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SOCIO-CULTURAL IMPACT OF REFUGEES ON THE HOST INDIGENOUS

COMMUNITIES IN UGANDA: A CASE STUDY OF SOMALI
COMMUNITY IN KISENYI







BY
GUURE ADAAN AISHA
02/01817/13906/d






A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF SOCIO SCIENCE IN
PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF BACHELOR
OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES OF CAVENDISH UNIVERSITY
- UGANDA




MAY 2014
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Introduction and Background ................................................................................................... 1
1. 2 Statement of the problem ......................................................................................................... 2
1. 4 Study objective ........................................................................................................................ 3
1. 4.1 General objective .................................................................................................................. 3
1. 4.2 Specific objectives of the Study ........................................................................................... 3
1. 5 Research questions ................................................................................................................... 3
1. 6 Scope of the study .................................................................................................................... 4
1. 7 Justification of the study .......................................................................................................... 4
1. 8 Theoretical framework ............................................................................................................. 5
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CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Introduction and Background

The refugee issue is as complex as its causes, solutions and effects. It is important to note that the
primary victims of the refugee problem are always individuals. Nonetheless, it also manifests
itself in various forms on the societal, governmental and international levels. Obviously, it is a
clear humanitarian, moral and development issue facing humanity. Indeed, its scope is wide
enough to have significant bearing on security, environmental and natural resources concerns
(Hakovirta, 1988). However, a casual look back into history tells us that the refugee movement is
not a recent phenomenon. For instance, the Israelites were made refugees on several lands as
they moved from Egypt to the Promised Land.1 Similarly, the world media in headlines had with
great zeal shown the terrible pictures of persons moving away from their homes to presumably,
places of safety. Central America, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia are apt
illustrations as people labor daily to escape the depressing effects of war and natural disasters.
Understandably, no part of the world today is immune to a refugee situation (Earl E. et al, 1983).

The world refugee problem is caused by a variety of reasons; factors and forces. These include
massive violations of human rights, especially the practice of colonialism, direct and structural
violence, war, internal conflicts, external aggression, ethnic and religious strife, direct political
persecution and economic and national disasters. Nevertheless, most refugee movements today
are caused by conflict. And contemporary conflicts are mostly of an internal, inter-communal
nature (Gil, 1992).


The massive changes and instability generated by the end of the Cold War triggered new mass
movements of people across the globe. In fact the Horn of Africa, Southern Africa (Aristide et al,
1989) and most recently Iraq and Sudan, war and mass displacement of peoples are challenging
the sanctity of borders and have contributed to the disintegration of nations. The magnitude of
refugee flows in recent years has generated urgent global concern. In 1951, when the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was established, there were some 1.5
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million refugees, by 1980 there were 8.2 million (Gil Loescher, 1992:9). Religious revivalism
moreover was the direct cause of several major refugee movements.

The responses of host countries to these mass influxes have varied greatly, both between states
and, for single governments, over time and by refugee group. Some governments have received
refugees with generosity, providing them with assistance and guaranteeing their safety. Others
have tried to prevent refugees from entering or have treated them harshly, restricting their
movements and even endangering their safety (Jacobsen 1996, Aristide 1992).

The majority of countries hosting large numbers of refugees are developing and poor countries.
These countries hosted two thirds of the global population of concern to UNHCR. The host
government often largely ignores refugee-hosting communities in remote areas. Developing
countries that host refugees for protracted periods can experience long-term, economic, social
and environmental consequences (UNHCR Standing Committee 1997). In early 2003, more than
35 per cent of the 20.6 million asylum-seekers, refugees and other persons of concern to
UNHCR were hosted by the forty-one Least Developed Countries. Of the 10.5 million refugees
who have been officially recognized by the UNHCRs mandate, 29 per cent were hosted by Sub-
Saharan Africa (UNHCR Standing Committee 2004). But in (2007) the total number of refugees
and others of concern to UNHCR in the globe is estimated to 32, 861, 500 of which 9, 752, 600
in Africa (UNCHR-Geneva, 2007).

1. 2 Statement of the problem

The consequences of hosting the Somali refugees are worth considering. It is widely believed
that influx of refugees in a community can place considerable stress on natural resources
especially land. The presence of the Somali refugees in Kisenyi community has had both
negative and positive economic and social tendencies on the people of Kisenyi since the arrival.
The fact that the refugees outnumber the host community seems to pose a threat to the livelihood
of the community as well as its norms and values. The pressure on the land and the impact of this
pressure on food production as an economic activity of the host community prior to the influx of
refugees are other issues that need an in-depth study. It looks like the influx of the refugees and
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relief resources and assistance to the refugees have created more problems than a blessing to the
people of Kisenyi community. With the increased local market, there has been an upsurge in
business and trade conducted by both host community and the refugees have made many locals
shifting to trading. Given all the above background, the world is not left with only the issue of
hosting, feeding, clothing, resettlement or educating the refugees but also their impact on the
host, who in most cases are left with the burden of seeing to the survival of these refugees.

1. 4 Study objective
The study had a general objective and specific objectives as follows:
1. 4.1 General objective
To investigate the socio-cultural impact of Somali refugees on the host indigenous communities
in Uganda
1. 4.2 Specific objectives of the Study
The specific objectives of the study were:
i. To investigate the kind of relationship between the local people and the
Somali refugees
ii. To find out the real and perceived impact of the refugees presence on the
socio cultural and economic structure of the host community
iii. To find out the role played by both local authorities and other international
bodies in terms of ensuring a cordial relationship between the host and the
refugees
1. 5 Research questions
i. What is the relationship between the local people and the Somali refugees in Kisenyi
area?
ii. What is real and perceived impact of the refugees presence on the socio cultural and
economic structure of the host community?
iii. What is the role played by both local authorities and other international bodies in terms
of ensuring a cordial relationship between the host and the refugees?
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1. 6 Scope of the study
1.6.1 Content scope
The study will focus on relationship between the local people and the Somali refugees, real and
perceived impact of the refugees presence on the socio cultural and economic structure of the
host community, and role played by both local authorities and other international bodies in terms
of ensuring a cordial relationship between the host and the refugees.
1.6.2 Geographical scope
The study will be carried out in Kisenyi area. Kisenyi is a Kampala suburb located in the
Kampala City. This area is selected because it has the highest influx of Somali refugees in
Uganda and hence will be easier for the researcher to carry out the study.
1.6.3 Time scope
The study will be carried out for a period of two months from May to July 2014.

1. 7 Justification of the study

Although there have been numerous books and articles on refugees in general and Somali
refugees in particular, in this case the prevalence of both conflict and the refugee influx in
Uganda and its implications for refugees and the impact on host communities have attracted my
attention to this study.

It is also worth noting that although refugee issues have been long under study, more emphasis
has been on the welfare of refugees themselves and less on the impact, both burden and benefit,
as the case may be, that they exert on the host communities. This study aims to make a modest
contribution to the existing body of knowledge on refugees in Uganda.

Also recommendations and suggestions to the problems of the situation when completed would
further communicate the knowledge gained in this regard to governmental agencies as well as the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other bodies like the NGOs that
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may constitute a suitable working tool to help developing policies about the plight of the host
communities of the Somali refugees in Uganda.

1. 8 Theoretical framework
Ethnicity and Boundaries Theory
I will use the theory of Barth (1994) on ethnicity and boundaries, to closely look at the ethnicity
and culture dichotomy between the refugees and the natives. According to this theory:
() Boundaries persist despite a flow of personnel across them. In other words, categorical
ethnic distinctions do not depend on an absence of mobility, contact and information but do
entail social processes of exclusion and incorporation whereby discrete categories are maintained
despite changing participation and membership in the course of individual life histories (Barth
1994:9-10).

Barth argued that no matter how a group or an individual come in contact, be it economic or
social, they still maintain their ethnic status and that the contacts do not affect their ethnic
identity or ways of live. By this thought there can be intermarriages among different ethnic
groups and they still maintain their cultural differences. Barth supported the theory by stating
that ethnic identity can persist in inter-ethnic contact and independence even though the
individuals may cross national boundaries or their ethnic areas.

The theory believes that when ethnic groups compete for social and economic resources like in
the case of the refugees and their host communities, their ethnic categories become more fixed.
The Somali refugees have been in the midst of the natives of Kisenyi community since the
year 1990. The refugee population in the camp and the community is approximately 20,000
with less than 3000 natives.






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UNHCR Standing Committee (1997), Economic and Social Impact of massive
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th
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UNHCR Standing Committee (2004), Economic and Social Impact of massive
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