to be the IRSA representatives with other nations.
5. The Chairperson shall be responsible for liaising with other agencies of connected importance.
6. The Chairperson shall also be required to undertake the following duties.
i) Make an annual report to the Board of Representatives as well as any additional requested reports
ii)Present proposals to the Board for debate.
iii)Chair Board meetings
iv)Ensure accurate records of meetings are kept
v) Ensure accurate minutes of meetings with foreign governments or agencies are provided.
vi)Liaise with other agencies to fulfil the organisations aims.
vii) Promote Refugee Rights in all nations
8. The Board of Representatives shall be required to undertake the following duties.
i) Hold the Chair to account. The Board may replace the Chair should the majority of representatives pass a vote of no confidence.
ii)Work to promote Refugee Rights within their home nation.
iii)Liaise with agencies within their home nations
iv) Make an annual report to the chair about the state of refugees within their nation.
v) Present proposals to the Board for debate
vi) Provide support to the Chair if requested.
9. The IRSA shall issue official passports which nations may elect to recognise.
10. A Refugee shall have the following responsibilities.
a) To comply with the laws of the nation in which they are residing
b) To register as a refugee as soon as they are no longer in danger
c) To inform the government of the nation they reside in of any change in circumstances
11. A refugee shall have the following rights
a) To be treated no less favourably than a foreign citizen residing in the host nation.
b) To be permitted to obtain material possessions
c) To be permitted to gain lawful employment in accordance with the host nations laws.
d) To have full access to courts of law
e) To have the right to communicate with The IRSA
12. The IRSA shall recruit its own staff who may not hold any position within the government or military of their home nation.
13. The IRSA shall be funded by a combination of donations by member nations and private donors. All donations of more than $20,000 will be published.
14. The IRSA may operate it is own fleet of aircraft and naval vessels. This shall be registered in the Odinist Republic of Hygelac, however should circumstances dictate they may be registered in any Full Member nation deemed fit by the Chairperson.
15. A refugee is advised to wait until the circumstances that made them a refugee have ceased to exist before returning home. They may return home in advance of such a moment but if they choose to do so then they do so at their own risk.
In addition to this the IRSA shall be establishing the Refugee Edcuation Department (RED)
A nation or institution may sign up to RED which shall work as follows
1. Institutes across Mundus would sign up to the programme. They would provide online resources that could be accessed by students regardless of where they are on the planet.
2. National governments will provide resources to allow these resources to be accessed by those in camps. In Nya Aland this was a tented facility with satellite internet.
3. Institutes will set assignments for students on their courses and grade them.
4. A student will be awarded a number of credits based on their performance. Once they have accrued enough credits they will earn their degree. Alternatively they will be able to take these credits with them should they enter a physical University.
It is my hope those nations who were already supporters of the Refugee University programme
[1] will now move that support to RED.
Should any nation or individual wish to speak with me on these issues I would be happy to speak with any interested person in at the University of Freestone, alternatively I look forward to nations recognising this worthwhile endeavour.
May The Gods Watch Over You and Mundus Know Peace
Melissa Lusk
East Moreland's King sent word almost straight away that they would be joining IRSA as well as giving their support to RED. It reassured Melissa that perhaps others would to. She found herself at a familiar table in the Student Union offices at the University of Freestone, her own hometown University. She sat nervously waiting either e-mails of people accepting the invitation to join or ambassadors or the like coming to speak. Her fingers were crossed as she wished for the best.
OOC - Members of the old Mundus Refugee Council which was part of the CTO were
East Moreland
Achkaerin (although left the CTO)
Rokkenjima
Nya Aland (never a member of the CTO)
Vaguzia
Quebec
Vinitsìa