Examples of such action include the expulsion of Jews from Spain in the late 15th century, the exodus of Huguenots from France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, and the eviction of Jews from Germany, Austria, and Sudetenland (now in the Czech Republic) in the 1930s. The Rohingyas have lived in Myanmar for generations and the Bangladesh government has called for Myanmar to take back the refugees. 49-62. Once refugees arrive in Britain, responsibility for their right … 1966. Late 1700s: Scots Highlanders, refugees of the Highland Clearances during the modernization of Scotland, settled in Canada. When it comes to the numbers of refugees taken in, approximate figures are listed as historical documentation is often inconsistent on exact figures. Taylor, Becky. ‘Aliens in England in the Sixteenth Century’. 2000. 1947. The religious, sectarian and denominational affiliation has been an important feature of debate in refugee-hosting nations. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, The United Nations High Commisioner For Refugees - Refugee. In this gallery, IBTimesUK looks at Britain's history of welcoming refugees, from the approximately 100,000 Jews who moved to Britain during the Second World War, to … Updates? 2010. Afghan refugees represent one of the world’s largest protracted refugee population. 2016. Between 1915 and 1923 more than 1 million Armenians left Turkish Asia Minor, and several hundred thousand Spanish loyalists fled to France in the wake of the 1936–39 Spanish Civil War. Palestine’s partition in 1948 triggered an almost wholesale exodus of Palestinian Arabs in the wake of a military confrontation between the new state of Israel and neighbouring Arab countries. The disintegration of the vast European colonial empires also brought about the return of thousands of British subjects from all parts of Africa and Asia, of French refugees from North Africa and Indochina, of Italians from Libya, and of the Dutch from Indonesia. Refugees fleeing Indochina on rickety boats were seeking refuge in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, among others -- and those countries were overwhelmed and unwilling to accept them. 2004. Forced to Flee is an expansive exhibition covering a range of angles, from the triggers for displacement, the journey that refugees have made, crossing borders, refugee camps, and reception in the UK.The exhibition looks at historical situations as well as recent displacement, and some clear themes emerge. Gilley, Sheridan. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. ‘Refugee Settlement in Britain: the Impact of Policy onParticipation’. Although there have been waves of refugees throughout history, there was no refugee problem until the emergence of … Refugee, any uprooted, homeless, involuntary migrant who has crossed a frontier and no longer possesses the protection of his or her former government. The Making of the Modern Refugee. His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom. UK Asylum Law and Policy: Historical and ContemporaryPerspectives. 314-317. ‘Balkan Briefing (part 4). 2000. ‘The Resettlement of Polish Refugees After the SecondWorld War’. It is important to learn from the history of refugees the facts and lessons surrounding current and future refugee movements. When Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate are included, the figures rise to 1 in 4 for Lebanon and 1 in 3 for Jordan. These primarily relate to Belgian refugees settling in the UK during the First World War. Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh & Yousif M. Qasmiyeh. Our history The charity was founded in 1951 in response to the UN Convention for Refugees, which was created after World War II to ensure refugees were able to find safety in other countries. Before then, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) administered refugee admissions. Kosovo Refugees in theNorth West Region of the United Kingdom’. International action for refugees did not start until the 1920s. Between 1945 and 1961, the year that the communist regime erected the Berlin Wall (opened 1989), more than 3.7 million refugees from East Germany found asylum in West Germany. Initial UN mediation conducted by Swedish diplomat Count Folke Bernadotte produced a peace plan rejected by all sides, and Bernadotte himself... A refugee camp in Kyrgyzstan for people who escaped violence in their home country of Uzbekistan, 2005. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Refugee, any uprooted, homeless, involuntary migrant who has crossed a frontier and no longer possesses the protection of his or her former government. In 1951, the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons was held in Geneva. Since 1975, the U.S. has resettled more than 3 million refugees, with nearly 77 percent being either Indochinese or citizens of the former Soviet Union. Bloch, Alice. Although there have been numerous waves of refugees throughout history, there was no refugee problem until the emergence of fixed and closed state frontiers in the late 19th century. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 26(1), pp. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Some 8–10 million persons were also temporarily made refugees by the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. This timeline provides an overview of the major moments of refugee intake in the United Kingdom. Winder, Robert. A long line of refugees from the Middle East, primarily from war-torn Syria and Iraq, being escorted across Slovenia by local officials, 2015. Convention and ProtocolRelating to the Status of Refugees. However, most were not refugees under the modern definition, but instead were British set… Panayi, Panikos. Healey, Ruth L. 2014. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. After Nansen’s death in 1930, the protection of refugees was entrusted to the Nansen International Office for Refugees, but this office accomplished little before its mandate expired in 1938.