The role and practices of public relations of unchr in building smooth relationship between refugees and host community in itang, gambella regional state: the case of tierkede refugee camp

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the role and practices of the public relations of UNHCR in building smooth relationship between the refugee and the host community in Itang Special woreda in Gambella region. Ethiopia has been hosting refuges from South Sudan since 1960s and the arrival of this refugee created social tension with local population. In fact, there have been numerous efforts to measure the costs and benefits associated with hosting refugees, especially in the policy arena and host-refugee relations in the area. The study predominantly focuses on answering, what is the role of public relation of UNHCR in building smooth relations between Refuges and Host community, what are the public practices and mechanism employed by UNHCR in building smooth relations between Refuges and Host community. What is the effect in public relations practices in building smooth relations between Refuges and Host community in the area? To get the answer to these questions the study employed a qualitative method. Data were collected through indepth interviews, FDG, observation and also documents review tools. And the populations which were engage or participate on data collection respond were UNHCR, Refugee and the host community and the total selected were eighty( 84) in which fifty(50) were male and thirty( 30) were female. The overall findings of this study reveal that the host community and refugees have a good relationship. Relation between refugees and host communities in Itang stressed the importance of identifying programs and projects that aimed at shaping communities relations. Resources sharing and service integration mutual combined with public engagement were used to building smooth relations, and ensuring building relations and trust between communities but PR in particular is not based on professional standards of public relations and effective communication strategies. The public relations practitioners are using poor communications tools that may lead to the various undesirable effects, such as information gap, public displeasure, and inefficient use of valuable resources. This is because the public relations practitioners have no clear direct communication with refugee and using ineffective communications strategies While, this show the significance gap that can be seen in access on this study therefore, the researcher recommends for improvement of such an services and an efforts provision, for avoiding the further negative impacts on community‟s peaceful co-existence