Resettlement and Rehabilitation

In the article ‘Towards a Just Displacement and Rehabilitation Policy’ (July 28) the author has made a reasonable attempt to address the issue, but terminologies need to be made clear and contextual. While the meaning of displacement is clear, resettlement is essentially “relocation”. And, rehabilitation refers to economic rehabilitation. It has nothing to do with resettlement per se. The concept of rehabilitation in resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) studies comes from civil engineering, especially roads engineering, in which by road rehabilitation is meant reinstating a road in its pre-damaged condition. Similarly, displacement damages the economic foundations of the affected people leading to impoverishment. Therefore, rehabilitation in this context means reviving the economic condition or livelihoods of the affected people to their pre-project status. Nevertheless, I would not entrust a government official with the task of R&R unless the person is professionally trained.