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p. 1 of 25 BACK | NEXT I. Introduction A. Projects Involving Displacement of People B. Magnitude and Impacts of Population Displacement C. Voluntary Migration vs. Involuntary Resettlement D. Involuntary Resettlement and the Environment II. Review of Involuntary Resettlment Experiences III. Involuntary Resettlement Policy IV. Implementation Procedures V. Conclusions

Involuntary Resettlement

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I. Introduction

1. That people should be at the center of development is increasingly recognized. However, there may be instances where a development intervention such as a road or a power generation project should proceed for the greater benefit of society, in spite of its potential adverse effects on some people. In such cases, the people who may be adversely affected by the development intervention should be consulted; compensated for their losses; and assisted to rebuild their homes and communities, reestablish their enterprises, and develop their potentials as productive members of society at a level generally at least equivalent to that which was likely to have prevailed in the absence of the development intervention. Attention to such matters is especially important when the people who may be adversely affected are poor and vulnerable, do not have the capacity to absorb such adverse impacts, and cannot remain productive without significant help.

2. This paper deals with proposed approaches to address involuntary resettlement, compensation, and rehabilitation of people displaced by development projects, particularly those to be supported by the Bank. It draws upon the experiences of (I) the Bank and its developing member countries (DMCs); and (ii) other agencies, including the World Bank. In particular, the World Bank’ s approaches and operational directive on involuntary resettlement are generously drawn upon because of (I) the similarities between Bank and World Bank operations in Asia; and (ii) the World Bank’ s much longer experience, dating back to at least 1980, with adopting and implementing involuntary resettlement policies that are particularly relevant to Asia.¹

3. The following sections provide information on the types of projects involving displacement of people, the magnitude and impacts of such displacement, the differences between voluntary migration and involuntary resettlement, and the linkage between involuntary resettlement and environment. Chapter II review involuntary resettlement experiences. Chapter III provides the rationale for the Bank’ s proposed policy on involuntary resettlement. Chapter IV spells out the suggested implementation procedures to be adopted by the Bank in this area. Brief conclusions are provided in Chapter V.

4. Involuntary resettlement is a sensitive area involving competing economic, social and political interests that may be difficult to balance in the best of circumstances. Because the Bank has limited knowledge of resettlement, lessons drawn from the experiences of DMCs and other agencies need to be considered when addressing the issues. Any proposed policy and planning principles should be introduced and implemented with sensitivity to the particular political, legal, economic, social and cultural contexts of a DMC. Such policies and principles should be revised and refined based on lessons learned.

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