Ethiopia: Information regarding Harshim refugee camp between July 1988 and November 1989
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 January 1990 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ETH3462 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ethiopia: Information regarding Harshim refugee camp between July 1988 and November 1989, 1 January 1990, ETH3462, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acfb2b.html [accessed 2 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to UNHCR the influx of Somalian refugees into Ethiopia began in early June 1988. By the end of December, UNHCR was assisting about 350,000 people, of whom approximately 200,000 were in Harshin/Hartisheik areas. As of October 1989, the Swiss Disaster Relief Unit (SDR) was constructing a new refugee camp called "Hartisheik B". UNHCR reports that Harshim was more of a make-shift transit camp located very close to the border. As soon as Hartisheik B camp was completed over 22,000 refugees were transferred there from Harshim.
The attached UNHCR Fact Sheet: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, October 1989 - Vol.3 No.2. includes information on UNHCR involvement in the refugee camps that cater to Somali refugees in Ethiopia. However, for more detailed information regarding the roles played by UNHCR, various Ethiopian government agencies, and NGOs, please refer to the attached excerpt from Refugees, Geneva: Roto-Sadag, No.17, December 1989, pp.7-10.
