Domestic Climate Refugees in an International Human Rights Perspective: The Case Study of Songhe Community Relocation

It defines a climate refugee as an individual who is forced to flee his or her home as the result of sudden or gradual environmental disruption that is consistent with climate change. Substantial amount of rainfalls associated with Typhoon Mindulle on 2 July and Typhoon Aere on 25 August in 2004, struck Songhe Community with serious landslide. This article establishes a bill of rights which based on Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, 1989, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, Protecting Persons Affected by Natural Disasters: IASC Operational Guidelines on Human Rights and Natural Disasters, and United Nations Principles on Housing and Property Restitution for Refugees and Displaced Persons to examine the case of Songhe Community relocation. Finally, this article provides suggestions regarding climate refugees willingness and ability to organize rebuilding or relocation process to government and NGOs.