Stephen L. Esquith, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Philosophy Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH)
More than 60 years ago, the landlocked west African country of Mali was regarded as a developing nation moving toward democracy. However, since the coup d'état in 2012, the country has faced an increasing amount of violence and is currently governed by military junta. Conflicts between differing ethnic groups as well as tensions between armed government forces and civilians, made worse by armed intervention by terrorist and mercenary groups, have left Malians displaced from their homes and seeking refuge in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps within Mali.
Unlike refugees, who cross national borders, internally displaced persons don't have the same amount of international protection, emergency assistance, or development aid. To date, there are ten official IDP camps in Mali, supporting more than 420,000 documented (and many more undocumented) individuals including three camps in and around the capitol city of Bamako in the southwestern region of the country...Read More