Activities of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the situation on the refugees who are its concern

Report | Doc. 172 | 28 August 1953

Thesaurus

CONTENTS

Pages

Introduction - 700

International Agreements affecting Refugees - 701

Relations with Inter-Governmental Organizations. - 706

Relations with privato Organizations - 708

Work of the Branch Offices and situation of Refugees in various countries :

Northern and Western Europe - 709

Belgium - 709

Netherlands - 712

Luxembourg - 713

France - 714

Italy - 718

Trieste - 721

United Kingdom - 722

Scandinavian Countries - 723

Central Europe - 724

Austria - 724

Germany - 728

Soulh-Eastern Europe - 738

Greece - 738

Yugoslavia - 741

Turkey - 742

Pages

Near and Middle East. - 743

Égypt - 743

Ethiopia - 744

Iran - 745

Jordan - 745

Lebanon - 746

Syria - 746

Fast East - 747

Countries of Resettlement - 748

United States - 749

Lation America - 750

Argentina - 751

Brazil - 752

Chile - 752

Paraguay - 753

Peru - 753

Uruguay - 753

Venezuela - 754

Refugees of European Origin in China - 754

Refugees Requiring Institutional Care - 758

Refugee Emergency Fund - 759

Conclusion - 805

1 INTRODUCTION

1. The present memorandum on the activities of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the situation of refugees who are the concern of his Office, which is transmitted for information to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of : Europe—the second in the series—differs somewhat from the preceding report.

2. It has been the policy of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. to communicate to the Council of Europe both a full account of its activities on behalf of refugees, mainly in Europe, and, at the same time, to give some indication of the organizational problems involved.

3. While the problems, of co-ordination with other organizations working for refugees remains an urgent one, the elements of the situation are well known. The present report therefore pays particular attention at the same time to the problem of the integration of refugees in their countries of residence and the achievement so far realized in this field through the promotion of pilot projects financed under the grant made by the Ford Foundation to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

4. It will be recalled that the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. has been established since 1 January, 1951 and, in setting it up and giving it responsibility not only for the international protection of refugees but for seeking permanent solutions as defined in Article 1 of its statute, the General Assembly of the United Nations took a new initiative in the history of internationl action for refugees. This initiative was made necessary by the many unsolved problems which remained after the end of the International Refugee Organization operations and the continued influx of new refugees mainly in Europe.

5. The following pages show the magnitude and complexities of the problems facing the High Commissioner at the present time and also some of the progress made during the past year as a result of the co-operation of Governments, inter-governmental organizations and voluntary agencies.

6. One caveat in particular should be noted. Where statistics are given, especially with regard to the numbers of refugees, they should not be viewed as static quantities—even though the number of refugees in a given country seems to remain the same. Great changes may have taken place within the group, due, on the one hand, to the counterbalance of the departure of certain refugees by the arrival of new ones, and, on the other hand, to the social and economic integration of the refugees in their country of residence.

2 INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AFFECTING REFUGEES

Convention of 1951

7. The most important instrument concerning the protection of refugees which has been negotiated during the lifetime of the Office of the U, N. H. C. R. is the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July, 1951, which was prepared by a Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Geneva in July, 1951. The Office of the U. N. H. C. R. participated in the work of this Conference.

8. The Convention has been signed by Austria, Belgium, Columbia, Denmark, Israel, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Yugoslavia, and subsequently by Turkey, Germany, Greece, the Holy See, Brazil, Italy and France.

9. At the sixth session the General Assembly invited under Resolution 538 (VI) Member States and Non-Member States which have demonstrated their interest in the refugee problem to become parties to the Convention as soon as possible. The Convention has so far been ratified by Denmark, Norway, Belgium and Luxembourg. The Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe did not fail to bring the importance of the ratification of the Convention to the attention of member Governments of the Council of Europe and requested the Committee of Ministers to take the necessary steps for this purpose; and in its reply to the Message and Report of the Committee of Ministers during the Fifth Ordinary Session (Second part—June, 1953), the Assembly welcomed the decision of the Committee of Ministers to invite Member States to ratify the Convention as soon as possible. In most countries which have signed the Convention the constitutional procedure for ratification has been set into operation. In some of them it is in an advanced stage, and there is reason to hope that within the next few months the six ratifications necessary for.the Convention to enter into force will be completed.

Universal Copyright Convention

10. At the International Copyright Conference which considered this Convention in Geneva in August-September, 1952, the Office of the U. N. C. H. R. proposed that, in respect of the benefits of the Convention, refugees should be assimilated to the nationals of the country of their habitual residence. The Conference decided not to include the special provisions relating to refugees in the body of the Convention but adopted a Protocol providing for the assimilation of Stateless persons and refugees who have their habitual residence in a state party to the Protocol, to nationals of that State. The Protocol, which is in accordance with the principles enunciated in Article 14 of the Convention of 1951 relating to the protection of the artistics rights and industrial property of refugees, has been signed by 35 States.

Protocol concerning Social Security negotiated by the Council of Europe

11. The closest co-operation has been maintained with the Secretariat of the Council of Europe in the negotiation of protocols relating to social security. On the initiative of the Belgian Government the Council's Committee on Social Security adopted protocols in connexion with the European Interim Agreements on social security schemes by which the provisions of these agreements would be extended to refugees as defined in Article 1 of the 1951 Convention. These protocols are in accord with Article 24 of the 1951 Convention, under which the Contracting States undertake to : " extend to refugees the benefits of agreements concluded between them, or which may be concluded between them in the future, concerning the maintenance of acquired rights and rights in the process of acquisition in regard to social security subject only to the conditions which apply to nationals of the States signatory to the agreements in question " .

12. Similarly the Council's Committee of Experts on Social and Medical Assistance adopted a Protocol by which the benefits of the European Convention on Social and Medical Assistance would be extended to refugees as defined in Article 1 of the 1951 Convention.

Convention on Declaration of Death of Mining Persons

13. In view of the special interest of certain groups of refugees within the mandate of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. in the Convention on Declaration of Death of Missing Persons, a joint letter with the Director-General of the I. R. 0 . was addressed to Governments, expressing the hope that they would accede to this Convention. This Convention entered into force on 24 January, 1952, after it had been ratified by China and Guatemala. It has since been ratified by Israel, and the Belgian Senate has approved ratification. The International Bureau for the Declaration of Death of Missing Persons provided for b y the Convention was opened in Geneva on 1 October, 1952 as a separate unit within the European Office of the United Nations.

Enforcement Abroad of Maintenance Obligations

14. The office of the U. N. H . C . R. was represented at the meeting in Geneva in August, 1952 of the Committee of Experts convened by the Secretary-General under Resolution 390 ( X I I I ) of the Economic and Social Council to prepare the text of a model convention or a model reciprocal law on the question of the recognition and enforcement abroad of maintenance obligations. This problem is of particular interest to refugee families whose members are often dispersed in. different countries, and in these cases the transferability of maintenance payments and free legal aid are of the greatest importance. While the Committee did not incorporate any provisions concerning legal aid in the draft convention and model convention which it prepared, it stressed in its report the need for arrangements for legal aid to claimants ; it appealed to the nongovernmental humanitarian organizations to continue their social services for indigent families and asked the Secretary-General to coordinate their activities in this field. The Committee elaborated a draft convention on recovery abroad of claims for maintenance together with a model convention on the enforcement of maintenance obligations.

Human Rights

15. The Office of the U. N. C. H. R. submitted a memorandum to the Eighth Session of the Commission on Human Rights suggesting that a clause relating to the right of asylum be incorporated into the draft Covenants on Human Rights. Although several delegations supported the inclusion of such a clause, the majority in the Commission considered that the matter was too complicated to be dealt with adequately in the text of the Covenants. In view of the fact that the Commission on Human Rights decided in 1947 to examine the question of the inclusion of the right of asylum from persecution in the International Convention on Human Rights or in a special convention for this purpose, it is hoped that it will still consider this problem.

Travel Documents

16. In its Resolution No. 428 (V) the General Assembly called upon Governments to co-operate with the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. especially by : " providing refugees with travel and other documents such as would normally be provided to other aliens by their national authorities, especially documents which would facilitate their re-settlement. "

17. At the time of the setting-up of the Office of the U. N. IT. C. R., the so-called London Travel Document established by the London Agreement of 15 October, 1946 had already received wide recognition.

18. Most countries which do not issue the London Travel Document issue under national regulations a special travel document to aliens who do not have a national passport, including refugees (aliens' passport, laissezpasser, etc.), but these documents, in distinction from the London Travel Document, do not as a rule entitle the holder to return to the issuing country without a visa.

19. The so-called Nansen Passport continues to be issued to Russian, Armenian and assimilated refugees in Belgium, France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and to Russian and Armenian refugees in Greece. A special certificate of identity is issued to Nansen refugees in Ireland and Italy. With the coming into force of the Convention of 1951 these documents will be replaced by the travel document provided for by that Convention.

20. In this matter also the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe never failed to highlight the importance of this matter and expressed the wish that Governments should so far as possible consult one another with regard to the standardization of passports as provided for in the Convention, particularly with regard to their size, colour and lettering.

3 RELATIONS WITH INTER-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Council of Europe

21. Relations between the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. and the Council of Europe are explained in the course of the report itself and especially in the Introduction and the Conclusion. It will be noticed, however, that liaison between the two organizations at the Secretariat level has developed further and that staff members of the U. N. H. C. R. attend the meetings of the Committee on Population and Refugees, the Special Liaison Committee and various other Committees which discuss refugee problems.

International Labour Office

22. Close relations continue to be maintained with the International Labour Office on questions of migration, vocational training and the placement of refugee intellectuals. In September, 1952 the Director-General, Mr. David Morse, agreed to act as Honorary Adviser in relation to the work of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. connected with the Ford Foundation Grant for Refugees, and has contributed valuable advice on the proposed projects, especially those concerned with vocational training.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

23. Liaison is maintained with UNESCO in all spheres of its activity which are related to the problems of refugees, in particular those concerned with the preparation of scientific studies on the assimilation of migrants and various activities in the educational and cultural fields. UNESCO has agreed to supply the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. with technical advice on the selection and preparation of educational and cultural projects for refugees.

World Health Organization

24. Exchanges of information have taken place between the W. H. 0 . and the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. on the subject of placement of refugee doctors. All available information has been supplied for inclusion in a forthcoming report by the W. H. 0 . on the maldistribution of doctors and medical personnel.

Inter-governmental Committee for European Migration

25. Close relations are maintained with the I. C. E. M. on all questions affecting the migration of refugees. In addition to the joint operation which is being carried out on behalf of refugees in China, the Office of the U. N. II. C. R. and I. C. E. M. have been in close consultation on the question of the settlement of the difficult cases in Trieste, and plans are being elaborated in conjunction with the voluntary agencies to use to the maximum benefit the Fund equivalent to 1 million dollars which was recently given in trust to the I. C. E. M. to liquidate as far as possible the refugee situation in Trieste.

26. At the third session of the I. C. E. M. the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. requested that the Committee should concern itself not only with the movement of refugees of European origin from Europe, but also with the movement of refugees of European origin from countries outside Europe where they could not be assimilated. The Committee has agreed that its technical services could be used for this purpose and that funds other than those contributed by member Governments could be used to finance the movement of these refugees.

27. According to the latest reports, the I. C. E. M. has assisted in the movement of 31,326 refugees between 1 February, 1952 and 31 March, 1953. Of these, 18,754 have been moved to the United States under the now expired DP Act. Of the remaining 13,000, 4,000 have been re-settled in Canada, 3,500 in Australia and approximately 2,000 in Brazil.

Organization for European Economic Co-operation

28. A working relationship has been established with O. E. E. C. on all matters which affect the integration of refugees in the economics of their countries of residence in Europe and problems connected with the intra-European movement of refugees. Arrangements have been made for an exchange of all information of mutual interest and observers are sent to the meetings of both agencies when matters of mutual interest are under discussion.

4 RELATIONS WITH PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS

29. A most important task entrusted to the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. has been the establishment of relations with the private organizations dealing with refugee questions and facilitating the co-ordination of their efforts. The continuation in Geneva of the Standing Conference of Voluntary Agencies Working for Refugees has been of particular importance in the co-ordination of their work. This Conference, which already enjoyed consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, was granted a similar status with the Advisory Committee, as also were the individual voluntary agencies members of the Conference. In each of the countries where large numbers of refugees are resident, and where U. N. H. C. R. Branch Offices are established, co-ordinating councils or conference of the private organizations working on behalf of refugees have been established.

30. In connexion with the co-ordination of the work of the voluntary agencies, reference cannot be omitted to the Ford Foundation Grant, which has permitted a real co-ordination of effort on the part of the agencies in the particular fields of work for which the grant was made. ' The voluntary agencies have also been the principal channel for disbursing the funds collected in response to the appeals made for emergency aid for the most needy groups of refugees within the mandate of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. in pursuance of Resolution No. 538 (VI) of the General Assembly.

5 WORK OF THE BRANCH OFFICES AND SITUATION OF REFUGEES IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES

31. The work of the branch offices has proved indispensable to the proper functioning of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. and for the protection of the refugees. It has differed from country to country depending to a great extent upon the size of the refugee problem in each country and on existing conditions concerning the protection of refugees. Nevertheless, there have been some common features which characterise the work of all branch offices in countries where large numbers of refugees are resident.

32. An attempt will be made below to outline certain special features of the work of the branch offices in the countries where the Office of the U. N. II. C. R. is represented [(1) Especially in European countries.]and to give some indication of the present situation of refugees in a number of other countries where special problems have arisen.

Northern and Western Europe

Belgium

33. In Belgium there are approximately 60,000 refugees within the mandate.

34. The branch office in Belgium continues to perform its function of protection and is responsible for the certification of the status of individual refugees in accordance with the agreement of January, 1952 between the Belgian Government and the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. The office also continues the work formerly performed by the IRO field mission, under which documents issued to refugees by the office for Russian and Armenian refugees and authenticated by the representative arc recognized in Belgium as official documents.

35. Under the Law of 28 March, 1952 concerning the Aliens Police, which formed the subject of close consultation between the Belgian authorities and the Office of the U. N. H. C. R., aliens who claim refugee status for the purpose of this Law must produce a certificate issued by the Ministry of Justice or by the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. In accordance with the wish of the Belgian authorities, the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. fas so har assumed entire responsibility for this task, and has during the past year made eligibility decisions in approximately 2,500 cases.

36. On the basis of certificates of eligibility issued b y the Office of the U. N. H. C. R., persons who are recognized as refugees are accorded by the Belgian authorities the rights and benefits attached to refugee status in accordance with existing international agreements, Belgian law and administrative practice, in respect of residence, right to work, social security, public assistance and travel documents.

37. Some hundreds of new refugees were admitted to Belgium during 1952, many of whom entered clandestinely, coming directly from their country of origin. As a rule, such refugees are granted a temporary residence permit on arrival, until their eligibility has been determined. This permit was hitherto issued for a period of two months, but, as a result of representations made by the representative, this period has been extended to three months, and the certificate delivered to the refugee is now a " certificate d'immatriculation'( instead of the " sauf conduit" granted previously.

38. In response to the appeals made by the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. on behalf of refugees in China, the Belgian Government has, since the beginning of 1952, granted permanent asylum to 70 refugees from Shanghai, including 49 old persons who are being looked after by the World Council of Churches. The Belgian Government has also granted a further 30 visas for old persons in China, who will be cared for in institutions under the auspices of the WCC, to whom a grant of $ 12,000 has been made from the Refugee Emergency Fund. Furthermore, asylum has been granted to 41 refugees from Trieste, who are to be cared for by the good offices of the " Aide aux personnes déplacées ".

39. The Belgian Government is at the present time engaged in the recruitment of a considerable number of miners from the refugee camp population in Germany and Austria. The branch offices in both these countries have requested the competent authorities to facilitate this recruitment, which would give an opportunity of re-settlement to refugees and to their families who are suitable for this type of work.

40. Belgium has recently ratified the Convention of 1951 relating to the Status of Refugees. Even before the Convention was ratified by Belgium, the authorities already granted to refugees in many cases the benefits covered by the Convention. With regard to the right to work, for example, the Belgian authorities have since 1 January, 1952 agreed to accord to refugees the benefits of Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Convention giving them access to all wage-earning employments, provided they have completed three years' residence in the country, or are married to a Belgian citizen or have one or more Belgian children. By this measure the many thousands of refugees who entered Belgium from the British and US Zones of occupied Western Germany between 1947 and 1949 to work in the mines have been given tmrestricted access to the labour market.

41. Although the regulations concerning the status of refugees may leave room for improvement in some respects, the authorities have always adopted a comprehensive attitude towards representations made by the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. For example, at the request of the representative the Belgian authorities agreed to remove from the residence permits of refugees who entered Belgium during the lifetime of the Inter-governmental Committee on Refugees and the I. R. 0 . and who have been resident in Belgium for five years and have satisfied the authorities of their good conduct, the words " must emigrate ", which emphasized the temporary nature of their stay in Belgium.

42. The Law of 28 March, 1952 also anticipates one of the provisions of the Convention, with regard to expulsion; this law provides for special safeguards against the expulsion of persons recognized as refugees. An expulsion order may only be issued against recognized refugees after the advice of a special consultative commission.

43. Special mention should be made of the decision of the Belgian Government to grant an allowance to a certain number of refugee priests, to enable them to exercise their ministry among their refugee co-religionists. This generous gesture is typical of the liberal attitude adopted by the Belgian authorities towards the refugees in their territory.

Netherlands

44. The number of refugees at present resident in the Netherlands is estimated at about 14,000, of whom 3,000 were recognized as refugees before the war. All these refugees are to a certain extent integrated into the economy of the country, and a large number can be considered as completely assimilated.

45. In the Netherlands the representative of the branch office for the Benelux countries has no direct functions connected with the determination and certification of the status of refugees. Refugees are normally granted temporary residence permits renewable each year. In most cases there are no difficulties with the renewal of these permits.

46. A problem with which the U. N. H. C. R. representative has been especially concerned is the regularization of the status of illegal entrants. After a recent discussion in the Netherlands Parliament on this question the Government has undertaken to review the existing regulations, and to attempt to make arrangements similar to those made by the Belgian Government concerning the regularization of the illegal entrants who have come, from Germany.

47. It must be emphasized that in all questions concerning the regularization of residence or the expulsion of illegal entrants in countries in Western Europe a distinction has to be made between the situation in those countries bordering on the countries of origin of refugees and other countries which traditionally grant asylum to victims of persecution coming directly from their countries of origin. These latter countries cannot undertake to accept indiscriminately refugees who have been given asylum previously in another country. This is a common problem to most Western European countries.

48. As regards the right to work, employers are required to obtain a labour permit for every foreigner whom they employ. In fact, this permit is granted without difficulty as far as refugees are concerned and whatever the profession required. This very liberal attitude only applies, of course, to refugees who have previously obtained permits to reside in the Netherlands.

49. As a general rule, refugees receive the same treatment as nationals with regard to public assistance; this applies to unemployment benefit and to invalidity pensions. Among the 300 refugees belonging to the category of " difficult cases " to whom the Netherlands granted asylum at the request of the I. R. 0 . about 50 receive additional assistance from funds made available by that Organization.

Luxembourg

50. According to a recent evaluation made by the representative of U. N. H. C. R., the number of refugees at present resident in Luxembourg totals about 1,500, excluding children.

51. The Government of Luxembourg has recently deposited the instrument of ratification of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

52. At the request of the Government of Luxembourg, upon the cessation of the activities of the I. R. O., a representative of this Office was appointed to be responsible for liaison between the Government of Luxembourg and this Office through the branch office in Brussels.

53. This representative has the same functions in respect of the determination of refugee status as were formerly performed by the representative of the I. R. O. Where refugees coming straight from their country of origin are concerned, the Ministry of Justice grants a residence permit to those who are determined eligible b y the High Commissioner's representative.

54. In view of the limited area of its territory, and the great increase in foreign population, the Luxembourg Government's reluctance to grant residence permits automatically to refugees arriving from another country of asylum is easily understood.

55. Authorization to employ any foreigner has to be obtained by employers from the Office National du Travail. Such authorization is normally granted in respect of all refugees holding residence permits. Any refugee who is married to a Luxembourg citizen, or has children of Luxembourg nationality, is exempted from these conditions.

56. In matters of social security and public assistance refugees have the same right as nationals.

France

57. In France, where there are estimated to be 400,000 refugees within the mandate, the responsibility for the determination and certification of refugee status, which during its lifetime was carried out by the field missions of the I. R. O. under the Agreement of 13 January, 1948 with the French Government, has now been assumed by the French authorities.

58. The French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons, an autonomous body created by the Law of 25 July, 1952, is charged with the legal protection of refugees in France. It determines the refugee status of persons coming within the mandate of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. or within the scope of the Convention of 1951. In addition to quasi-consular functions, which were previously performed by the I. R. O. the French Office is responsible for the carrying out of international conventions, agreements or arrangements concerning refugees.

59. The Director of the French Office is assisted by a Board consisting of representatives of the interested Government Departments, a representative of the voluntary agencies, and the representative of the U. N. H. C. R. in France, who has consultative status. Under the Law of 25 July, 1952 an Appeals Commission is established, consisting of a Member of the Council of State (Conseil d'État) as Chairman, a representative of the Board of the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons, and the representative of the U. N. H. C. R.

60. This Commission will decide on appeals lodged by persons to whom the Office has refused recognition of refugee status, and give advice on appeals from refugees against whom measures have been taken as specified in Articles 31, 32 and 33 of the Convention of 1951 (expulsion, refoulement, refusal of residence permission and assigned residence). Execution of such measures is suspended, pending the appeals. This procedure furnishes the guarantees prescribed by the Convention against arbitrary administrative action in the matter of residence, which is of great importance for the refugees.

61. The branch office was established in Paris shortly after the adoption of the abovementioned law. The fact that the representative of the U. N. H. C. R. is a member of the Appeals Commission will, as soon as these arrangements come into effect, greatly facilitate the general function of co-ordination and control entrusted to the representative of the U. N. II. C. R. under the terms of the law.

62. On 11 September, 1952 the French Government signed the 1951 Convention. Its ratification, which is being considered by Parliament, is excepted to take place soon.

63. The situation of refugees in France has not been subject to any important change during the last year. The number of refugees has, however, increased considerably during that period, partly owing to the arrival of new refugees, and partly owing to the addition of a number of persons who had not previously claimed refugee status, or who were considered outside the mandate of the I. R. 0 . but who come within the wider definitions of the Conventions or the Statute of the Office of the U. N. H. C R.

64. Refugees in France continue to benefit from the very favourable legislation in the field of social security and public assistance which practically assimilates them to nationals in these matters. Apart from the various forms of assistance thus made available to refugees on the same terms as to nationals, a sum of 350 million francs was provided in the 1952 budget for special assistance solely for the benefit of refugees. The same amount has been provided for in the budget of 1953. These sums enable assistance of various kinds to be given to the most needy cases among the refugees, monetary allowances, allowances in kind, loans, scholarships, etc.

65. With the help of IRO funds allocated to France for the treatment of difficult cases, the Association pour l'Etablissement des Réfugiés Étrangers (Association for the Settlement of Foreign Refugees), a semi-official body responsible for long-term planning of assistance to refugeess, has worked out a large-scale hospital programme involving more than 2,500 beds. This programme has greatly improved the lot of the aged, the chronically sick and the infirm who, having no friends or relatives in France to assist them, were obliged, when unable to obtain admission to hospital owing to lack of beds in suitable institutions, to make do with outdoor relief allowances which were too small to meet all their needs.

66. This situation, which is in part the consequence of the very liberal policy adopted by France in admitting refugees seeking asylum, irrespective of their age or state of health, is aggravated by the housing shortage, which naturally affects the refugees even more acutely than nationals.

67. While the refugees who have been in France for a considerable period can be considered on the whole to be assimilated from the economic and social point of view, new arrivals find it difficult to become integrated into the French economy owing to the numerous difficulties which exist at a time when unemployment is again becoming a problem. The difficulties encountered by refugees in obtaining employment are in general due to their lack of professional qualifications or arise from the fact that they are intellectuals or exercise a profession which is overcrowded or from which they are excluded in France.

68. A further problem arises from the fact that refugees are generally only allowed to follow a particular occupation in a defined area. It is often extremely difficult for them to change their occupation and to obtain permission to work an area other than that to which they have been assigned.

69. In order to assist refugees to find suitable work, the Ministry of Labour set up in 1948 the Bureau d'orientation et de placement des réfugiés étrangers en France. This Office, which has eight branches in the province and which works in close liaison with the interested public and private bodies interested in the refugee question, attempts to place refugees in employment in branches that are not overcrowded, and which at the same time are close to the professions they exercised previously.

70. If suitable employment cannot be found, or particularly if a refugee is totally unqualified, or if the only professions for which he is physically suited are those where there is unemployment, this Office directs him to one of the centres for vocational training which functions under the control of the Ministry of Labour. The refugees placed in these centres receive a maintenance grant which, in the case of the disabled or unfit, is generally made by the Sendee Social d'Aide aux Emigrants, the French branch of the International Social Service, from the Assistance funds placed at its disposal by the French Government.

71. The Service social de la Main-d'oeuvre étrangère, which is also in close relationship with the Ministry of Labour, supervises through social workers in most of the Departments the application of laws and conventions on public assistance matters, and the adaptation of foreign workers and particularly refugees.

72. The branch office is in close contact with and submits proposals to these various services. It also maintains contact with the numerous voluntary agencies (of which there are at least 60) which give advice and reception facilities to new arrivals, as well as helping them in the relations with the official authorities to find work.

73. In order to help solve the refugee problem existing in China, the Secours Catholique has recently agreed, at the request of the High Commissioner, and with the agreement of the French Government, to receive in the homes of the Little Sisters of the Poor, 20 old persons from Shanghai, in addition to the old persons from Germany and Austria who have already been received in these homes.

74. The French Government, on the proposal of the representative of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R . has recently given its agreement in principle to the recruitment of agricultural and building trade workers among the refugees at present in the camps in Greece. The details of this operation, which would cover a maximum of 200 workers, have now been worked out.

Italy

75. The number of refugees registered with the Italian authorities is some 20,000. It is believed that there may be almost 15,000 other refugees in Italy who, for various reasons, have not registered, which would bring the total to some 35,000.

76. Of these refugees, over 4,000 are in 7 camps, two of which are administered by the Ministry of the Interior. Of the other 5 camps previously maintained by the I. R. O., four have been transferred to a semi-governmental organization, the Amministrazione Aiuti Internazionali (A. A. I.) and one to a private organization, the Associazione Missionarie della Pace. In accordance with agreements concluded with the I. R. O. and in view of certain funds from that Organization, the Italian Government has undertaken to pay to the above-named organizations 350 lire per person daily towards the maintenance of the refugees in these camps.

77. On 2 April, 1952 an agreement was negotiated between the Italian Government and this Office for the establishment of a branch office in Rome. A subsequent arrangement to implement the agreement was negotiated in July, 1952. Under this agreement it was provided that the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. would, at the request of the Italian Government, co-operate in the determination of eligibility and issuance of documentation to refugees.

78. The eligibility of refugees is determined by a joint committee consisting of two representatives of the Italian Government and two representatives of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. with rotating chairmanship; one of the representatives of this Office acts as Rapporteur; in the case of equal votes, the Chairman's vote is decisive.

79. This arrangement has put an end to the serious problem created by the cessation of the activities of the I. R. 0;, whose office in Italy previously issued a document to refugees within its mandate which, when counter-stamped by the Italian authorities, served as a residence permit. The Italian authorities agreed to extend the validity of these documents until 31 December, 1952, so that the situation of those refugees already admitted was less urgent than that of newly arrived refugees, who were in. general placed in Government centres intended in principle for undesirable or suspect aliens.

80. However, before the new arrangements actually entered into force, the Italian authorities, at the request of the U. N. H. C. R. representative, took steps to ameliorate the conditions and give more freedom to the persons confined in these centres.

81. Newly arrived persons who claim to be refugees receive a provisional residence permit, which enables them to await the decision of the joint committee, to whom their case is immediately presented. Those who can establish their identity to the satisfaction of the authorities, and give evidence of being self-supporting, may live freely in Italy; otherwise they are sent to a Government collecting centre.

82. Bona fide refugees are issued with the usual residence permit given to foreigners, with the endorsement " eligible under U. N. H. C. R. " , valid for four months, which is automatically renewed. Furthermore, they receive a travel document, which if an opportunity for migration occurs, enables them to obtain an emigration visa for an overseas country with the minimum of delay. Without awaiting the ratification of the 1951 Convention, which is at present before the Italian Parliament, the Italian Government has issued the travel document provided for by that Convention, which will shortly be issued to all refugees in Italy within the mandate of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R.

83. The Italian Government has frequently emphasized that the economic and social situation of Italy, where over-population and unemployment constitute a serious problem, makes it impossible to consider the integration of refugees as a possible solution. On signing the 1951 Convention, the Italian Government declared that it was obliged to consider Article 17, relating to Wage-Earning Employment, only as a recommendation. Whenever necessary, the branch office intervenes with the competent authorities to obtain a work permit for any refugee who has a possibility of employment, or who has accepted work without first obtaining the necessary authorization.

84. Although some refugees manage in this way to obtain temporary employment, the majority cannot, in the circumstances, contemplate remaining indefinitely in Italy, and regard emigration as the only solution to their problem. The branch office takes all possible steps to ensure that refugees are always included in all emigration programmes in Italy, in respect of which the Italian Government has given its assurances that refugees will be treated on equal terms with Italians.

85. The voluntary agencies operating in Italy also do their best to see that refugees have a fair share of emigration opportunities. Between 1 February, 1952 and 31 March, 1953, 1,359 refugees left Italy for overseas destinations, under the auspices of the Inter-governmental Committee for European Migration.

86. In order to facilitate the task of all the public and private organizations working for the emigration of refugees, the representative of U. N. H. C. R. has taken the initiative of establishing an index containing all useful particulars about potential workers and their families. This should enable every advantage to be taken of resettlement possibilities which may occur.

87. The voluntary agencies are providing material assistance to many refugees in Italy both in and out of camp. A sum of 18,500 dollars has been contributed from the U. N. R. E. F. to help the voluntary agencies assist the most needy cases, and supply milk to the children.

88. In order to facilitate the co-ordination of the various voluntary agencies working for refugees, the UNHCR representative has sponsored the creation of a Liaison Committee which meets periodically, together with representatives of the Italian Government.

89. Mention should be made of the decision of the Italian Government to accept 40 tubercular refugees from Trieste,in addition to the numerous institutional eases which it took in charge at the termination of IRO's operation.

Trieste

90. The number of refugees in Trieste has remained fairly constant during the last year at about 4,000, the number of departures being roughly equal to the number of new arrivals.

91. The Allied Military Government has made great efforts to improve, within the means at its disposal, the living conditions of the refugees. A new centre is being constructed to accommodate 900 refugees which will make it possible to close one of the most inadequate and unhealthy of the camps.

92. The opening of a new sanitorium for TB cases has facilitated their medical treatment and at the same time lessened the risk of contagion with which other refugees living in crowded conditions were previously faced.

93. Since the investigation into the state of the health of the camp population in Trieste was carried out at the request of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. in November, 1951, under the auspices of the W. H. 0., there has been a considerable fall in the number of active TB cases which was 279, when the late Dr. Mark Daniels carried out his investigation in such a devoted manner. This number fell to 90 at the end of 1952. About 150 inactive TB cases continued to receive special attention and a scheme of systematic examination of refugees has made it possible to detect new cases and give them the appropriate treatment.

94. It was possible to place at the disposal of the Allied Military Government 20,000 dollars from the Refugee Emergency Fund, of which 5,000 dollars were earmarked for urgent requirements in the new sanitorium, 10,000 dollars for the additional diet for the sick and convalescent and 5,000 dollars for the purchase of clothing.

95. During 1952, thanks to the combined efforts of the Allied Military Government, the Inter-Governmental Committee for European Migration and the voluntary agencies, 2,000 refugees were able to emigrate from Trieste. One of the most difficult problems in this area has been the number of refugees requiring special care, the sick, the old and children. The Governments of Switzerland, Norway, Sweden and Belgium have made special efforts to help these cases and have received a number of them within their own territories. Furthermore, the Italian Government has stated its willingness to give permanent asylum to 20 cases in this category which will permit the other members of their family to emigrate. It is hoped that other Governments will follow the generous initiative set by those mentioned above.

96. In their efforts to re-settle the cases requiring institutional care, the Allied Military Government has been considerably helped by the grant of 200,000 dollars made to it during 1952 from the I. R. O. residual assets. Furthermore, a sum of 1 million dollars has now been given in trust to the Inter-Governmental Committee for European Migration to liquidate as far as possible the refugee problem in Trieste, paying special attention to the cases requiring institutional care. The Office of the U. N. H. C. R. is in close consultation with the Migration Committee concerning the implementation of plans to realize the purposes of the Trust.

97. A special allocation from the Ford Foundation Grant for Refugees has made it possible to establish vocational training schemes for a number of refugees with a special view to training them for trades which may be required in countries of resettlement.

United Kingdom

98. There are some 260,000 refugees in the United Kingdom.

99. The main function of the branch office in the United Kingdom is to maintain liaison, with the British Government and some of the Commonwealth Governments, which have continued to show their interest and concern not only for the refugees within the United Kingdom but also for the more general aspects of the refugee problem, particularly in Austria, Germany, Trieste and China.

100. There are few restrictions on the employment of refugees resident in the United Kingdom. Such restrictions which do exist are mostly confined to the regulations of certain craft and professional bodies. There is very little unemployment among the refugee population. In conformity with the general common law principle of basing status on residence, existing social legislation does not make any distinction between nationals and foreigners who have been admitted to residence. Consequently, refugees are treated in matters of social welfare in the same manner as British subjects.

101. Protection in the United Kingdom consists mostly of advice and guidance to refugees, many of whom speak little English and have very few second generation compatriots to whom to turn for help. Fiirthermore, the branch office has also been able to give advice in a number of legal questions concerning refugees, especially refugee seamen, whose problems are often extremely complicated.

102. The branch office has established cordial relations with the numerous voluntary agencies working in England on behalf of refugees, and, together with the British Council for Aid to Refugees, has played a considerable part in the establishment of a new Standing Conference of Voluntary Societies which are concerned with refugee problems both at home and abroad.

103. The establishment of this new Standing Conference will, it is hoped, bring a greater measure of co-ordination in the activities of the voluntary agencies, who have, in the past, made and continue to make considerable contributions towards the alleviation of the material problems of refugees in many countries.

Scandinavian Countries

104. Refugees in the Scandinavian countries of Denmark (1,150 refugees), Norway (2,000) and Sweden (approximately 45,000) traditionally enjoy satisfactory legal and economic status. The Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July, 1951 has been ratified by Denmark and Norway, and is in the process of ratification by Sweden. Asylum is granted to political refugees in all three countries which, in a very humane gesture, have also accepted numbers of incapacitated, blind and tubercular refugees from other areas. Most generously they have also given substantial material aid for refugees in less favourable areas. Few obstacles, other than the natural desire of some of the refugees eventually to return to their own countries, exist in the path of the assimilation of refugees in these countries

105. The Office of the U. N. H. C. R. does not maintain any branch office in the Scandinavian countries. However, very close and satisfactory relations are maintained with the three Governments, with the Danish Red Cross, the Norwegian Refugee Council of Norwegian Aid to Europe, the Swedish Red Cross and with other private organizations, on all matters relating to refugees.

Central Europe

General

106. In the countries of Central Europe which were occupied b y the Allied Powers after the Second World War, the status and protection of alien refugees were originally controlled completely by the Occupying Powers. There has been a gradual transfer of some responsibilities for alien refugee matters to the national governments, which has also affected the functions of protection to be carried out by the international authority under the mandate of the United Nations.

Austria

107. In Austria, there are some 228,000 refugees within the mandate of the Office of U. N. H. C. R., of whom 193,000 are Volksdeutsche refugees and 30,000 to 35,000 of non- German ethnic origin. Of these refugees, 46,835 are living in eighty-three Government camps, 38,510 of the camp population being Volksdeutsche and 8,325 of different ethnic origin. A further 10,000 refugees are living in 131 unofficial camps and a great number of refugees who are not in camps are living in accommodation which is below a decent livingstandard.

108. The situation of the refugees at the termination of the operations of I. R. O. was particularly difficult in that the Austrian Government at the time the camps were handed over had undertaken no commitments in respect of the status of refugees who remained on Austrian territory. Since the establishment of the branch office in Vienna in NoA'ember, 1951 a number of important measures have been taken to improve the legal and economic status of the refugees in Axistria. The difficulties facing the two groups of refugees—the foreign refugees, and the Volksdeutsche refugees who are now for the first time under an international mandate •—have been of a different character, and different progress has been made in respect of their solutions.

109. The Federal Government of Austria has signed the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, but with important reservations. It is hoped that within a short period the consent of all the competent authorities will be obtained to permit an early ratification of the Convention, with a modification if possible of the reservations made at the time of signature.

110. The ratification of the Convention is of the greatest importance for the residual group of the IRO refugees and for the new refugees whose legal position in a number of matters is unsatisfactory and uncertain. No overall law exists in Austria concerning the status of foreign refugees similar to the Law on the Status of Homeless Foreigners enacted by the Federal Government of Germany. For this reason the early entry into force of the Convention in as liberal a form as possible is vital to stabilize the legal position of the foreign refugees.

111. In contrast with the position of the foreign refugees, considerable progress has been made in connexion with the improvement of the legal position of the Volksdeutsche refugees. This may in part be due to the fact that for the first time Volksdeutsche refugees in Austria have been recognized to be within the mandate of an international organization. The Allied Authorities, the branch office and the Volksdeutsche Refugee Advisory Council have all followed closely the various legislative steps which have been taken to improve the legal position of the refugees.

Right to work

112. The right to work is fundamental in any programme for the assistance of refugees into the community. Foreign refugees have to apply for a work permit in all cases. After 7 Marsh, 1951, Volksdeutsche refugees were exempted from obtaining a work permit provided that they sought a new j o b in the same category of employment.

113. On 30 January, 1952, the Volksdeutsche refugees were given the same rights to work as Austrian employees and labourers. This was a great step forward and one which has helped considerably the Austrian economy and Volksdeutsche refugees. The foreign refugees were not included in this measure.

Trades and handicrafts

114. To exercise a trade or handicraft as self-employment, it is necessary for a foreigner to receive permission from the Land authorities. It is hoped that this necessity will be withdrawn for all refugees. The law which prohibited free exercise of trades and handicrafts, if general competition did not permit such exercise, has now been repealed. This repeal has greatly benefited Austrians and refugees who could acquire the appropriate permission from the competent trade organizations.

Liberal professions

115. Measures have been taken to permit groups of Volksdeutsche lawyers and of doctors to practise their professions. It is hoped that they will be extended to foreign refugees. Measures are now being studied to give Volksdeutsche former officials, particularly teachers, the same rights as Austrian officials to exercise their professions.

General status of Volksdeutsche refugees

116. Although it can be seen that considerable progress has been made in the equalization of the status of Volksdeutsche with that of Austrian nationals, there still remain some questions to be solved. Many Volksdeutsche teachers find that their certificates are not yet accepted in every Land of Austria, Volksdeutsche war widows and orphans do not yet get any assistance, nor have all the necessary regulations been issued by the various Ministries concerning the equalization of the right to work.

Pensions

117. The Office of U. N. H. C. R. has given considerable attention to the question of aged and indigent Volksdeutsche refugees who would have been entitled to civil service, old age or invalid pensions in their country of origin but which have not been paid to them. Negotiations which recently took place between the Austrian and German Governments in this matter have led to an agreement. The Austrian Government will pay these pensions on the same scale as pensions from Austrian institutions, and the German Government will reimburse the Austrian Government for payments to Volksdeutsche refugees who were German citizens on 8 May, 1945 and had acquired such pension rights.

Joint Committees

118. In all the Lander of the three Western Zones of Austria, Land Committees have been established, consisting of representatives of the Austrian authorities, the refugees, the voluntary agencies, which are attended on occasion b y the representative of U. N. H. C. R. When these committees meet matters concerning refugees are discussed with complete freedom. In addition, a Federal Committee, consisting of representatives of the Federal Government, the voluntary agencies and the Office of the U. N. H. C. R., has also been set up for the same purpose. These Committees have all proved to be of very great value.

Economic Integration

119. Some progress has been made in Austria in respect of the integration of refugees in to the economic system. Support has been given from the Ford Foundation Grant to many valuable local schemes of house-building, agricultural settlement, small-business development and vocational training which have been implemented by refugee societies and both Austrian and international voluntary agencies.

120. The total amount allocated to date from the Ford Foundation Grant to projects in Austria reached, at the end of March, 1953, a total of 560,000 dollars.. This initial contribution has been matched by an equivalent of 750,000 dollars contributed by the Austrian federal and local authorities, by the voluntary agencies and, to a certain extent, by refugee groups.

121. The projects mentioned above are mainly of a pilot character and it is hoped that financial conditions will permit their further development;

122. A pilot programme for the integration of a few hundred refugee families into the Austrian agricultural economy is being implemented by the Austrian government within the framework of recommendations made previously in a report prepared by the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. on the economic integration of refugees in Austria. This programme, which is open to both Volksdeutsche and foreign refugees, is financed from a sum of 10 million schillings which has been released from counterpart funds through the good offices of the United States Special Mission for Economic Co-operation in Austria.

123. At the request of the Austrian Government, the Food and Agriculture Organization sent in the autumn of 1952 a mission of experts to investigate in a detailed manner the possibilities of large-scale integration of refugees in Austrian agriculture. According to the information at the disposal of this office, the report, which has recently been submitted for consideration to the Austrian Government, fully supports that section of the recommendations made by the Office of U. N. H. C. R. for the integration of refugees in Austrian agriculture.

124. Information has been received that the competent Austrian authorities are working on a larger programme for the integration of refugee farmers, with the hope that it will receive favourable consideration b y the competent international financial organizations.

Germany

125. In Germany, there are some 240,000 refugees within the mandate of the Office of U. N. H. C. R. of whom 41,465 are living in 123 camps.

126. In Germany, since 1945, both under the military occupation and under the Occupation Statute, responsibility for non-German refugees was a subject reserved to the Allied Powers.

127. Before the entry into force of the Law on the Status of Homeless Foreigners the status of non-German refugees was largely regulated by the occupation legislation. After the entry into force of the Occupation Statute certain responsibilities for non-German refugees were delegated to the Federal Government which, when it submitted the draft Law on the Status of Homeless Foreigners to the German Parliament, declared its willingness to co-operate with the appropriate agencies of the United Nations in all matters affecting refugees and displaced persons.

128. The Contractual Agreement which was signed on 26 May, 1952, and is expected to be ratified in the near future, will bring about the last steps in the transfer of responsibilities for non-German refugees from the Allied Powers to the Federal Government.

129. Under this Agreement, the Federal Government has undertaken :

a To implement the Homeless Foreigners Law of 21 April, 1951;

b To ratify the Convention of 28 July, 1951 relating to the status of refugees;

c To issue appropriate legislation concerning the admission and distribution of new refugees;

d To continue the operation of the International Tracing Service;

e To issue satisfactory legislation concerning compensation to victims of Nazi persecution;

f To assume the care of the graves of displaced persons and non-German refugees.

130. The provisions of the Contractual Agreement make all the more necessary and desirable the continuation of the close collaboration which has been established between the Federal Government and the U. N. H. C. R. branch office in Germany.

Law concerning the Status of Homeless Foreigners

131. The status of non-German refugees who had their residence in Germany before 30 June, 1950 is regulated by the Law concerning the Status of Homeless Foreigners, which was passed on 25 April, 1951. It applies to foreigners who furnish proof that they are under the protection of the international organization which is charged by the United Nations with the responsibility for displaced persons and refugees. For this purpose, refugees had originally to furnish evidence that they were under the protection of I. R. 0.

132. At the request of this Office, a circular was issued by the Ministry of the Interior in June, 1952, to the effect that the definition of this Law now applies to refugees within the competence of this Office who satisfy the " residence " qualification. Most of the provisions of the Law are more favourable, or at least as favourable, to refugees as those of the 1951 Convention.

133. In order to provide satisfactory documentation for refugees within the mandate of the Office of U. N. H. C. R., the branch office requested, and the Federal Government agreed, that the London travel document (and, after the entry into force of the 1951 Convention, the travel document provided for in that Convention) would be issued to all refugees within the mandate of the Office of U. N. H. C. R.

134. The Federal Republic of Germany has signed without reservation the 1951 Convention. The Bill for its ratification has passed both houses of the Federal Parliament, and is awaiting only certain final formalities before entering into effect. It provides that the Convention shall enter into force in Germany one month after its ratification without waiting for the deposit of the six ratifications or accessions which are required by article 43 of the Convention for its entry into force. After that date, all refugees within the mandate of the Office of U. N. H. C. R. who do not benefit from the provisions of the Law on the Status of Homeless Foreigners because they arrived in Germany after 30 June, 1950 will be entitled to benefit from the provisions of the Convention.

135. The regularization of the legal position of these new arrivals has been the subject of close consultation with the competent Government Departments.

Asylum

136. A new Ordinance on Asylum was promulgated by the Federal Government on 9 January, 1953. According to its provisions, foreigners who cross the frontier without entry permits and seek asylum as non-German refugees are to report to a collecting centre. Foreign refugees who entered Germany after 30 June, 1950 and who are permitted to stay are also to report to the collecting centre when required to do so.

137. Refugees are to remain in the collecting centre pending the determination of their status [(2) Persons recognized as refugees are distributed to the various Lander by a Federal Commissioner, in consultation with the Lander, in accordance with a distribution scheme determined by the Federal Council.] . Refugee status is to be determined in accordance with the criteria laid down in article 1 of the 1951 Convention, b y a Committee consisting of three members after preexamination b y the Chairman of the Committee. A person whose claim for recognition of refugee status has been rejected may apply to an Appeal Commission of three members. The members of the Committee and of the Commission are appointed by the Minister of the Interior. The Office of the U. N. H. C. R. in Germany is called upon by the Ordinance to attend the meetings of both the Committee and the Appeal Commission.

138. There is a considerable backlog of cases which have not been dealt with as the Ordinance came into force only in January, 1953. It is estimated that the Committee will have to sit continuously for two years at the reception centre at Nürnberg to investigate all these cases. The Office of the U. N. H. C. R. is expected to attend these investigations and to give the Committee its advice and interpretation of the Convention. Every effort will be made to find a way of overcoming the budgetary difficulties in order to carry out this vital function concerning the protection of newly arrived refugees.

Information concerning the legal status of refugees

139. A great deal of work has been done by the branch office in Germany in drawing the attention of the competent Lander authorities to the federal provisions concerning the legal status of refugees and ensuring their implementation in the Lander.

140. In this connexion, very considerable efforts have also been made to acquaint refugees with their rights and duties in Germany. To this end, the Office of - U. N. C. H. R., in conjunction with the Federal Ministry for Refugees, has composed a handbook for refugees containing all the necessary information concerning relevant legislation and existing organizations working on behalf of refugees. This handbook has been given wide distribution.

141. In addition, this Office circulates a monthly bulletin which contains up-to-date information concerning new legislation and regulations affecting refugees. The bulletin is sent to all voluntary agencies and national committees, and extracts are published in the refugee newspapers.

Unaccompanied children

142. The branch office in Germany has undertaken considerable work in connexion with the protection of unaccompanied children. In the British and French zones of Germany, decisions concerning the future of unaccompanied children are taken administratively by the United Kingdom and French High Commissioners. It was then the responsibility of I. R. 0 . to ensure that adequate legal arrangements were made for the guardianship or adoption of unaccompanied children left in Germany.

143. In the United States zone the decision on repatriation, re-settlement or local settlement of unaccompanied children is taken by the United States Courts. Under the law conferring jurisdiction on the Court, the international organization entrusted b y the United Nations with the responsibility for displaced persons and refugees is made a necessary party in interest in addition to the nearest blood relations of the child, the foster parents, the respective child welfare agency and the local youth office.

144. Since the establishment of the branch office in Germany the UNHCR Office has been represented in some thirty-five cases before the United States Courts. Since June, 1952, negotiations have been carried on between the Allied Authorities and the German Government on the question of handing over the responsibility for unaccompanied children to the German authorities.

145. After the ratification of the Contractual Agreement, cases concerning unaccompanied children will be decided by the German Courts. A special committee will be set up of representatives of all interested Ministries to advise the German Courts on such cases. It is hoped that budgetary considerations will not prevent the UNHCR Office from being represented in any cases affecting the welfare of unaccompanied children.

Refugee Councils

146. The branch office has devoted considerable efforts to the creation of joint Refugee Councils (Beircite), consisting of the representatives of the German authorities and of the refugees and in some cases of the voluntary agencies. These Councils now exist in most of the Lander and are attended whenever possible by a representative of this office. They meet regularly and provide an excellent occasion for discussion of matters of official interest to refugees. They have proved of very great value in ensuring mutual understanding of their respective problems by the German authorities and the refugees.

Indemnification

147. The branch office in Germany has been in continuous consultation with the competent authorities in Germany on all aspects of the draft Federal Supplementary Law on Compensation for Victims of Nazi Persecution, which has now been adopted by the Federal Parliament. This Law, though generally satisfactory as regards compensation to persons A'ictims of political, racial, religious and ideological persecution, cannot be considered to be entirely satisfactory in respect of the compensation afforded to refugees who were persecuted b y reason of their nationality in disregard of human rights, and who, in accordance with the terms of the Contractual Agreement, are entitled to receive adequate compensation. It is hoped that suitable amendments to the Law may be introduced at a later stage to modify this disparity of treatment between the two groups of persécutées.

Economic Integration

148. The German Authorities have adopted many measures which are designed to assist the expellees and refugees in Germany and to facilitate their integration and assimilation into the German community. The most important of these measures are :

a the Immediate Aid Law and the Equalization of Burdens Law;

b the Federal Expellee Law;

c the Law for Refugees from the Soviet Zone ;

d the 1953 Law amending the Income Tax Law.

149. All these measxires give recognition to the special difficulty of refugees to integrate themselves into the existing community, and create special facilities in the economic field for refugees. Under this legislation, special facilities are granted to refugees in matters of employment, credit, taxation, housing, furniture, etc

150. However, all this legislation, and the facilities for integration which they create, benefit only expellees of German ethnic origin, and refugees from the Eastern Zone of Germany. They have not been extended to the non- German refugees, of whom there are some 200,000 in the German Federal Republic.

151. The legal status of non-German refugees has been very adequately defined in the law on Homeless Foreigners and the Convention on the Status of Refugees which has been ratified by the German Government. But neither of these measures gives to the non- German refugee the special economic benefits accorded to the German refugees under the above-mentioned legislation. Nevertheless, the non-German refugees are faced with exactly the same economic difficulties. Moreover to these difficulties must be added their own special disability of being in a country of alien laws, economic conditions, customs and language. The greatest possible single step forward in assisting this comparatively small group of refugees to be self-supporting would be their inclusion in the benefits given by the general legislation for German refugees. The result would be of great benefit not only in economic values but also in human values.

152. Although the non-German refugees are not eligible for the special benefits granted by law to the German refugees, considerable efforts have been made by the branch office in Germany to promote the integration into the national economy of those non-German refugees for whom there are no chances of overseas resettlement. The right to work for these refugees is guaranteed both under the Law concerning the Status of Homeless Foreigners and the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

153. Figures available for the camp population show that approximately 50 per cent of the refugees are living mainly on unemployment and other public allowances. This percentage appears also to apply to the out-ofcamp population in the northern and southern states of the Federal Republic, whereas in other parts of Germany unemployment among refugees within the UNHCR mandate appears not to exceed 20 per cent. It should, however, be added that a large number of these working refugees arc employed in labour units of the Allied Forces and cannot therefore be considered as integrated into normal labour conditions.

154. The problem of employment for refugees within the mandate is not only related to the industrial development in Germany, which has on the whole made rapid progress in recent years, but is also very much related to vocational and psychological deterioration of the labour ability and preparedness of refugees, due to long years of abnormal camp life. Vocational training and psychological reeducation on an individual basis is necessary in order to improve their present situation. The branch office maintains close relations with the appropriate German authorities and also with the voluntary agencies on this problem.

155. In varioiis areas, limited numbers of refugees have succeeded in establishing themselves in small businesses and professions. This process has been furthered to some extent by the valuable activities of the Special Department for Non-German Refugees of the Bank for Expellees and Victims of War-Damage in Bad Godesberg. This Special Department was created by an IRO grant of DM 1 1/2 million. Since then, the Liquidator of I. R. 0 . has made a further grant of DM 3,400,000. In addition, the German Federal Government has made a grant of DM 2 million, and the United States Foreign Operations Administration has allocated DM 1 million, thus bringing the total capital at the disposal of the Special Department to the level of nearly DM 8 million.

156. The Bank grants small loans at low interest to refugees who can provide little or no security, to enable them to set up small businesses. At the end of June, 1953, approximately DM 2,750,000 had been distributed. The Office of the U. N. H. C. R. has requested the competent authorities to accelerate the granting of loans. Available figures indicate that a total amount of some DM 50 million would be required to meet the existing credit needs of the non-German refugee population in Germany.

157. Efforts have been made by the Office of U. N. H. C. R. to promote the building of houses for refugees by the German Federal and Land Governments. In the course of the last year, the German Federal Government has been able to provide an amount of some DM 90 million for the building of approximately 7,000 apartments for refugees within the UNHCR mandate. A large number of these have been erected in Bavaria. The Federal Government has further constituted a special fund of DM 2 million in order to enable the supplementary financing of housebuilding. All these arrangements are separate from those which are being made for the integration of German refugees and expellees.

158. Support has been given from the Ford Foundation Grant for Refugees to many valuable and local schemes of house-building vocational training, youth homes, etc. which have been implemented by refugee societies and both German and international voluntary agencies. The total amount allocated to date from the Ford Foundation Grant to projects in Germany reached, at the end of June, 1953, the sum of $ 1,200,000. This initial contribution has been matched by an equivalent of S 6,255,000 contributed by the German Federal and local authorities, by the voluntary agencies and, to a certain extent, by refugee groups.

159. There remain, however, some 40,000 non-German refugees still in camps. In addition, a large number of the refugees living outside of camps have accomodation far below minimum decent standards. The recent influx of refugees through Berlin to Western Germany may, notwithstanding the efforts of Governments to provide emergency semi-permanent housing, delay the efforts to close the camp and to place all refugees in proper housing.

160. It is clearly desirable that the housing problem should be solved in conjunction with the employment problem. Owing to emergency conditions, some of the new permanent houses erected on behalf of refugees within the mandate of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. are located in places where no employment is available. The situation of these refugees in these houses may be considered in some respects to be no better than that of the refugees in the camps, owing to the fact that they are deprived of the common camp services, and are very often unable to procure for themselves the minimum amount of necessary furniture. This Office is anxious to promote, in co-operation with the German Authorities, the preparation and implementation of schemes providing for both permanent housing and employment for the refugees.

Transfer of assets

161. The transfer of the assets of refugees abroad is inevitably restricted by current currency and customs regulations. Some progress has, however, been made in this matter.

162. The German authorities have issued a circular to their diplomatic missions abroad stating that further payments may be made to persons abroad who had German nationality but who had lost it as a result of measures taken by the National Socialist Regime, and also to those who are entitled to compensation under the Restitution Law and who are unable to make their own living abroad. These payments will be made regardless of whether the persons concerned have acquired a new nationality or not.

Legal Assistance

163. Both in Germany and Austria, I. R. 0. was able to maintain considerable staffs of refugee lawyers who provided legal assistance to refugees. When I. R. 0 . came to an end arrangements were made with the voluntary agencies to take over some of the responsibilities in connexion with legal assistance. A few of the voluntary agencies have lawyers on their staffs and others have recourse to indigenous lawyers when in need of legal advice.

164. It is regretted that budgetary considerations do not at the present time make it possible to provide any other help in this field except that which can be given by one legal adviser in each of the branch offices in Bonn and Vienna. To meet these difficulties, the branch office in Austria is in the course of preparing a refugees handbook similar to that already published with the assistance of the branch office in Germany, giving all the information as to the rights, duties and status of refugees in Austria.

South-Eastern Europe

Greece

165. During the last year, there has been little variation in the number of refugees in Greece within the mandate, which remains between 16,000 and 17,000 the number of departures being compensated by the number of new arrivals.

166. The branch office in Greece has concerned itself to a great extent with the material conditions of refugees, many of whom are living in difficult circumstances, although the majority of the pre-war refugees, who represent approximately one half of the total, live in reasonably satisfactory conditions.

167. During the past year, a number of the camps have, with the help of the Greek and United States authorities and the voluntary agencies, been improved, but the limited number of opportunities for employment makes it inevitable that many refugees have no fixed occupation. In the Athens Piraeus area a number of refugees live in " centres " which are not recognized as official camps and, for this reason, they do not receive any regular relief from the Greek authorities and are therefore forced to fend for themselves.

168. In view of the extremely difficult circumstances of a number of refugees in Greece, special attention has been paid to the organization of material assistance in the form of an improvement of camps and centres, distribution of food and clothing, medical care and help to students. This work has been financed to a large extent by the Greek authorities with the help of the Refugee Service Committee, the various Greek and other voluntary agencies working in Greece, and, to a limited extent, supported by contribution from the Refugee Emergency Fund which it is regretted could not be larger.

Resettlement

169. Two hundred and thirteen refugees were resettled from Greece through the good offices of the Inter-governmental Committee for European Migration between 1 February, 1952 and 31 March, 1953. Close contact is maintained between the branch office and the local representative of the Migration Committee to ensure that refugees are given a fair opportunity to enjoy the benefits of any emigration schemes. A scheme has been put into operation for the resettlement in France of agricultural workers from the refugees in Greece, under which 156 persons have been re-settled.

Economic integration

170. As long as the rate of re-settlement of refugees from Greece cannot be increased, attention must be given to the problem of the integration into the national economy of those refugees who are unlikely to emigrate.

171. The Greek Government has drawn up various plans for the local establishment of refugees, but financial difficulties have prevented to a large extent their implementation.

172. The social and economic situation of refugees in Greece has been carefully studied by the High Commissioner's Office in the course of 1952 with a view to ascertaining whether solutions can be found to the problem. A report was submitted for consideration to the Greek Government by the High Commissioner early in 1953.

173. Out of approximately 17,000 refugees in Greece, some 2,500 families and isolated individuals, mainly post-war refugees of Greek- Rumanian origin, are not yet firmly established in Greece and have, on the other hand, no real prospect of emigration within a foreseeable future. Therefore the report recommends integration measures on behalf of these groups of refugees in the way of finding suitable employment, giving opportunities for the establishment of small businesses and building of houses. The total capital expenditure involved b y these recommendations was estimated, at the prices of July/August, 1952, at 75,000 million drachmae. The total equivalent of this amount would be, at the present rate, 2.5 million U. S. A. dollars.

174. After a first consideration of this report, the Greek Government replied to the High Commissioner b y mentioning their serious concern with the economic situation of the country, particularly as regards lack of employment. The Greek Government therefore considers it essential to take all possible action to facilitate the emigration of refugees and their resettlement in other countries.

175. The High Commissioner's Office shares the view of the Greek Government as to the necessity of encouraging as far as possible the emigration of refugees now in Greece and furthermore has obtained limited results in this connection. The Office is, however, continuing its efforts to encourage the economic integration of refugees who are at present in Greece and who either do not wish to emigrate or have no opportunity for doing so.

176. At the request of the Greek Government to the Council of Europe, copies of the report on " The integration of refugees into the Greek economy " (document HCR/RS/7) have been sent to the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe with a view to further distribution to Member Governments.

177. On 10 April, 1952, the Greek Government signed the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, with certain reservations. The ratification of the Convention is at present under study. The entry into force of the Convention will bring about an improvement in the legal status of the refugees in Greece and will remove some of the differences which exist at present between the treatment accorded to refugees of Greek ethnic origin and to other groups.

Yugoslavia

178. At present, there are about 4,300 foreign refugees in Yugoslavia who come under the mandate of the UNHCR Office.

179. The Yugoslav Government is making considerable efforts to accommodate these refugees who, as soon as they have been screened in one of the reception centres, are allowed to live in Yugoslavia without special refugee identity papers being given to them.

180. On the whole, the situation of these refugees is satisfactory and for all practical intents and purposes, they have the rights provided in the 1951 Convention, the ratification of which is at present on the agenda of the Yugoslav Parliament.

181. The High Commissioner, who visited Yugoslavia in the spring of this year, was officially assured by the Yugoslav Government that no obstacles would be put in the way of foreign refugees wishing to leave Yugoslavia or of family members of Yugoslav refugees abroad who want to obtain exit permits to leave the country.

182. The Yugoslav Government is very much concerned with the problem of financing the repatriation of Yugoslav refugees who have expressed their desire to come back to Yugoslavia, and of the tracing and repatriation of Yugoslav children who, after the Second World War, were not reunited with their parents in Yugoslavia.

183. In both matters the Yugoslav Government has urgently requested the cooperation of this Office, which is at present examining what contribution to the solution of these problems can be made within the milits of the Statute of the Office.

Turkey

184. In Turkey the Government has been faced with the resettlement of more than 150,000 refugees of Turkish ethnic origin from Bulgaria. At the end of its operations, some 700 refugees within the mandate of I. R. O. remained in Turkey. Since then, many refugees, mainly from Bulgaria and Albania, have sought refuge in Turkey. In addition, there is a fairly large group of persons who refuse to return to their countries of origin and have therefore become refugees sur place. Although the precise number of refugees within the mandate of the U. N. H. C. R. in Turkey has not been established, from a first rapid survey it would appear that the number is considerably greater than that of the refugees who were within the mandate of I. R. O.

185. At the end of its operations, I. R. O. established a Refugee. Service Committee and endowed it with funds to provide assistance to the remaining refugees. Subsequently, this Committee was reorganized into two groups, which work very closely with voluntary agencies and local authorities.

186. The Turkish authorities have taken a liberal view in all matters concerning the foreign refugees in Turkey. The Turkish Red Crescent is working very closely with the reorganized Refugee Service Committee and with the World Council of Churches, giving them all possible assistance in their activities.

187. The Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, which has been signed by the Government of Turkey, will shortly be sent to Parliament for ratification. An amendment to the Passport and Nationality Law is now under discussion in Parliament which will enable the Turkish authorities to deliver special passports to refugees wishing to travel or emigrate.

188. Small grants have been allocated from the United Nations Refugee Emergency Fund to carry out programmes to help needy cases, and an additional grant of $ 20,000 has been made to the World Council of Churches for a farm scheme to resettle a number of these refugees.

Near and Middle East

General

189. The Governments of the countries of the Near and Middle East are faced with serious problems of their own ethnic refugees. Nevertheless, they have afforded great attention to the problems of the refugees within the mandate of the Office of the High Commissioner who were not resettled b y the I. R. 0 . at the end of its operations.

190. In the Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt, the considerable number of Arab refugees is necessarily a primary preoccupation of the Governments.

191. As a result of missions carried out by members of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R., it is clear that there are in these countries a certain number of refugees who, owing to economic difficulties and other reasons, are unlikely to find employment. For this reason the attention of the voluntary agencies working for refugees has been drawn to the problems of the refugees in these areas. Working in close co-operation with the governments concerned, these agencies have established branch offices in various cities in the Middle East for the processing of refugees who wish to emigrate and for the promotion of resettlement possibilities. A number of refugees have already been enabled to emigrate.

Egypt

192. The number of refugees in Egypt is greater than in any other part of the Middle East. Although the precise number of refugees within the mandate of this Office has still not been established, it appears that it is approximately 3,000. This includes refugees who arrived before and after World War II.

193. The Egyptian Government has shown great interest in the problem of the refugees within the mandate. When a representative of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. recently visited Egypt to examine the situation of these refugees and to ascertain what measures could be taken to find permanent solutions for their problems, the Government gave every possible assistance and co-operated closely with him to establish a working arrangement for the future.

194. In view of the considerable number of Arab refugees in Egypt and the relatively difficult economic conditions, it is unlikely that many of the refugees within the mandate will be able to find employment. Every effort must therefore be made to promote resettlement opportunities for these people.

195. A small grant has been made from the Refugee Emergency Fund to help the needy cases among the refugees who are the concern of this Office.

Ethiopia

196. An agreement which was concluded in March 1950 between the I. R. 0 . and the Government of Ethiopia provided for the resettlement of refugee agriculturalists and specialists in Ethiopia. Some 250 refugees were admitted into Ethiopia in pursuance of this agreement. A number of these refugees subsequently left at their own request and, according to available information, there are now some 180 refugees who are the concern of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. To these should be added some 50 to 60 Stateless persons and refugees who went to Ethiopia independently of the I. R. O.

197. In order to have first-hand information on the situation of the refugees within the mandate of his Office, the High Commissioner recently sent one of the members of his staff on a mission to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian authorities, who have shown a great interest in the problems of the refugees, gave him every possible assistance and fully co-operated with him to find solutions for a number of cases.

198. The great majority of the refugees are working for the Government and can be considered to be well established The Government has renewed the contracts of many of them and has the others under consideration for renewal.

199. The Refugee Service Committee which was established during the lifetime of the I. R. 0 . has been reorganized into an Ethiopian Welfare Committee for Refugees with the help of leading Ethiopian and European personalities in Addis Ababa. This Committee should be of considerable assistance to the refugees in Ethiopia.

Iran

200. No new development has occurred in Iran since last year when the Iranian Government had taken a humanitarian attitude towards the problems of refugees coming within the mandate of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R.

201. Two international voluntary agencies working closely with the Iranian authorities have made it possible for many refugees wishing to emigrate to leave the country.

202. A small allocation from the Refugee Emergency Fund has been made to meet the most urgent needs of some of the destitute refugees in Iran.

Jordan

203. In December, 1949 the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan granted citizenship to most of the post-war refugees who were in the country. The number of refugees now within the mandate in Jordan does not exceed 70 persons. The largest group is that of Stateless White Russians who entered the country gradually after 1922.

204. Two international voluntary agencies are working in Jordan for the benefit of these refugees and an allocation has been made from the Refugee Emergency Fund to them jointly to provide emergency aid to the most needy.

205. The Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has always shown great understanding of the problems concerning the refugees within the mandate of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. and has stated that it will co-operate in every possible way to find a final solution.

Lebanon

206. The number of refugees in the Lebanon who are the concern of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. does not exceed 150. They are mostly post-war European refugees, plus a small number of White Russian and Circassian refugees who arrived around 1922, and who have not acquired Lebanese citizenship or been integrated into the local economy.

207. The majority of the World War II European refugees were repatriated in 1945, 1946 and 1947. The British Government continues to assume certain responsibilities for the Polish refugees who form the largest single group remaining. At one time their number reached 4,000, but it is now less than 50.

208. Despite the difficulties caused by the large number of Arab refugees, the Lebanese authorities have adopted a very liberal attitude towards the refugees within the mandate of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. They have always co-operated closely with the Refugee Service Committee, established by the I. R. O. at the end of its operations, and with the voluntary agencies working for refugees.

209. A certain number of the refugees, in particular the aged, are in need of assistance and a small allocation has been made from the Refugee Emergency Fund to the Refugee Service Committee and the World Council of Churches for the most needy cases in Beirut. The latter agency is, in addition, considering a plan for the establishment of an Old People's Home near Beirut which would help to solve the problem of cases requiring institutional care in the Middle East.

Syria

210. The number of refugees within the mandate of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. in Syria does not exceed 300. They are mainly post World War II refugees with the exception of a group of stateless White Russian and Circassian refugees who came to Syria long before the War.

211. Owing to the fact that a fairly large number of Arab refugees are living in Syria, it is unlikely that the refugees who are the concern of this Office will find possibilities of employment. For this reason particular attention is paid to the emigration of these refugees.

212. To meet the tragic situation of some of these refugees, an allocation has been made from the Refugee Emergency Fund for their most urgent needs. Other plans are being studied with the voluntary agencies and the local authorities to find a lasting solution to the problems of the more needy groups.

213. The Syrian Government has always shown great understanding of the problems of the refugees within the mandate and gave every assistance to the representative of the High Commissioner who visited Syria.

Far East

Establishment of Branch Office for the Far East

214. The Deputy High Commissioner undertook an extensive tour of the Far East in November, 1952 to inquire into the refugee problems in that area. He visited Pakistan, India, Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong and Taiwan, where he met members of the Governments, senior officials and leading personalities working in the field of refugees.

215. Later, the High Commissioner appointed a representative in the Far East. The Governments of Afghanistan, Burma, Ceylon, France (for French dependent territories), Japan, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Netherlands (for the Dutch dependent territory of New Guinea), Pakistan, Philippines and the United Kingdom (for British dependent territories) were accordingly advised.

216. With the approval of the Government of Thailand, the Far East office has been provisionally established in Bangkok, where full advantage can be taken of the existing facilities provided for other United Nations offices already represented in that country.

6 COUNTRIES OF RESETTLEMENT

General

217. " The promotion of the admission of refugees, not excluding those in the most destitute categories, to the territories of States " is one of the most important functions of this Office. This is one of the main reasons why the High Commissioner considered the establishment of branch offices in t h e United States and in Latin America of the first importance, and why he urged the General Assembly at its Sixth Session to pass a resolution inviting States Members to ensure that refugees were given a fair share in any opportunities for migration. Furthermore, in the international proceedings preliminary to the establishment of the Inter-governmental Committee for European Migration he emphasized to all the Governments participating in these proceedings the absolute necessity of special provision being made for refugees in any new intergovernmental organization which might be created.

218. The solution to this aspect of the problem lies not so much in the provision of funds, which at the present time appear available, but in a decision of the Governments of the countries of immigration to make special provision for refugees in their immigration legislation. This consideration has been emphasized at every possible occasion by this Office in the proceedings of the various United Nations bodies concerned with the research and planning in the field of migration.

219. The Office of the U. N. H. C. R. drew the attention of the Governments Members of the Inter-governmental Committee for European Migration to the special situation of refugees of European origin outside Europe. These Governments decided that the appropriated committee funds could not be used, but authorized the Committee to give its technical facilities for the movement of refugees from areas outside Europe, and to finance such movement out of any other funds which were or might become available to the Committee from other sources.

220. Close liaison has been established with the Secretariat of the Migration Committee and also with the Headquarters of the United States Escapee Programme working in Frankfurt. In addition, effective co-operation has been established between the respective representatives in all the countries where these Organizations are represented, and in particular in countries such as Italy and Greece where over-population and unemployment make the resettlement of refugees of extreme importance.

221. Allocation of § 40,000 has been made from the Ford Foundation Grant to the National Catholic Welfare Conference and World Council of Churches for the establishment in Latin America and Canada of a number of area offices, the purpose of which will be to pursue and develop resettlement opportunities.

222. In addition this Office has made several appeals to governments to allocate both alternate and end visas for refugees of European origin in China, and has collaborated closely with the Migration Committee in the joint operation now carried on by the two Organizations on behalf of these refugees.

United States

223. The branch office in the United States is concerned not only with liaison with U. N. Headquarters, the U. S. Government and the Headquarters of the voluntary agencies working for refugees, but also with certain aspects of international protection, especially in so far as it relates to questions affecting the admission of refugees. The liaison with the U. S. Government is of special importance considering the prominent part played by the U. S. Government in a number of programmes designed to give assistance to refugees.

224. Under the Constitution and the Laws of the United States, all aliens who have been legally admitted to residence enjoy the same rights as citizens, and there is no fundamental differentiation of treatment for aliens in general who have entered the United States under normal immigration quotas and refugees who have entered under special legislation.

225. The work of the branch office in connection with the international protection of refugees resident in the United States has been concerned mainly with problems arising under the immigration and nationality laws of the United States. These problems are dealt with both on a general basis and individually.

226. In dealing with problems of individual refugees the voluntary agencies have been able to give great assistance to the branch office in following up the cases, especially those who were given sponsorship by the Agencies themselves under the now expired U. S. Displaced Persons Act.

227. The Branch office has done considerable work in connection with the appearance of individual refugees before the Board of Immigration Appeals. The favourable decisions given in the cases of refugees assisted by the branch office have often set precedents for numerous cases of the same kind. It has also been able to advise on questions of law when some individual refugees have been threatened with deportation.

228. A number of refugees resident in the United States have applied for assistance to the UNHCR branch office in matters affecting claims under the indemnification and restitution laws which are in force in Germany and Austria.

229. In addition to the liaison which the branch office maintains both with United Nations Headquarters and the United States Government, the representative of the branch office, who is located in New York, maintains the closest relation with the Ford Foundation and with the Headquarters of the American Council of Voluntary Agencies for Foreign Service which have played a very considerable part in organizing assistance for refugees in many countries.

Latin America

230. The UNHCR branch office for Latin America is located in Bogota, Colombia. During the past year the representative of the High Commissioner has paid official visits to most of the Governments in Latin America and has established valuable relations with the various competent authorities and private agencies concerned not only with the admission of refugees but also with the welfare of those who have been received as immigrants.

231. In all countries in Latin America no differentiation is made between refugee immigrants and other foreigners. The legal position of the refugees is governed by legislation relating to aliens in general. The Governments of Brazil and Colombia have signed the Convention and it is hoped that ratification will take place soon in these two countries. The representative of the U. N. H. C. R. has not only discussed the accession to the Convention with the Governments of Latin America, but also invited them to consider the adoption of a standard travel document for refugees, as provided for in the Convention of 1951 or the London Travel Document Agreement or 1946 in place of the various documents which are now in use.

232. In most countries the High Commissioner's representative has discussed with the competent authorities the establishment of services to provide legal assistance to refugees and has recently concluded an agreement with the Legal Aid Section of the Brazilian Red Cross, under the terms of which it will furnish legal aid to refugees in Brazil. Generally speaking, most of the refugees who were re-settled in Latin America have been integrated into the economies of the countries to which they have been admitted.

Argentina

233. There are in Argentina some 33,000 refugees re-settled by the International Refugee Organization and, in addition, 15,000 ex-servicemen of Polish origin who were taken under an agreement with the Government of the United Kingdom.

234. Immigration to the Argentine is at present restricted mainly to technicians, agricultural workers and slock farmers. Preference is accorded to persons of Spanish, Italian and German origin. Argentina has recently joined the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration, and it is reported that a number of new emigration projects arc under study, some of which will undoubtedly afford new opportunities of resettlement for refugees.

235. No special agency for the protection of refugees has been established. This task is entrusted to the various Government departments which play a very active part in the field of social welfare.

Brazil

236. There are in Brazil some 40,000 refugees, most of whom were re-settled b y the International Refugee Organization. Owing to its vast potentialities for the absorption of migrants, Brazil now ranks among the major resettlement countries.

237. During the past year considerable openings for refugees have been found by a number of international voluntary agencies, who have organized schemes for the promotion of resettlement partly with the aid of grants made from the Ford Foundation Grant for Refugees. Particular mention should be made of the fact that between 1 February, 1952 and 1 May, 1953, 511 refugees of European origin from China were re-settled in Brazil and a very considerable number of additional visas has been promised to one voluntary agency.

238. A Bill has recently been presented to Congress creating an Institute of Immigration and Colonization which will assume overall responsibility for immigration into Brazil and will centralize in a single authority all the functions previously exercised by various government departments in the field of immigration, placement and colonization.

239. On the initiative of the Brazilian Red Cross, a new Committee for Aid to Refugees has been established. This Committee has direct access to the competent federal authorities on matters affecting the welfare of refugees in Brazil.

Chile

240. There are in Chile some 5,000 refugees re-settled by the I. R. O., the majority of whom have been satisfactorily assimilated and enjoy a reasonable measure of prosperity.

241. Refugee migrants are assisted by a number of private and governmental agencies, foremost amongst which are the Government Office of Social Aid and the Young Men's Christian Association.

242. Preference is generally accorded to government-sponsored migrants of Latin and German stock and, apart from sponsored cases, thepossibilitiesofimmigrationfor refugees appear for the time being to be limited.

Paraguay

243. Excluding the large Mennonite and Jewish colonies, there are approximately 6,000 refugees in Paraguay, mostly re-settled by the I. R. 0 . The majority of these have been satisfactorily assimilated.

244. The Institute of Agrarian Reform is charged with all questions relating to immigration and colonization and operates 126 agricultural colonies.

245. There are at the present time under study a number of ambitious colonization projects which, with technical aid under the U. S. Point 4 Programme and other foreign capital, envisage the settlement of approximately 10,000 Italian and 15,000 German families on State lands controlled by the Institute of Agrarian Reform.

Peru

246. The situation of the approximately 2,350 refugees resettled by the I. R. O. is generally satisfactory and the great majority have found suitable employment.

247. The prospect of mass immigration to Peru appears limited at the present time but opportunities exist for small numbers of specially trained workers admitted under contract to local employers.

Uruguay

248. In Uruguay there are approximately 1,500 refugees, mostly re-settled by the I. R. 0. who enjoy extremely good conditions of life.

249. With its exceptional stability and prosperity Uruguay offers good inducements to prospective migrants. An average of about 6,000 aliens, mostly of Spanish and Italian origin, are admitted annually. However, the country's capacity to receive any considerable increase in the number of migrants is limited by an already concentrated population and the small area of land available for cultivation.

Venezuela

250. There are in Venezuela some 18,000 refugees, re-settled for the greater part by the I. R. 0 . Venezuela continues to be one of the most important countries of re-settlement in Latin America and the great majority of refugees admitted to date have succeeded in becoming firmly established.

251. During a recent visit to Caracas, the representative of the High Commissioner had the opportunity to discuss with senior governmental officials certain questions affecting refugees, in particular the strengthening of the Intergovernmental Committee for Refugees, with a view to giving the Committee broader representation by including members of the Venezuelan Red Cross, the Arch-diocesan Bureau for Refugees, and heads of national groups, thereby making its work more effective for individual refugees.

252. The two principal forms of immigration to Venezuela are by private sponsorship or under various programmes operated by the Agrarian National Institute which contains several large agricultural colonies and is in a position to give initial support to migrants to facilitate their establishment.

7 REFUGEES OF EUROPEAN ORIGIN IN CHINA

General Situation and Developments

253. The situation of European refugees in China has continued to be one of the most urgent problems with which the Office of U. N. H. C . R . is faced.

254. When the office of the Joint Special Representative of the I. C. E. M. and of the U. N. H. C. R. was established in Hong Kong on 1' February, 1952,! the situation of the refugees who had not been re-settled by the I. R. O. was already very difficult and with each passing month it became increasingly clear that only a very small fraction of even the number registered by the I. R. 0 . could be re-settled within the five months period for which limited funds had been made available by the International Refugee Organization.

255. This situation was further complicated both by the unforeseen administrative difficulties in processing these refugees through Shanghai and the retarded rate of resettlement through Hong Kong. In view of the urgency and critical nature of this problem it was agreed, in consultation with the Migration Committee, that every effort should be made to continue this operation to the extent that funds could be made available.

256. To this end stringent administrative economies and sharp reductions in the already insufficient cash assistance grants were imposed in order to make possible an extension of the joint operation for an additional three months until 1 November, 1952.

257. With the exhaustion of the IRO funds the only funds available to provide emergency assistance to the refugees were the limited resources of the Refugee Emergency Fund. An amount of S 450,000 has had to be earmarked to meet this situation at the expense of other needy groups or refugees in certain parts of Europe and the Near East.

258. Of the approximately 4,000 registered refugees in Shanghai on 1 March, 1952, close to 2,000 were receiving emergency assistance at the rate of 45 US cents per day. The average monthly costs of the operation in 1952 amounted to S 28,000.

259. Between 1 March and 31 December, 1952 there was a reduction in the amount of emergency assistance given: but there is a probability that the number of destitute refugees requiring assistance will increase and that the monthly requirements for subsistence in 1953 will rise to S 25,000 at the rate of 37 cents per day.

260. The total medical costs for 1952 amounted to approximately S 28,000. For the year 1953 this cost is expected to rise as high as S 55,000: this expense covers the following services: medical supplies, doctors consultation fees, x-rays, medical examinations, emergency provisions for hospitalized cases, treatment of special residual cases, and examinations for migrants.

261. In the course of the 14 months' period of operation from 1 February, 1952 to 1 April, 1953, it has become clear that the refugee population which is the concern of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. is in the region of 15,000 persons, the majority of whom are living in Northern China in the area of Harbin. Of this number approximately only 3,400 were registered with the I. R. O. of whom 1,300 are at present receiving emergency assistance.

Refugees requiring institutional care

262. The problem of difficult cases amongst European refugees in China has continued to occupy the attention of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R.

263. One of its most tragic elements is the fate of the residual cases requiring special care. The great majority of these refugees are former Nansen refugees who were registered with the I. R. O. but for whom no resettlement opportunities had been found before the closing down of that organization. Others, especially those who lived in Northern China had never registered with I. R. O. owing to the distance which separated them from the IRO office in Shanghai, and now appeal for aid.

264. This residual group is composed of TB cases, blind, mental, chronically sick and aged refugees, of whom many need placement in institutions. It numbers at present approximately 450 sick people and 210 family members, totalling 660. Out of this number 216 sick and 62 family members receive emergency assistance out of the UN Refugee Emergency Fund. New contributions to this fund, notably those received from the Australian and Canadian Governments, will enable the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. to continue the emergency aid programme in China until the end of this year. But it will have to be discontinued at that time, unless new funds are made available to the U. N. R. E. F.

265. Moreover, the steady deterioration in the living conditions of this group makes an early solution of the problem imperative.

266. The Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees is therefore endeavouring to find asylum for these unfortunate people b y asking A'arious European Governments to accept limited numbers of these residual cases on their soil.

267. It is heartening to;; be able to say that the initial approaches made have resulted in placement in institutions being offered to date to 135 residual cases; 30 family members have also been accepted for resettlement in the respective countries : Belgium has accepted 30 aged people, France 20, the Netherlands 20-25 TB and Disabled and Sick, including dependants, Denmark has taken 12 mental and 18 aged cases, Norway 25 aged and Sweden 14 TB cases with 18 dependants and 1 chronic sick with 1 dependant, totalling 34 persons.

268. There remain a further 495 people, including dependants, for whom placement has yet to be found. The High Commissioner for Refugees will pursue his efforts in this direction and confidently hopes that the countries of Europe will continue to extend to him their co-operation and good will to help solving this tragic human problem.

Re-settlement

269. In 1952 the Office of the Joint Special Representative re-settled a total of 878 refugees, mostly to Australia, Brazil, Canada and Israel.

270. For the first three months of 1953, 416 refugees were resettled, principally to Brazil, Australia, Canada, Israel and Turkey. This rate of re-settlement reflects an encouraging increase over the same period for 1952, yet it will still take several more years to bring about a final solution to this problem unless other Governments are willing to make available^' greater numbers of visas.

271. The major operational difficulties facing the Office of the Joint Special Representative in Hong Kong are the lack of visa facilities within China and the present restrictions on entry into Hong Kong. There are at the present time only five countries of immigration which maintain Consular offices in Shanghai : Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

272. To overcome these difficulties, a system has been evolved whereby five countries —Australia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland— have agreed to issue 50 alternate visas which permit refugees to be brought into the territory of Hong Kong for processing to a country of immigration, such as the United States or Canada. As soon as the recipient of an alternate visa leaves for a country of resettlement, the alternate visa becomes available for another refugee and thereby permits his entry into Hong Kong. Although this procedure enables a limited number of refugees to be resettled, it cannot be considered to be satisfactory as a method of solving the problem of the refugees of European origin in China.

273. Although no funds have been made available to the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. by the Liquidator of the I. R. 0 . to continue to finance this programme of emergency assistance, a Trust Fund has been established from residual funds of the I. R. 0 . which is administered by the Migration Committee and can be used for the movement of limited numbers of these refugees from China.

274. With these funds, and with the funds available in the Refugee Emergency Fund, it will be possible to continue this joint programme of assistance and re-settlement at least through the remaining months of 1953. Beyond that date, however, neither the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. nor the Migration Committee have any assurance that funds will be available to carry on this programme.

8 REFUGEES REQUIRING INSTITUTIONAL CARE

275. Special mention is made in Article 8 of the Statute of the Office of the U. N. H. C. R. of the most destitute categories of refugees. A considerable number of refugees requiring institutional care were settled by the I. R. 0. in institutions in a number of countries in Europe. The Office of the U. N. H. C. R. has taken over from the I. R. 0 . responsibility for the supervision of all agreements relating to this category of refugees where provision was made for the transfer of supervisory responsibilities. Periodical visits are made by the representatives of the branch offices to institutions where such cases have been placed in the countries in which they are accredited.

276. In October, 1952 an allocation from the Ford Foundation Grant was made to the American Joint Distribution Committee for the re-settlement in Norway and Sweden of 87 TB patients and dependants. A grant has also been made from U. N. R. E. F. to the World Council of Churches to place in institutions in Belgium refugees from China requiring institutional care. Negotiations are also proceeding for the settlement in France of a number of other cases.

277. The continuing character of the problem of destitute refugees requiring institutional care necessitates, in the opinion of the High Commissioner, a co-ordinated approach to the whole problem-—-otherwise there is a danger that opportunities of placement may be given to refugees only from the areas where they can be most easily re-settled.

9 REFUGEE EMERGENCY FUND

278. During its sixth session the General Assembly adopted Resolution 538 B (VI), which was subsequently endorsed in Resolution 639 (VII), authorizing the High Commissioner to appeal for funds for the purpose of enabling emergency aid to be given to the most needy groups of refugees coining within the mandate of the U. N. H. C. R.

279. Despite the generosity of a number of Governments, which will be seen from the table at the end of this section, the response to this appeal cannot be considered satisfactory. Nevertheless, the amounts contributed so far have enabled this Office to maintain the refugees of European origin in China for one year after the exhaustion of the IRO funds allocated for this purpose. Furthermore, a number of small projects to the value of 114,000 dollars for the most needy groups of refugees have already been implemented in Austria, Germany, Italy, Trieste, Belgium, Greece, Turkey and the Middle East.

280. At the present time there are no international funds available to continue the maintenance of European refugees in China after the end of 1953 and unless there is a general improvement in the situation of refugees, the need for emergency aid in a number of areas will continue to be urgent. Many cases of great hardship and of complete destitution are constantly brought up b y the branch offices and the voluntary agencies working on behalf of refugees.

281. Plans were made to launch public .appeals in the Netherlands and Belgium at the beginning of this year, but the appeal in the Netherlands was suddenly brought to a close by the flood disaster. For the same reason an appeal which had been authorized by the Belgian Government had to be abandoned.

282. It seems unlikely that further general appeals to the public can be organized in the immediate future and the High Commissioner was therefore compelled to draw the attention of the General Assembly to the fact that unless further governmental contributions are received before the end of the year there is a danger that the funds at his disposal will be completely exhausted, leaving many cases requiring emergency aid in great distress.

United Nations Refugee Emergency Fund 31st July, 1953

Contributions Received

Governmental

Germany - $ 13,095

Luxembourg - 970

Sweden - 19,492

Norway - 14,104

Switzerland - 69,284

United Kingdom - 280,000

Denmark - 14,607

Greece - 1,000

Australia - 55,833

Netherlands - 35,000

Austria - 1,923

France - 85,714

Canada - 100,462 $ 691,484

Other Contributions

I. R. 0 - 236,698

U. K. C. C. G. - 2,832

Private Societies and Individuals - 25,305 $ 264,835

$956,319

Pledges not as yet received

Belgium - S 40,000

Norway (Second grant) - 14,104

Luxembourg - 1,000

Norwegian Refugee Council - 82,138

Expenditures and Allocations

S 137.242

Europe - S 231,431

Middle East - 20,000

Shanghai - 673,735

Administrative and Fund raising - 23,548

$ 948,714

Ford Foundation Grant

283. In September, 1952, the Ford Foundation generously made available the sum of S 2,900,000 for the assistance of refugees, as a result of a submission by a group of international Voluntary Agencies [(3) American Friends Service Committee. American Joint Distribution Committee. Lutheran World Federation. National Catholic Welfare Conference. World Council of Churches. World Y. M. C. A./Y. W. C. A.] in association with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Provisional Inter-governmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants from Europe (later Inter-governmental Committee for European Migration). This grant was to be administered by the High Commissioner and was to be used for the benefit of refugees through programmes operated by the six Voluntary Agencies responsible for the original application to the Ford Foundation, or by any other Agencies upon whom the High Commissioner might wish to call.

284. In making the grant the Ford Foundation put no restriction of any kind on the type of refugee to be helped, and in this way, as administrator of the Ford Foundation grant for refugees, the High Commissioner has been enabled to assist refugees in Europe over a much wider area than that covered by his mandate, which establishes the competence of his office as applying only to those refugees who have had to leave the country of their nationality. Therefore, outside the High Commissioner's mandate but within the orbit of the Ford Foundation grant, fall the great group of the Volksdeutsche, the refugees of Turkish ethnic origin, and the refugees from the eastern zone of Germany.

285. With the then recent closure of the I. R. 0 . possibilities of mass migration had been greatly reduced. Therefore much stress was laid by the Ford Foundation on the use of the grant for purposes of integration of the refugee into the local life and economy of his country of present residence—his disappearance as a refugee and emergence as a citizen—1 and all but $ 200,000 of the grant was to be consecrated to this end. Many different avenues leading to such integration were selected, for example :

286. Housing Schemes to the extent of $ 446,977 have drawn over 6,000 refugees out of the camp atmosphere and given them the chance to enjoy again a normal private life. In many cases the refugees have themselves helped with the building of their future homes. In almost all cases the refugees will repay the cost of the houses over a stipulated period, and provision has been made that the monies repaid will be used to benefit still more refugees.

287. Vocational training to the extent of $ 432,859 has provided refugee youth with skills which are in demand in their present localities. A condition governing grants to such vocational training programmes is that the student shall receive on the successful completion of his course a State-recognized diploma which will ensure him the maximum opportunity for employment and security. Already 6,600 refugee trainees are benefiting from these programmes.

288. Re-settlement on the land (to the extent of S 165,000) has been achieved in France, Austria, Greece and Italy, where refugee farm families have been settled either on abandoned farms or in new agricultural communities. Loans covering basic farm equipment, seed and livestock, have ensured their firm establishment at the outset, and in one case a grant from the Ford Foundation has been used to purchase irrigation pumps and a diesel tractor for common use. In this way, 1,483 people have benefited.

289. Counselling Centres to the extent of S 144,556 have been set up to advise the refugee on problems in the way of his personal integration, and free advice is given on legal matters, the securing of documents, training for employment, medical treatment, etc.

290. Youth Centres and training for youth leadership to the extent of S 133,620 have provided another vital approach to refugee integration. Grants have been made for the establishment of 17 youth centres in Germany and France where refugee youth, all of whom have been deprived of normal family life, are given opportunities to learn, through community activity, the elements of responsible citizenship. The local residents are encouraged to mix with the refugees in the use of such centres. Classes are held in languages, handcrafts, etc. and the organized leisure-time activities include both lectures and sports. In the six months -ended March, 1953 170 refugee youth leaders were trained in special courses to take charge of summer camps and community activities, or as specialists in boys' and girls' work.

291. Other programmes are under way to assist the integration of the refugees in the economies of their present countries of residence by means of business loans, university scholarships, community centres, and youth hostels for schoolchildren.

The High Commissioner's Plan to meet the Refugee Emergency in Germany

292. During January, 1953 it became apparent that a grave emergency had arisen in Western Germany owing to the great increase of refugees pouring into West Berlin. The number rose from 1,000 a day to 1,500 and ultimately to over 2,000 a day. The German Federal Government was doing everything within its power in flying the refugees from Berlin to Western Germany, but was having great difficulties over this problem.

293. This great increase in the refugees coming into Western Germany created the grave danger that conditions of the refugees within the mandate of the U. N. H. C. R. might be worsened. The refugee camps were already full and were likely to become even more crowled. The possibilities of their integration into the German economy would decrease as the new refugees arrived. In addition, there was the humanitarian aspect of large numbers of human beings living in destitution. Accordingly, the High Commissioner, moved by their plight, decided to take action and to see what aid he could give in this matter.

294. The High Commissioner's Adviser for administering the Ford Foundation Grant for Refugees flew to Berlin, accompanied b y members of the principal Voluntary Agencies, to discuss the matter with German and Allied officials in Berlin and in Bonn. Representatives of the Council of Europe and of the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (I. C. E. M.) were also present at these meetings.

295. As a result of the meetings in Berlin and in Bonn, the High Commissioner drew up a plan of action to meet this refugee emergency. It was agreed that three measures were necessary to alleviate the situation :

a emigration,

b immediate relief in Berlin,

c integration of refugees in Western Germany.

296. This plan was drawn up in consultation with and in full agreement with the German and Allied Authorities, the Voluntary Agencies and the Council of Europe and the I. C. E. M.

297. It was agreed that the Inter-governmental Committee for European Migration (I. C. E. M.), working in co-operation with the Voluntary Agencies, would appeal to some of its member-Governments to give the greatest possible immigration facilities to refugees. The German authorities and the German Voluntary Agencies agreed to take care of the emergency needs in West Berlin, by the provision of material assistance. The International Rescue Committee gave very large sums for material relief in Berlin. The High Commissioner agreed to appeal to the Governments to help in the housing emergency in Western Germany.

298. The emergency plan formulated by the High Commissioner was designed to meet a crucial situation with the greatest possible speed, and envisaged.

a support for youth activities and vocational training in West Berlin;

b plans for several permanent housing projects for immediate implementation;

c the immediate establishment of semi-permanent prefabricated housing units for the accomodation of the refugees. - The main emphasis of the High Commissioner's plan was to be laid on this last aspect.

299. Under those headings, the Plan of Action has been put into speedy operation :

Youth activities and vocational training

Various training schools and community centres for about 6,000 refugees in West Berlin are being set up by the Voluntary Agencies, as well as student hostels and counselling centres. They have been financed initially by the Ford Foundation Grant (S 40,000). Details were given in the High Commissioner's Plan of Action. Some are already built and in operation.

Permanent Housing Projects

300. Seventeen(17) permanent housing projects were drawn up, to be implemented immediately and to be financed 20 % ($ 266,285) by the Ford Foundation Grant 80 % ($ 1,065,140) from other sources, partly mortgages.

Semi-permanent pre-fabricated housing units

301. Five (5) refugee semi-permanent housing settlements are now under construction, and one has already been opened (see para 306 on Wolfach settlement).

302. Accordingly, in February the High Commissioner appealed to many member- Governments of the United Nations and of the Council of Europe, as well as to Switzerland, Finland and the Holy See. The German authorities agreed to provide exemption from customs, the transportation, sites, basements, plumbing, lighting, construction and other facilities for such pre-fabricated housing units as were provided in response to the UNHCR appeal. The housing units are to be set up in employment areas. The following contributions in cash, pre-fabricated housing units, or furniture were received in a short space of time :

a Switzerland, 200,000 Swiss francs ($ 46,200).

b Norway, 1 million Norwegian Kroner ($ 140,000).

c Sweden, 1 million Swedish Kroner ($ 193,300).

d Netherlands, 100,000 Guilders ($ 26,300).

e Italy, $ 10,000 ($ 10,000).

f Denmark, 750,000 Danish Kroner ($ 110,000).

g Luxembourg, 150,000 francs ($ 3,000).

h International Rescue Committee, 100,000 Deutsche Marks ($ 23,800).

303. In addition, the United States Government allocated $ 300,000 through M. S. A., to assist in the reception and distribution of these refugees. The greater part of those MSA funds are used for the procurement of furniture for youth hostels in which young refugees are to be housed in Western Germany. These plans are to be developed in full co-operation with the Office of the High Commissioner.

304. Many international Voluntary Agencies, including the Red Cross Societies, the Swiss and Norwegian Aid to Europe, and the International Rescue Committee are sending additional help to the refugees either in the form of finances, material assistance or welfare services.

305. Negotiations have already taken place between various contributing Governments, on the one hand, and the German Government on the other hand, as to the technical implementation of the Plan and the construction of the prefabricated houses. The houses are to be built ready to move into, with furniture and all essentials. They are, in general, units each providing accomodation for two families in separate apartments. Although classified as semi-permanent, the houses will keep the families in reasonable comfort for many years. They are built in full agreement with the German Government. All housing projects, whether permanent or semi-permanent, are to be built in areas where employment opportunities are available.

306. The High Commissioner's plan was worked out in closest consultation with the Committee on Population and Refugees of the Council of Europe. The Secretary of this Committee joined the High Commissioner's Adviser on administration of the Ford Foundation Grant for Refugees in his visit to Berlin, and the High Commissioner's Adviser visited the Secretariat of the Council in February to discuss the details of the plan. The Committee on Population and Refugees submitted its recommendation to the Special Liaison Committee and the Committee of Ministers passed the following resolution (53) 21 :

307. " The Committee of Ministers,

308. Having regard to the opinion of the Special Liaison Committee expressed in its Recommendation No. 7;

309. Resolves to invite Member Governments ;

a to support action undertaken on behalf of the Berlin refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner, and in particular :

to facilitate the rehabilitation of refugees in Western Germany, especially by the construction of accomodation which would allow of their living near their place of work,

to afford material aid to refugees (spring mattresses, mattresses, blankets, clothing, shoes, food and pharmaceutical products, particularly intended for children),

to afford refugees the greatest possible facilities for emigration;

b to instigate measures which might facilitate the liquidation of refugee camps and the construction of living accomodation."

310. The results of the co-operation among all interested organizations towards the realization of the High Commissioner's plan to meet the refugee emergency in Germany have proved the effectiveness of co-ordinated effort.

311. A bold plan for the construction of temporary housing in Germany on a large scale was submitted both to the Council of Europe and to the High Commissioner. From monies available under the Ford Foundation grant, the High Commissioner was able to allocate immediately $ 40,000 for the implementation of a housing settlement based on this plan. The allocation was made to the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation, who jointly submitted this project on behalf of their German counterpart agencies. The result has been the recently-opened demonstration settlement at Wolfach in the Black Forest, which is providing housing for 51 refugee families. Now, since 3 August, 1953, all interested in this courageous housing plan have no further need to study blueprints and budget figures, but can visit the Wolfach settlement and talk with its inhabitants. They can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the plan with those who are actually living with their families in this new type of semi-permanent housing unit, with these new settlers who have found employment in the neighbourhood and whose children attend the local schools. This is one example of the way in which the Trustees and the Directors of the Ford Foundation are translating into action the ideals of the United Nations and its tremendous responsibility towards the concept of unity of mankind.

Matching Contributions

312. The large amount of funds from other sources which are being used in conjunction with the Ford Foundation grant in the operation of refugee projects is a most interesting factor. Matching funds or other contributions have been raised to the extent of S 7,569,369 —almost three times the amount allocated from the grant itself. These contributions have come from Governments and local authorities, from voluntary agencies, local denominational bodies and the refugees themselves. (Attached is an appendix giving details of such contributions in the various countries in which the grant is operating.)

313. This factor is ample proof of the confidence of Governments and other contributors in the schemes approved by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees under the Ford Foundation grant. It many instances and in various countries the allocation made by the High Commissioner has been the decisive factor in stimulating funds from other sources. This has been the case with projects in the fields of agricultural integration and of housing construction in areas of industrial employment, of vocational training institutes and student hostels, of the erection of community centres and apprentice homes. Many times the money allocated by the High Commissioner started a chain reaction of contributions in local currency from various sources for the benefit of countless refugees, foreign and ethnic, who were thus assisted to help themselves on a larger scale than could otherwise be excepted and were enabled to make their positive contribution towards the economy of the country of their present residence.

Germany

314. In no other country with a large refugee population are to be found as many employment possibilities as within the Federal Republic. The Government has made great efforts to move the refugees out of camps into permanent settlements. By the provision of housing in areas of employment and the supply of vocational training, thousands of adults and young refugees, both male and female, can be absorbed by the labour market. German language courses are indispensable for the foreign refugee, and the retraining of refugees for available jobs is equally important. Students are assisted b y the granting of scholarships on a revolving fund basis or by the organization of student employment services.

315. The following projects have been selected by the High Commissioner and are now in operation to assist in the integration of the refugees in Germany.

9.1 Housing projects

(i) A scheme is operating whereby loans are made to 32 refugee families in the Hanover area, each of whom undertakes to provide a home-like atmosphere for 3 apprentices and one student—all refugees—who would reside in rooms on the upper floor. The project is operated on a revolving fund basis and, in addition to its practical effect in assisting integration, is an attempt to demonstrate the value of family life for unattended refugee youth.

DM 194,400

(ii) Another scheme exists to make loans to refugees (including Berlin refugees) for building purposes in 14 different settlements throughout Western Germany. These settlements are being constructed in areas where employment possibilities exist : in Gottwaldhausen, Mosbach-Baden, Bubenreuth, Heilsbronn, Munich-Forstenried, Bad Soden, Mainz- Gustavsburg, Friedland, Hengsen, Hinsbeck, . Cologne-Dunnwald, Muenster-Wennheide and Muenster-Maifield. 1,538 refugees will benefit from the construction of 444 housing units.

DM 494,000

(iii) A building programme will finance on a revolving fund basis the building of three settlements in Nuernberg, Brunswick and Stetten. Approximately 2,000 refugees, including refugees from the Eastern Zone of Germany will benefit from the construction of 462 housing units.

DM 924,000

(iv) About to be opened is a settlement of 56 semi-permanent housing units in Wolfach, as erwisaged in the plan of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to meet the urgent problems created by the influx of refugees into Western Germany through Berlin.

DM 280,000

9.2 University students

(i) Two schemes exist for student loan funds on a revolving basis, by which 500 male and 230 female students respectively are benefiting.

DM 175,000

(ii) A student employment programme during vacations is being operated. 115 students are already benefiting from it.

DM 283,304

(iii)Scholarships for 82 refugee students, especially for students who were forced to leave the Eastern Zone, are granted.

DM 98,400

(iv) A project covers the accommodation of 25 foreign refugee university students each year in the student Home at Munich, for a period of 7 years. An additional 30 German refugee students will be provided with accommodation by the same Centre.

DM 70,000

9.3 Vocational training

(i) In operation is a Domestic Science Training Centre for 23 refugee girls from 15 to 16 years of age in Ratzeburg, Schleswig- Holstein.

DM 33,000

(ii) 50 refugee girls will be trained as nurses as soon as the extension of the Institute for Deaconesses in Muenster is completed.

DM 66,000

(iii) Under the grant an extension is being carried out in order to give accommodation to a total of 100 handicapped foreign refugees in Herzogsaegemuehle, where courses are provided which include carpentry, mechanics, ironmongery, saddlery, upholstery, basket-making, tailoring, cobbling, electricity, handweaving, gardening, bee-keeping and poulty-raising.

DM 132,000

(iv) An Institute for Domestic Helpers exists at Bad Wildunger, where 15 refugee girls are trained in nine months' courses and 20 mothers who need rest cures are given accommodation for 6 months at a time.

DM 120,000

(v) At the Dominicus Savio Home and school for 50 boys from 16 to 19 years of age in Berlin, master carpenters, locksmiths, electricians, joiners, etc. are available to teach the apprentices.

DM 60,000

(vi) An extension at present under construction at the Meinwerk Institute in Paderborn will raise the number of refugee girls being trained from 35 t o 70. They emerge as domestic servants, hospital nurses, children's nurses and waitresses.

DM 209,950

(vii) There are three Kolping Houses, in which technical education for apprentices includes commercial arithmetic, bookkeepring, shorthand and typing, subjects required for a Master's Certificate by apprentice locksmiths, tailors, carpenters, etc. The former Kolping House in Frankfurt took 60 refugee boys; the number will be raised by the completion of the new building to 75. In the new House at Hamburg, which is under construction, 60 places are available for young refugees over 20 years of age and 30 for apprentices between 18 and 21 years of age. The House in Kassel will provide accommodation for 40 refugee boys.

Frankfurt ($ 15,000) DM 105,000

Hamburg ($ 15,000) DM 105,000

Kassel ($ 10,000) DM 70,000

(viii) At the agricultural training school at Helle at present 17 refugee students find accommodation. Their number will be increased to 32 when the extension has been completed. The students are trained in agricultural methods and prepared for employment on the land.

DM 31,500

(ix) In Aprath is a centre for retarded refugee children suffering from the shock of their flight. The aim of the centre will be to prepare the children for their early readjustment to normal family and social life by the accepted methods of education and training. 45 refugee children at a time will stay for 3 to 5 months.

DM 90,748

(x) The Vocational Training school at Freiburg provides apprenticeship training for boys between 14 and 19 years in tailoring, shoemaking and gardening. The extension which is under construction will provide accommodation for 45 refugee boys.

DM 60,850

(xi) The domestic science school in Seckach is being extended in order to provide accommodation for 60 girls of the ages of 14 and 15 years. In the same place a workshop for boys between 14 and 17 years of age is reconstructed to train them as gardeners, farmworkers, joiners, carpenters, mechanics, blacksmiths and masons. At present only 42 girls and 4 boys are provided with accommodation but the extension is under way.

DM 42,000

(xii) There is a training school at Simonshof, where at present 35 refugee boys are being trained as joiners, carpenters, mechanics, tailors, shoemakers and farmhands. The number of refugee trainees will be raised to 65 as soon as the facilities have been increased.

DM 60,000

(xiii) The agricultural school in Regen for 24 refugee girls between the ages of 15 and 17 is being renovated and will offer courses in gardening field work, stable work, poultry house and yard work, household duties, kitchen work, laundry and sewing.

DM 40,229

(xiv) The training school for girls and unmarried mothers in Kiel, which is being enlarged, will house 40 girls, 12 unmarried mothers and 50 children. In this school and others of its type, courses are offered in housekeeping, infant care and nursing, cooking and sewing. For girls who lack basic training, tuition in arithmetic, reading and writing is available.

DM 92,300

(xv) A similar school in Kassel will accommodate 34 young refugee women, of whom 8 are unmarried mothers.

DM 31,500

(xvi) And in Munich another such school, providing accommodation for 40 girls, 12 mothers and 12 babies.

DM 200,000

(xvii) The apprentice home in Neutraubling offers at present pre-vocational training courses to 28 boys 14-18 years of age in painting signwriting, posterwork, novelty and other graphic skills desired by local employers. In the near future the number of students will be increased from 28 t o 68. In addition to woodworking crafts, metalwork and machine-shop training will be offered.

DM 28,602

(xviii) The agricultural school in Nuetschau can take at present 11 boys 14-20 years of age from refugee farming families. 14 additional apprentice students will be trained as soon as the extension is completed. In addition to the general basic gardening and agricultural subjects, special courses in English, Spanish and Portuguese will be added to the normal courses in reading, writing and arithmetic.

DM 120,000

(xix) A programme is being organized to prevent endangered youth from becoming " dead-end " kids by employment, work training and the provision of educational opportunities in Wolfenbùttel, Furth, Frankfurt, Hanover, Salzgitter, Druhwald, etc. In various Lander it is supporting German schemes for youth integration by a community work programme, youth homes, continuation of interrupted basic schooling and vocational training workshops. In January a special worker was assigned to Land Rhineland/Pfalz and by April 15 a total of 240 refugee youths will be at work on farms in this area. A further result of this scheme will be the construction of a Home for 35 apprentices attached to the pharmaceutical firm of Boehringer in Ingelheim, to be financed from German sources.

DM 221,249

(xx) A combined Home and Domestic Training Centre has been equipped and furnished in Berlin for young refugee women. The centre will accommodate 135 young women and girls doing courses in cooking, sewing, domestic science, and laundering. Upon completion of the courses the girls will be sent to designated homes and jobs in Berlin or in Western Germany or in other countries where resettlement opportunities may become available.

DM 43,513

9.4 Youth Homes and Youth Training

(i) A grant has been made for the construction, equipment, and operation of a youthwork settlement for refugees in Hanover. This will accommodate about 65 refugees between the ages of 16 and 25 years. Space will be provided for small industries operated by adult refugees whose families will also be accommodated. During the period of building at least 30 young refugees will be continuously employed on the project.

DM 150,000

(ii) Another project covers the building of a children's Home, kindergarten and farm for refugees at Obernjesa. The Home will accommodate 28 children, mostly refugee orphans, and the kindergarten will be set up with a commonroom and children's beds. The farm building, including stables and rooms for farm use, will provide vocational training in the agricultural field. The Home is under the supervision of a trained social worker, and two additional qualified social workers will be appointed as soon as the Home has been completed.

DM 46,004

(iii) A home and training centre for refugees at Flieden near Fulda will be shortly completed and furnished. This provides vocational training in sewing and domestic science, woodworking, bookkeeping and stenography. German language courses are also included in the curriculum. Approximately 130 students and apprentices will be accommodated. The centre is under the supervision of an experienced staff and State-recognized certificates are issued to the students upon graduation. The grant will be used for the building and equipment of a training kitchen, a community room, two instruction rooms, and two dormitories accommodating 30 refugees.

DM 20,588

(iv) Another grant has been put to the repairing and equipping of one wing of the Home for refugees at Burg Lichtenberg. This wing accommodates 35 skilled unmarried refugees at a time. During their anticipated 3 months' stay, jobs and employment opportunities will be found for them and in the meantime they are working in the fields, vineyards and farms.

DM 32,000

(v) A Youth Home for refugees at Flensburg will shortly be completed. This will consist of a kindergarten, a library, a big assembly hall and will accommodate 20 homeless refugee apprentices. One year basic vocational training courses will be given and employment ultimately found for successful students in industries and trades.

DM 13,200

(vi) A building has been purchased to ensure the continued education of 73 refugee children at Zinzendorf School in Tossens. Approximately 12 refugee children are graduated each year and employment is assured upon completion of their studies.

DM 20,000

(vii) The Deutsches Haus Youth Home for refugees at Bamberg has been enlarged and equipped. The Home accommodated 100 refugees, of which 70 are apprentices and 30 Law School students. In addition to courses for refugee apprentices, instruction is given in elementary subjects for those whose education has been neglected. The average stay of the refugees in the Home is for a period of three years.

DM 57,500

(viii) Furniture and equipment have been purchased for another Kolpinghaus, this one in Offenbach. The Home provides living accommodation for 70 refugee apprentices between 14 and 25, whose average stay in the Home is for 2 to 3 years. Besides the usual courses in various trades, practical and theoretical assistance is given to the apprentices to prepare them for examinations.

DM 35,000

(ix) A grant was made for the completion of and purchase of equipment for the annex of Haus Wohldenberg Refugee Youth Centre at Wohldenberg. The annex will enlarge the present capacity from 80 to 114, increase faculty quarters, lecture rooms and library facilities. 25 youth leader courses for young men and women will be given. Each course accommodates 80 students. Vocational training courses, lectures, conferences, and field trips to various industrial plants are included in the planned activities.

DM 30,000

(x) Equipment and furniture has been purchased for the Ilcrz-Jesu Youth Home for refugees at Weinheim. The Home, a threestorey building, will have 35 bedrooms accommodating one hundred boys and the supervisory staff. Classes and courses include elementary schooling for those whose education has been neglected, stenography and typing. Refresher courses will be given in the trades which the refugees have practised as apprentices. A qualified staff, mainly voluntary, will be in charge of the activities and the boys will remain in the Home for an average period of two years.

DM 76,610

(xi) An Apprentice Refugee Training Home at Sulzbach has been erected. The Home adjacent to the orphanage under construction will accommodate 60 apprentice boys, 40 apprentice girls and 20 boys for whom apprenticeship employment has already been found. Six workshops will be provided for courses in carpentry, painting and decorating, shoemaking, tailoring and gardening.

DM 46,200

(xii) A new building is being erected on the ruins of the previous students' Home, St. Leonhard, Brunswick, which was destroyed during World War II. The new two-storey Home will house 48 refugee boys, and will consist of recreational rooms, bath and shower rooms, small kitchens, laundry and ironing rooms, dining hall, sickroom, consultation room, etc. The children will be of school age and under the supervision of four qualified social workers. They will attend public and vocational schools and in some cases high schools and college. Placement as apprentices or other professional employment is ensured upon graduation by the local authorities, industries and trades.

DM 165,000

(xiii) Equipment has been purchased for the Training Operation Room at Marien Hospital, School and Home for refugee nurses at Erlangen. The Home provides for the training of 60 girls in all branches of nursing.

DM 60,277

(xiv) The Don Bosco Apprentices Refugee Home at Stuttgart has been equipped and furnished. The home is capable of accommodating 76 youths between the ages of 15 and 25. Courses under competent instructors will be given to teach the youths various trades which will enable them to earn their living.

DM 68,670

(xv) A grant has been made for the purchase of furniture and equipment for the St. Michaels Youth Training Centre at Underbernhards- Rhoen. In summer there is accommodation for 130 refugee boys and girls between 15 and 21 years, some of whom sleep in tents, and in winter 80 can be accommodated. The project will provide for an additional 40. The training courses average 6 months and consist of domestic science for the girls and carpentry, cabinet-making, woodcarving and furniture making for the boys. Qualified instructors provided by the Labour Office are in charge.

DM 41,405

(xvi) Equipment and furnishings for the St. Agnesheim Home and training centre for refugee girls at Bremen have been provided. The Home provides a 6 months' course in domestic science, household economy, hygiene and first aid. There is also a 6 months' course in reading, writing, arithmetic and ethics provided for those girls whose education has been interrupted. 40 girls will be accommodated in the home.

DM 20,706

(xvii) A house will be built adjacent to the Youth Home at Plon, Kappelsberg, to provide a dormitory for an additional 15 refugee youths who get practical training in farming and gardening.

DM 9,905

(xviii) A carpentry training project is being established at Odertal Camp, Niedersachsen. The grant will be utilized for the purchase of carpenter's benches, chests and necessary tools. Refugee apprentices will be schooled under the supervision of a master carpenter whose salary is provided for by the camp administration.

DM 6,050

(xix) A community centre has been completed and equipped for refugees at Karlsfeld. It will accommodate 150-200 children, 90 % of whom are non-German refugees. The centre will be used by children of all ages and by youth of both sexes who have already left school.

DM 60,000

(xx) Another community centre at Rosenheim will cater for 200 refugee children of whom 90 % are non-German refugees.

DM 60,000

(xxi) Furniture and equipment has been purchased for the Home for refugee girls and unmarried mothers at Oldenburg-Kreyenbruck. The Home will accommodate 30 girls and young mothers between 16 and 24 years of age and 20 infants and small children. Courses lasting from 6 to 8 months cover all branches of domestic economy, dressmaking and infant care.

DM 20,700

(xxii) A project is in operation for the construction of a Community and Social Centre for refugee youth at Baumholder. This centre will provide accommodation for 74 young workers and will serve with its clubrooms and workshops hundreds of young refugees spending their leisure time in wholesome surroundings. The centre will assist in advice and counsel to these youths to enable them to become integrated in the German pattern of life.

DM 52,800

(xxiii) A Youth Leadership training programme for refugees in Germany has been extended until December 1953. An estimated number of 600 leaders will be trained in this supplementary period.

DM 86,645

(xxiv) A Haus fur Allé at Berlin will be constructed to serve approximately 4,300 refugees from Eastern Germany in Camp Volmerstrasse, Tempelhof.

DM 35,000

(xxv) In Hamm there is a Home for 42 refugee girls from the East Zone who in courses of six months' duration are trained for household jobs and apprenticeships and are later helped to find situations where they can earn their own living.

DM 23,100

(xxvi) A Home in Husum gives accommodation to 36 refugee youth 15-17 years of age, where they are assisted in finding the most suitable employment or apprenticeship.

DM 6,000

(xxvii) At Pfarrkirchen 120 refugee children (80 boys and 40 girls) areprovided with accommodation in a students' Home. They attend secondary schools and vocational training schools in an area where the number of schools and houses for students is especially low.

DM 66,000

(xxviii) In Berlin there is a hostel for 60 schoolchildren whose education was interrupted by their flight from the East Zone.

DM 80,200

(xxix) In Neckarzimmern the building of the Home-school is being extended to include 30 educationally-retarded refugee boys. Six months' course in the elementary subjects are given to prepare them as mature apprentices.

DM 33,000

(xxx) An Open Door Home and Club for boys has been started in Dusseldorf to take care of neglected boys by offering them a home, and the benefit of advice and encouragement while jobs and permanent lodging are found for them. As a club the centre provides lectures, films and recreational facilities not only for the residents but also for their friends and visitors.

DM 89,680

(xxxi) In a suburb of Bielefeld a community centre is xmder construction, which will include a kindergarten, hobby-shops for adolescents, courses in the German language, customs and civil affairs. Special courses for women in prenatal and post-natal care will be held, as well as courses in hygiene and domestic science.

DM 60,000

(xxxii) An extensive programme has been carried out to train refugee leaders who go back to their communities and serve their fellow-refugees by promoting all kinds of activities designed to assist in the satisfactory adjustment to life in Germany. The programme is designed to discover, train and to encourage those who will accept the challenge of democratic responsibility.

(xxxiii) Under the same grant the numbers of language classes and the registered students attending have almost doubled. The majority are German language classes, and play a strategic part in helping adults, as well as young people, as they seek satisfactory integration in Germany.

For the above two projects : DM 165,000

9.5 Youth centres in camps

(i) The construction is proceeding of 15 youth centres in camps and settlements with a total population of 28,000. These include Flensburg-Muerwick, Kiel-Friedrichsort Neumunster, Westertimke, Sandbostel, Gesthacht, Malmsheim, Bindlach, Giebelstadt, Berlin, Unna-Massen, Giessen and Elze. Several are already completed and in operation.

DM 496,500

(ii) Youth centres in the two reception camps for young people who fled from the East Zone are operated. At Sandbostel the centre for boys is already in operation; each one is interviewed, efforts are made to place those who possess a trade or skill, referrals are made to other institutions for those who do not have sufficient vocational training. Courses in West German ways, democratic ideals and civic duties are included. A similar centre is being constructed for the girls in Westertimke camp.

DM 15,000

9.6 Social assimilation

(i) Under two programmes a network of sewing-rooms has been opened up in a great number of camps, in which refugee girls and women are occupied in remodelling clothing or making sheets, pillowcases, curtains or new clothing from materials contributed. In some camps orders can be obtained from establishments and factories. Girls are being trained as dressmakers and tailoresses.

DM 60,850 and DM 7,705

(ii) In the isolated new settlement at Porz-Westhofen a community centre is being established to assist in the integration process of the 550 foreign refugees.

DM 30,000

(iii) A placement service has been established for refugee families at present in Germany. Many of the families involved, according to a recent survey carried out by the Agency, can be placed out of camps either in Germany or abroad, on an individual case basis.

DM 150,500

(iv) An employment service exists for refugees to realize mass employment opportunities in mines, industries and agriculture and to stimulate private initiative through support of small agricultural, commercial and handcraft enterprises.

DM 25,200

(v) A refugee integration programme has been started at Land Oldenburg for the resettlement of 1,110 families and single individuals from the rural barracks into the industrial areas of Lower Saxony and the Ruhr area. This will be accomplished by the placement of each employable refugee into a j o b or apprentice training and adequate housing for the entire family at the point of employment.

DM 80,200

(vi) The Michaelsfoundation Farm Resettlement Scheme near Ellingen helps to resettle refugee farm families and to train refugee youth in agricultural and related vocations, on a central co-operative farm and parallel to it 8 homes for farm families. There will also be workshops and two small youth homes for boys who are being trained. The project will provide homes and work for 245 persons. The contribution is made towards the purchase of the farm, repairs and improvements on land and property and a building programme for the settlement.

DM 143,500

(vii) A grant has been given for the building and equipment of an additional wing of the Raphaelsverein Hostel for refugees at Hamburg. The new wing will have 13 bedrooms, a diningroom, a social room etc. and will provide accommodation for 31 refugees. Assistance will be given in obtaining the necessary personal documents.

DM 74,540

(viii) An old mill at Braunschweig, Niedersachsen, will be converted into 24 units for refugee families now living in bunkers. The project also provides for the adaptation of an adjacent single storey building to be used as a kindergarten.

DM 46,100

(ix) An integration service among foreign refugees will be carried out in German communities to which former Schleissheim refugee camp residents have been moved. The service will consist of the establishment of kindergartens, home economic groups and libraries, and of liaison activities between the refugees and the community authorities and citizen groups. Besides the headquarters in Munich, 4 subprojects will be established.

DM 42,285 and $6,000

(x) In Berlin a social counselling centre is being constructed to serve especially the 10,000 refugees from the East Zone who have not been legally recognized and are, therefore, not eligible for asylum in Western Germany.

($ 4,100)

(xi) Arrangements have been completed for the permanent settlement of TB and posttubercular refugees with dependants, mainly in Norway and Sweden. Most of them come from Germany. In the case of Sweden, a special Act of Parliament was passed to arrange for the admission of 25 persons in need of special care. Already more than 60 have arrived in their new homes where they are being given either sanatorium treatment or suitable employment, taking into account their physical conditions.

DM 396,200

9.7 Cultural Activities

(i) A Community Centre has been established to serve the foreign refugee settlement at Memmingen. The settlement at present accomodates 1,200 refugees, the majority of whom are Estonians and Latvians. The Community Centre will serve as a focal point for cultural activities and the meeting place of Germans and non-Germans. Classroom facilities for pre-elementary schoolchildren and a recreation centre for teen-age youth will be provided. The building will include a hall accomodating 250 persons, a kindergarten for 100 children, a clubroom for 50 school-going teenagers, and a small office for the social workers.

DM 80,000

(ii) There is a project for converting and remodelling a farmhouse into a community and cultural centre for refugees at Espelkamp; this will include a large recreation room, two rooms for a library (the books being provided by UNESCO), a reading room, a central room for meetings and diseussions, two or three games rooms, a lounge, and rooms for the housemanager's office and sleeping quarters. The centre will serve approximately 3,000 refugees who have settled in and around Espelkamp.

DM 68,000

(iii) Between 70 and 120 scholarships will be granted over a period of 10 to 12 months to refugee school-children, to enable them to attend local public schools.

DM 99,000

(iv) A grant has been made for scholarships and the provision of books, magazines and visual aid materials and for the sponsorship of guest lectures. The project calls for the expansion of the programme at Heimvolkshochschulc, Gohrde Niedersachsen and Haus Schwalbach, Bad Schwalbach. Scholarships will be provided for 1,250 young refugee students to follow courses at these schools.

DM 79,100

Austria

316. In spite of the most difficult economic situation of Austria, opportunities do exist for refugees to be integrated into the economic and social life of the country. There is a most promising opening for refugees in agri- Culture. House-building in some industrial areas is essential if refugees are to find employment and integration. The intellectual professions have been opened to Volksdeutsche refugees since 1952. Small trades and businesses are also open to refugees. Through the provision of homes for refugee students and hostels for apprentices, of scholarships for secondary school and university students, and of vocational training and refresher courses, an opportunity can be given to the refugee youth to adapt itself to the economic and labour conditions prevailing in Austria. Bearing all these factors in mind, the High Commissioner has selected the following programmes for operation in Austria :

9.8 Agricultural integration

(i) One Farm Loan Fund is helping 50 agricultural refugee families to become selfsupporting in 1953 and to contribute to the agricultural production of Upper Austria. (Based on such demonstration projects, the Austrian Government is starting a similar refugee farm loan project for which they plan to make ANS 4,000,000 available for the settlement of 200 refugee families.)

ANS. 603,100

(ii) On behalf of capable refugee farm families, 30 farms in Lower Austria have been leased and stocked, and an issue made of agricultural equipment, fodder, seed and other necessities to restore the farms to activity. On a revolving loan fund basis, agricultural credits are given to refugees for the purchase of livestock and agricultural implements, and in addition small loans are granted, to start minor industries or to complete a house.

ANS. .450,000

(iii) A contribution was made towards the enlargement of a refugee newspaper which encourages settlement and integration into Austrian agricultural communities.

ANS 26,000

9.9 House-building

(i) An interesting building programme is being carried out on a revolving fund basis. Settlers are required to do a great deal of the building work themselves and families containing several physically strong members are asked to do some work free of charge on behalf of other physically weak refugee families. In four different localities a total of 103 houses arc under construction.

ANS. 3,735,992

(ii) In the Salzburg area 13 % of the inhabitants are refugees and employment possibilities are good, so that a nearby site has been chosen for the construction of 17 buildings of various types — 14 one-family dwellings, 1 row of attached cottages and 2 apartmenttype houses—which -will altogether provide housing for 225 persons.

ANS. 572,672

(iii) Ten one-family houses in Voels (near Innsbruck) are being built on the same principle, especially for families with an average of 3 to 4 children, and with grandparents as well in some cases.

ANS. 260,000

(iv) The Vorarlberg Housing project will provide 20 refugee families with housing built in the vicinity of the wage-earner's place of employment.

ANS. 600,000

(v) A Building Loan Fund in Graz is assisting 75 families in the completion of the construction of their houses or in the construction or expansion of farms.

ANS. 437,500

(vi) In St. Martin near Linz a settlement project of 12 one-family houses is under way.

ANS. 312,000

(vii) In Linz a revolving loan fund is operating for housing purposes. When refugees are selected to benefit by this programme, preference is given to those families who have already shown initiative and industry by acquiring a site and constructing the basic framework of a house. Other refugees will benefit by the repaid loans.

ANS. 520,000

(viii) Another revolving loan fund is assisting refugees in completing 13 housing units 10 kms. from Linz. The units are two-storey houses for either one or two families. The loans will b e restricted to refugees at the camps in and around Linz, who are employed in the area. The refugees themselves are contributing in cash and labour about one-third of the cost of the unit.

ANS. 260,000

9.10 Vocational Training

(i) In Linz a Home for Apprentices is giving 63 young refugees the opportunity to move from the drab confinement of their camps.

ANS. 1,500,000

(ii) In Vienna an apprentice hostel with attached workshop provides accommodation for 60 refugees boys.

ANS. 910,000

(iii) In Salzburg a home for apprentices is under construction which will serve as a residence for 60 apprentices and youths attending institutions of higher education and accommodates 72 adult refugees in transit and 35 girls undergoing household courses. Workshops for shoemaking, tailoring and domestic science are attached.

ANS. 1,300,000

(iv) In Klagenfurt a home for girl apprentices 14 to 17 years old is being enlarged in order to provide accommodation for 60 refugee girls and training for a total of 120.

ANS. 600,000

(v) The Kolpinghaus, also in Klagenfurt, will shortly give accommodation to 90 refugee youths serving apprenticeships in the town who will have the opportunity for extra-curricular training in various trades provided by the House.

ANS. 385,700

(vi) The Trade School in Spittal provides 30 boys with vocational training; the number is shortly to be increased to 120.

ANS. 184,600

(vii) In Felberthal the joint trade and high school combines the ordinary secondary school curriculum with the first two years of training in woodwork and metalwork, building and electric lighting. When the expansion is completed the school will take 60 refugee boys.

ANS. 832,000

(viii) Vocational Training courses are being operated in Vienna and Asten covering electrotechnics, radio-technics, and auto-mechanics. It is estimated that 250 refugees will benefit from the courses.

ANS. 300,000

9.11 Secondary-school students

(i) In Ried a Home is being built in which 60 refugee children will be sheltered while waiting for their transport to take them home after school. This home will also provide accommodation for 15 resident students. During the holidays it will also be used for student extra-curricular activities.

ANS. 420,000

(ii) Also under construction is a school home in Salzburg for a small number of refugee children enrolled in secondary schools; this number will shortly be increased to 50. After matriculation they can be placed in jobs without much difficulty.

ANS. 162,000

(iii) Because the secondary schools are only in the towns and some of the specialized schools (for business training or certain trades) exist only in a few cities, a scholarship fund has been started. Under the grant 105 selected refugee boys and girls can be assisted through a subsidy to meet the cost of either their stay in a Home or their daily travel.

ANS. 230,460

(iv) In Villach a hostel for boys from the country attending high schools is being expanded to accommodate 12 additional refugee youths.

ANS. 134,730

(v) In Innsbruck an apprentice Home for refugees is being extended to accommodate an extra 170 students. On completion of their studies the students from this Home will be assisted in obtaining apprenticeships and employment.

ANS. 650,000

(vi) A refugee student home in Graz is operated and caters for most of the material needs of the refugee student population by providing sleeping quarters, washing facilities, centralized cooking facilities and study rooms. 120 refugee students of the university and technical high school use this Home.

ANS. 252,000

9.12 University students

(i) A student employment service not only helps 50 students to continue their studies but also enriches their education by relating their employment during the vacations to the life of the community. Community centres, youth organisations, youth hostels, apprentice and children's homes, refugee camps, kindergartens and play centres accept and supervise these student workers during vacations. By this temporary employment the students earn the money to finance their studies during the rest of the year.

ANS. 437,500

(ii) A revolving loan fund exists to provide scholarships to university students, and the loans cover the cost of tuition fees, examination fees, text-books and language classes. 92 students will benefit from these loans.

ANS. 192,000

9.13 Social assimilation

(i) In Villach a small counselling centre is being constructed for refugees who have to stay there for some days while they are seeking employment and carrying out the necessary formalities with the authorities.

ANS. 54,000

(ii) Loans will be granted to refugee farmworkers for agricultural purposes and to craftsmen for the purpose of assisting them to become settled by the construction of a small house.

ANS. 66,000

(iii) Two community centres have been erected, one at Enns serving 600 refugees, and another at Lin/, looking after 12 camps.

ANS. 316,095

(iv) Loans are made to refugee intellectuals, who need the initial capital to return to the practice of their former professions. The loans will be on an interest-free basis for a period of 2 to 4 years. By this 25 refugees will benefit.

ANS. 705,000

(v) Another loan fund for refugees exists to help with the purchase of dental instruments, livestock, farm machinery, setting up of stores and the completion of homes. Such loans are intended to help the refugee to help himself.

ANS. 360,000

(vi) Yet another loan fund exists on a revolving basis to enable skilled or professionalmen to follow their previous occupations. Farm equipment, trade tools or loans for the opening of retail shops are covered. This grant is sufficient to cover loans to 20 refugee families.

ANS. 260,000

(vii) The refugee newspaper Heimat has been granted money for expansion. This paper is a six-page fortnightly publication and contains articles dealing with problems common to all refugees and news from their former homeland. The grant will be used to increase circulation and broaden the scope of the paper.

ANS. 26,000

(viii) The former IRO refugee records at Wels will be integrated with other records and available to voluntary Agencies working on the assimilation and integration of refugees.

ANS. 44,200, US $ 120

(ix) An employment service has been set up for refugees to cater for the mass employment opportunities in mines, industries and agriculture and to stimulate private initiative through support of small agricultural, commercial and handicraft enterprises.

ANS. 103,980

(x) A placement has been established for refugee families at present in Austria and Germany. Many of the families involved, according to a recent survey carried out by the Agency, can be placed out of camps either in Austria or Germany or abroad, on an individual case basis.

ANS. 705,000

9.14 Youth training

(i) During the 6 months ended March, 1953 there were trained in 10 courses altogether 170 refugee leaders, including youth leaders, summer camp leaders, specialists for boys' and girls' work, leaders for community activities, etc. An expert staff supervises camp community activities directed by the training volunteer leaders.

ANS. 276,300

(ii) Almost completed is a Youth Home at Deutschfeistritz, Styria. This will provide facilities for 120 refugee youths; regular conferences lasting from 2 days to 2 weeks will be conducted enabling refugee youth to meet Austrian youth.

ANS. 90,000

France

317. One of the chief possibilities for integration of refugees in France lies in the country districts where farmland is available and refugee farmers can make a real contribution towards the economy of the country. Openings in certain industrial professions also exist.

9.15 Agricultural integration

Farm settlement schemes are being operated in France for refugee farmer families from Germany, Austria and Trieste. After very careful planning and with full approval of the French authorities, it was decided to go into this field because various rural areas have been depopulated and farms are available. As a token of official interest in the schemes all refugee farm families are granted family allowances after only three months of residence in France and their children are accepted in French schools not later than a fortnight after their arrival. Families with three or more children can apply for French citizenship after only one year.

(i) Nine Banatai refugee families, now living in Austria, are being settled in farms in Vaucluse, France. These families, comprising approximately 50 persons, will be assisted partly with grants-in-aid and partly loans from a revolving fund. They are encouraged to integrate themselves into the community life and eventually become French citizens. It is expected they will become self-supporting after one year.

Fr. 15,860,000

(ii) In the Department of Landes 47 Volksdeutsche refugee farm families (288 persons) will be provided with the necessary livestock and equipment to effect their establishment on farms.

Fr. 16,000,000

(iii) Thirty-three refugee farm families from Germany and Trieste are settled on farms in Drôme, France. The farms are scattered, which will prevent their forming a closed community and enhance their chances of integration into the local French way of life. A fulltime worker will be responsible for looking after them on arrival and subsequently.

Fr. 4,900,000

9.16 Social assimilation

(i) A grant was made for the purchase of a building which will serve as a community centre for the 6,000 Jewish refugees in Paris. A programme of counselling services, French language courses, information on customs, history and economy of France, vocational counselling and a youth programme will be operated.

Fr. 20,000,000

(ii) While preparing themselves for resettlement abroad or employment in France, 25 families, with 25 persons requiring special care, form a working community in " La Haute Maison " , Sucy-en-Brie. All these people have come from Eastern Europe. Orders for the workshops and a market for the various products of the estate are found in Paris.

Fr. 2,828,000

(iii) A contribution has been made towards the purchase of a building for use as a Home in which intellectual refugees can be re-trained.

Fr. 2,400,000

(iv) It is estimated that 500 refugees per month will be served by the counselling and assimilation service at Paris. The refugees will be assisted in securing official documents, residence and working permits, aid from social welfare services, and employment.

Fr. 4,140,000

(v) A contribution was made towards the purchase of a large farmhouse at St. Sulpicelès- Favières, to be used as a home for 100 refugee children, ft will also serve as a Counselling Centre to assist 400 refugees a month.

Fr. 4,000,000

(vi) A revolving loan fund has been opened to establish refugee families in France by granting loans for the repair of machines, for the purchase of raw materials, machinery and work tools, and for the reunion of families in instances where children at present are in Homes.

Fr. 12,000,000

(vii) Two community centres are being constructed, one near Montbéliard in a densely concentrated area where over 70,000 workmen — a large percentage of them refugees of 24 nationalities (mainly German) — are employed. The second one, in the Moselle Valley, is primarily to serve Polish refugees who live mostly in barracks and for whom few opportunities for integration into French life exist. Two Area field workers are supported by the grant to organize groups and youth clubs and to train volunteer leaders to promote activities of value in the work of refugee integration.

Fr. 4,800,000

9.17 Youth training

(i) A refugee student Home at Sèvres is being extended in order to give accommodation to 40 young people of 15 different nationalities studying in Paris. The Home provides courses in history, culture and French language, technical instruction in various professions, studygroups and opportunities for meeting leading French personalities.

Fr. 2,440,000

(ii) A technical and vocational training programme for young Spanish refugees is in operation in France. In this connection the grant will be used to assist 30 students whose parents are so physically incapacitated that they are unable to meet the additional expense of secondary technical education. Assistance covers the purchase of text-books and materials, registration and examination fees, necessary tools, etc.

Fr. 3,600,000

(iii) A Revolving Loan Fund has been established to provide scholarshijjs to refugee university students in several countries including France. The loans will be granted for tuition fees, examination fees, registration fees, costs of printing theses, purchase of text-books and language classes for those who intend to settle in the Western Hemisphere. In France 25 students will benefit from these scholarships.

Fr. 300,000

Italy

318. In Italy the main efforts to find a solution for the refugee problem must be directed towards emigration, as employment possibilities for refugees are rare. The situation of the refugees living in camps or scattered over wide areas is such that educational assistance for the youth is most essential, and social assimilation work for those who cannot emigrate is also being carried out.

9.18 Aid to students

(i) A revolving loan fund for students has been opened to assist 100 young people to complete their studies at Italian universities. Graduation is essential for re-settlement of this group.

LIT. 6,500,000

(ii) A second loan fund on almost the same lines will assist 20 refugee students at one time to continue their education in preparation for re-settlement abroad. Loans will be repaid within 2 years from the sixth month following graduation, and will be devoted then to educational assistance to other refugees.

LIT. 1,250,000

(iii) A project of educational assistance for refugee children is carried out in Rome, where one centre for Russian children and one for Yugoslav children are operated to provide children from refugee camps with a normal life and the opportunity of a higher education. Also, assistance is given to 400 elementary school pupils outside the camps for essential school materials and tuition fees, and to 100 high school students for the same purposes.

LIT. 3,575,000

9.19 Youth training

(i) There are 500 boys and girls between 7 and 18 years of age living in three camps of the International Assistance Administration and about 60 in a camp administered by the Ministry of the Interior. A programme to occupy the youth in their spare time provides educational and recreational facilities, vocational training, language courses, athletics, games, Boy and Girl Scout troops, etc.

LIT. 7,280,000

9.20 Social assimilation

(i) A loan fund on a revolving basis has been started to assist refugees to open a small business or purchase equipment and tools necessary to get employment. Small loans are needed because the interest rate charged by the banks for similar loans is almost prohibitive.

LIT. 6,500,000

(ii) A similar fund has been set up to assist 30 intellectuals who do not have the necessary financial means to publish their manuscripts.

LIT. 3,250,000

(iii) There is to be established a resettlement counselling service for refugees at Rome. This service will be charged with the compilation of case files for refugees in Italy, which will be set up so as to enable classification of refugees, the basic data being obtained from eligibility interviews and from already existing dossiers.

LIT. 4,880,000

(iv) Equipment has been provided for the extension of the Carlo Alberto Retreat for refugees at San Giovanni, which cares for 70 refugees. This grant will also be used for the intensification of bee-keeping, poultryfarming, gardening and the purchase of equipment for the kitchen, laundry, diningroom and library.

LIT. 6,283,750

(v) A community centre is under construction in conjunction with camps in the Gorizia area, which has a refugee population of 5,000. This centre will organize cultural, educational and recreational activities, especially for youth. As well as being a social gathering place, the centre will prepare the refugee for final emigration or local settlement.

LIT. 5,395,000

(vi) Arrangements have been completed for the permanent settlement of a group of TB and post-TB refugees, together with their dependants, mainly in Norway and Sweden. Many of these have come from Italy and have received a warm welcome and excellent care in their new countries.

LIT. 30,237,500

9.21 Agricultural resettlement

(i) An agricultural centre has been established in Capua Camp (1,000 inhabitants), where regular courses will be given enabling refugees to obtain diplomas as farmers and gardeners. Agricultural tools, seeds, manure, etc. will be purchased.

LIT. 1,841,000

Trieste

319. The present refugee problem of 4,000 foreign refugees living in camps or requisitioned prison buildings can only be solved through re-settlement outside Trieste, where employment prospects are not good. There is an urgent need to train workers : the ablebodied so that they can satisfy the standards demanded by employers and Selection Missions from various countries, the patients (especially TB cases) in sanatoria so that their chances of finding occupations suitable to their physical condition may be increased when their health is restored, and the young people, who will probably be finding work in countries of re-settlement.

9.22 Vocational training

(i) In co-operation with the Allied Military Government, a voluntary agency, financed from Ford Foundation grant money, is running the Vocational Training School in Trieste Camp where 400 refugee students are following courses in carpentry, wood-work, toymaking, radio-mechanics etc. Successful students will of course receive a State-recognized diploma.

LIT. 1,300,000

(ii) In Prosecco TB Sanatorium an occupational therapy programme has been organized, which has now become an accepted part of Sanatorium life. The elementary crafts (needlework, knitting, raffia-work, toymaking, etc.) are followed by courses in basketry, dressmaking and light woodwork.

LIT. 898,750

(iii) In the town of Trieste the Opera Figli del Popolo Trade School has been extended especially for 100 refugees from Istria, who will have an opportunity of obtaining employment within Italy. The curriculum includes carpentry, mechanics, electricity and printing.

LIT. 1,300,000

9.23 Youth training

(i) An existing Recreation and Sports Centre in Trieste has been aided by the purchase of additional equipment. This serves the youth in 5 refugee camps.

LIT. 1,875,000

(ii) An efficient and complete school programme for nearly 500 refugee children of Russian, Yugoslav, Rumanian and Hungarian origin is supervised by a welfare programme. Educational material is being supplied and these children are enabled to continue their education and become prepared for re-settlement and integration abroad. An extensive sports and recreation programme will help prepare the refugees both mentally and physically for a new future abroad by raising the health and moral standards.

LIT. 1,875,000

Belgium

320. In addition to giving asylum to numerous cases requiring special care from Central Europe and China, Belgium has received 15,000 Displaced Persons, most of whom live near the coal mines where the heads of families are employed. A number of them have to be assisted in improving their health conditions, and many of their children should be helped by providing opportunities for vocational training if they are to achieve integration.

321. The following programme are in operation

9.24 Social assimilation

(i) A rehabilitation scheme is beingcarried out by means of a revolving loan fund to establish refugee families b y enabling them to pay for the repair of machines, the purchase of raw materials, machinery and work tools, and for the rexmion of families in istances where children are at present in Homes, etc.

BF. 250,000

(ii) A contribution has been made towards the equipment and furnishing of a third Home for refugees in Antwerp, in which 40 refugee men will be accommodated.

BF. 250,000

(iii) A Centre for neo-refugees is being operated at Brussels and will accommodate between 60 and 70 refugees for a compulsory stay of 30 days. This period will be used by the authorities to regularize their status. Courses in French and Flemish and lectures on citizenship will be held.

BF. 1,000,000

(iv) One project covers the establishment of a counselling centre where refugees may receive legal advice, aid towards securing labour permits and social security benefits, etc. ; also a Home at Ostend for children whose health is endangered, and a fund for medical treatment in sanatoria.

BF. 1,250,000

9.25 University scholarships

(i) A revolving loan fund has been established to provide scholarships to refugee university students. The loans will be for tuition fees, examination fees, fees for the printing of a thesis, purchase of text books, and language classes for those who hope to settle abroad. 20 refugees in Belgium will benefit.

BF. 80,000

Greece

Owing to the devastation of the Second World War and the following civil war, the economic position of the country makes it extremely hard for refugees to earn their own living in Greece. The nine projects now being carried out under the grant cover four different fields of refugee assimilation :

9.26 Agricultural integration

(i) The village of Riziani was reconstructed by the Greek Government and put at the disposal of 40 refugee families, with the adjoining farmland. Irrigation facilities were provided under thé grant to enable the settlers to raise sufficient food to meet the needs of the community.

DR. 120,000,000

(ii) Under an Agricultural Establishment Programme for refugees in Greece, a Greekspeaking expert will t ry to encourage the establishment of other refugee villages and will be based in Riziani in order to assist the recently settled families there to overcome the difficulties inherent in their establishment. He will help them in their dealings with government authorities and advise them on agricultural problems in order to promote their speedy assimilation.

DR. 66,200,000

(iii) Another agricultural programme has been established at Panayitsa. At present there are over 1,000 refugees living in the district who lost all their farm animals, agricultural implements and possessions when they were forced to flee from their own communities. The grant will be used to give a continuing demonstration of the use of new seeds, crops and different methods of cultivation, of dry lot feeding of livestock with herd improvement, of submarginal land as it ties in with the above programme and the organisation of co-operatives in pest-control and in the limited use of power machinery.

DR. 180,000,000

9.27 Housing scheme

(i) An Establishment Fund has been set up for refugee families in Tripoli. The Greek Government has built 30 new houses which will be given rent-free for a considerable period to 33 refugee families. The grant will be used to supply the families on arrival with equipment and tools and to make loans for non-capital expenditure involved before work can be begun.

DR. 283,000,000

9.28 Youth training

(i) Twenty-four Greek refugee students from Rumania have been enabled to continue their studies at the Polytechnic Institute in Athens. As they are studying engineering, chemistry and metallurgy, employment after graduation is secured.

DR. 30,195,000

(ii) The refugee students from Rumania enrolled at the Athens Polytechnic Institute, Athens University, Radio Technical School, High Commercial School and Agricultural School have been assisted by the purchase of a set of the text books most necessary for their studies, which are placed in a central library.

DR. 7,500,000

(iii) With the establishment of a Technical Training programme for young refugees in Greece, Ford Foundation money will be used to assist 50 refugee students to attend technical schools for a period of 6 months, 75 refugee students to attend special vocational courses for a period of 10 months, 40 refugee students to attend the Trade School at Syros, 20 refugee students to study for a period of 6 months and 75 refugee students for a period of 10 months at various institutions.

DR. 302,600,000

(iv) Under this heading may also be included a kindergarten which has been started and equipped in Jaonnina Camp where Northern Epirot refugees are living in very primitive circumstances. In these surroundings the children of kindergarten age were left to their own devices with no playground, no toys, no supervision.

DR. 22,350,000

9.29 Social assimilation

(i) An Assimilation and Resettlement Service for refugees in Greece has been established. This service will assist groups and families to be included in schemes for their integration, will relate families to government authorities and agencies, and will carry cases through to the point of rendering the required placement services.

DR. 595,050,000

Turkey

322. The importance of the large group of refugees of Turkish ethnic origin from Bulgaria in Turkey has already been described in an earlier chapter of this report. It is noteworthy to remark that the Turkish authorities have dealt with this problem very thoroughly but it is obvious that funds from international sources will be necessary to help them with the job they have already started so well.

323. The High Commissioner has agreed to make available to the Turkish authorities an amount of $ 50,000 from the Ford Foundation grant for the purpose of the integration of part of this group of refugees into the Turkish economy. Projects are being prepared for vocational training among refugee farmers. These projects will soon be submitted through the World Council of Churches to the High Commissioner for approval.

324. The High Commissioner has made available through the World Council of Churches another allocation of $ 20,000 for the integration of a group of foreign refugees in Turkey for a farm scheme sponsored by the World Council of Churches.

(i) À programme covering housing, agricultural development and vocational training for foreign refugees has been established. This will be carried out in connection with a refugee farm, which will serve as a reception centre for newly-arrived foreign refugees and a transit centre for refugees being processed for resettlement. Vocational training in agriculture, building trades and other skills is provided. The contribution was made towards the construction of two housing units for refugee families, the agricultural development scheme and the vocational training programme.

T£ 82,265

Appendix

Contributions used in conjunction with Ford Foundation allocations - The total outside financing on 15th June, 1953 -was 8 7,569,369 to a Ford Foundation allocation of $2,256,021.

CONTRIBUTIONS from	AUSTRIA	GERMANY	FRANCE	BELGIUM	ITALY	TRIESTE	GREECE	TURKEY	TOTAL
Vol. Ags. and Indigenous Counterparts. . . .	269,355	939,278	101,430	5,000	32,000	44,690	17,90	8,000	1,417,653
Governments and Local Authorites	405,302	5,128,553		12,000			2,000		5,547,855
Local Denominational Bodies	8,333	79,934	35,000	5,000					128,267
Refugees . . . .	107,716	11,765							119,481
Miscellaneous . .		356,113							356,113
Total outside financing.. . .Ford Foundation.	790,706 - 654,295	6,515,643 - 1,179,899	136,430 - 145,351	22,000 - 56,600	32,000 - 111,396	44,690 - 45,356	19,900 - 54,843	8,000 - 18,281	7,569,369 - 2,266,021
TOTAL . . .	1,445,001	7,695,542	281,781	78,600	143,396	90,046	74,743	26,281	9,835,390

1. In addition, the American Joint Distribution Committee under its Project No. 1 has an amount of $ 84,700 not yet allocated to one or more countries, and S 177,157 has been allocated to Re-settlement projects overseas carried out by the World Council of Churches, the National Catholic Welfare Conference and the Lutheran World Federation, mainly in Latin American, Canada and Australia.

2. Grand total allocated from the Ford Foundation grant as at 15 June, 1953: §2,527,878.

CONCLUSION

3. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has followed closely the work of the various organs of the Council of Europe on behalf of refugees and has kept them fully informed of all its activities which may be of interest to them.

4. On the occasion of the last report on the activities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Consultative Assembly, in thanking the High Commissioner for his report, stated it was convinced that the continuance of this practice in the future would provide a valuable link between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Council of Europe. Furthermore it noted "with considerable satisfaction the extensive activities undertaken by the High Commissioner, " and was " convinced that its Committee on Population and Refugees will continue to follow the progress of his work with keen attention in a spirit of co-operation and in the best interests of the refugees ".

5. During the last session of the Consultative Assembly, M. Pernot, Chairman of the Committee on Population and Refugees, addressed the Consultative Assembly on the subject of liaison with the Office of the High Commissioner. He emphasized the importance for both organizations to be represented at each other's meetings and said that he was very happy to notice that the High Commissioner's representatives were following closely the work of the Committee on Population and Refugees and the Special Liaison Committee.

6. If noteworthy progress has been made in the co-ordination of their work on behalf of refugees b y the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Council of Europe, it is due in no small measure to the practice which has been established by each organization of sending observers to the meetings of the other. However, in the opinion of this Office the close liaison which has so far existed between the two Organizations could be further improved if some attention could be given to the problem of the distribution of reports on refugee matters submitted to the Assembly and its committees. The present practice of restricting the circulation of these reports and making them available only at a very late date to other international organizations must limit to a considerable degree the contribution which these organizations might make to the work of the Assembly.

7. In transmitting this memorandum to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe and its competent committees, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees wishes to re-emphasize the importance that he attaches to the role which the Council of Europe may play in the international work on behalf of refugees in giving wellinformed and constructive support to the work of existing organizations working on behalf of refugees.

8. The Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe is in a special position to do this and to give valuable support to the efforts made by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to promote permanent solutions for those refugees in Europe who are within its mandate according to the decision of the General Assembly of the United Nations.