At a time when freedom is under attack, the world is turning its back on people seeking freedom

US Committee for Refugees

The United States Committee for Refugees, a non-governmental organisation based in Washington, says the global refugee population rose to almost 15 million people in 2001, the largest number in six years.

The organisation says the problem has been exacerbated by the repercussions of the 11 September attacks on New York and Washington, and the subsequent war on terrorism.

"At a time when freedom is under attack, the world is turning its back on people seeking freedom" - that is the stark conclusion drawn by Lavinia Limon, the executive director of the committee.

World Refugee Survey 2002

Refugees worldwide: 4.9m Internally displaced: 22m Afghan refugees: 4.5m Newlt uprooted in Africa:1.8m

US Committee for Refugees

When more people than ever are fleeing war and persecution, increased security concerns in the wake of the 11 September attacks in the United States combined with growing anti-immigrant sentiment have prompted a number of countries to impose tighter restrictions on asylum seekers, the committee says.

The report says that last year the US admitted its fewest refugees since 1987.

Canada and Mexico also tightened screening procedures for refugees, trying to establish a security perimeter for North America.

The survey says that a number of other countries, including Britain and Germany, also tightened admission procedures.

On the move

The report says the number of refugees grew last year by 400,000 or 2.7%. More than 22 million people were internally displaced.

The report says refugees are often a symptom of failing states like Afghanistan

It says Afghans - at about 4.5 million people, the world's largest single refugee population - were the first to be affected by the refugee clampdown, as neighbouring countries were refusing entry to civilians fleeing the country.

Afghanistan produced the largest number of uprooted persons. About 700,000 were newly internally displaced, while about 400,000 fled abroad.

But by the middle of 2002, more than 500,000 Afghan refugees had returned home.

The report also says about 1.8 million Africans in 19 countries were driven from their homes by war, armed insurgency and civil unrest.

It says at least 13.9 million people in Africa remained uprooted at the start of 2002.

In Colombia, more than 342,000 people were uprooted as a result of almost four decades of civil war between left-wing guerrillas and right-wing paramilitary groups.

No quick fix

The report says that refugees are often a symptom of a failing state.

Citing Afghanistan as a prime example, it warns that such states can become breeding grounds for political and religious fanaticism.

The US Committee for Refugees is calling for a new approach, with the promotion of democracy, human rights and conflict resolution at the centre of international efforts to address the issue.

But the committee warns that there is no quick fix solution - attending to the needs of refugees, it says, requires resources, patience and commitment.