Отношение к беженцам в Беларуси

Abstract

The article presents the results of a public opinion poll "The attitude towards refugees in Belarus". The Mogilev City Association "Humanitarian Initiative" has made an attempt to fill in the gap in information on this problem within the framework of a joint project with the International Public Association for UN Studies, Information and Educational Programmes and the UNHCR. The rise of the migrational activities, wide uncontrolled movement of displaced persons on the whole postsoviet territory have become a characteristic and disturbing modern feature. Complex issues of refugees and displaced persons caused by political and cultural intolerance, economic and ecological collapses, wars and international conflicts have serious consequences for the development and security of the young sovereign states. Massive flow of forced migrants makes a strong impact with far-reaching negative results on the young state formations, which are not always prepared to such dangerous developments. People displacement exhausts limited resources of the new states and often undermines their political, social and economic transformation. In July—August 2001 four Belarusian cities (Minsk, Brest, Gomel, Mogilev) saw simultaneous public polling regarding the perception of refugees by 1200 Belarusians from 16 to 60 and over. The questionnaire envisaged getting analytical data concerning the perception of refugees in Belarus and the attitude of the Belarusian population to different nationalities, sex and education.