Conflict-induced displacement: lesson for the humanitarian community from the experiences of hosted Maranao IDPs in Southern Philippines

Abstract

ABSTRACT The article examined the perceptions among hosted internally displaced persons (IDPs) of the hosting environment as a social context in which they negotiate their postdisplacement lives. The paper’s interest is to identify the emerging social characteristics within these “humanitarian” arrangements and argue that the overall perceived quality of the accommodation is predicated on the socio-economic circumstances of the entire accommodating household. The findings were drawn from face-to-face interviews with 20 ethnic Maranao Filipino Muslims who experienced home-based accommodation courtesy of their kin. Thematic analysis on the narratives revealed three major themes; reasons for choosing home-based accommodation, the burden of shame in being hosted, and the perceptions of animosity held by members of the IDP family. It is reported that while initiative to accommodate comes from the host families themselves, hostile behavior against their IDP relatives may surface later on. This situation may exacerbate the already difficult situations IDPs experience. Without proper orientation and understanding, the study suggests that hosting can become an unpromising arrangement over time and may not form part of durable solutions for the IDPs.