Shelters of Justice in Displaced Persons Settlements: A Proposal For Rohingya Camps

Abstract

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees live in camps in Bangladesh, where their everyday legal needs remain unmet. This article puts forward a front-line justice system aimed at addressing those needs. It proceeds in three steps. First, it reviews the documented legal needs of Rohingya and the current approaches to the administration of justice in displaced persons camps. Second, it examines the model of front-line justice, which rests on the implementation of justice shelters providing legal information, mediation, and safeguard orders. In doing so, it discusses how the confluence of legal traditions in Canada can provide inspiration for a justice system that reflects the legal pluralism prevailing in Rohingya camps and empowers them to build their own justice structures. The second part also reviews the implementation of front-line justice in Mali and Haiti, and the lessons we can draw from these two cases. Building on those lessons, the third part puts forward an adapted front-line justice system tailored to the Rohingyas’ legal needs.

Keywords: Refugees, Front-Line Justice, Access to Justice, Rohingya