Repatriation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Repatriation (from late Latin repatriare - to restore someone to his homeland) is the process of return of refugees or soldiers to their homes, most notably following a war. The term may also refer to the process of converting a foreign currency into the currency of one's own country.
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[edit] Refugee repatriation, post-World War II repatriation
In the 20th century, following all European wars, several repatriation commissions were created to supervise the return of war refugees, displaced persons and prisoners of war to their country of origin. Repatriation hospitals were established in some countries to care for the ongoing medical and health requirements of returned military personnel. In the Soviet Union, the refugees being seen as traitors for surrendering were often killed or sent to Siberian concentration camps.
Debates over repatriation have been some of the most heatedly-debated political topics of the 20th and 21st centuries. Many forced back to the Soviet Union by Allied forces in World War II still hold this forced migration against the United States of America and the United Kingdom.
[edit] Immigrant repatriation
Opponents of immigration have advocated various types of repatriation measures for immigrants. Illegal immigrants are frequently repatriated as a matter of government policy. Those who would go further suggest measures of voluntary repatriation, with financial assistance (there have been schemes of this kind), and also measures of compulsory repatriation. Such measures are highly controversial, especially if based on any kind of racial criterion, and encounter vocal political opposition in most democracies.
[edit] Repatriation laws
Most countries in central and eastern Europe as well as Ireland, Turkey and Israel have Repatriation laws. This gives non-citizen foreigners who are part of the titular majority group the opportunity to immigrate and receive citizenship. Repatriation of their titular diasporas is practiced by most ethnic nation states. The most famous repatriation law is Israel's Law of Return.
[edit] Repatriation of currency
When foreign currency is converted back to the currency of the home country it is called repatrating. Such as if an American converts British Pounds to U.S. Dollars.
[edit] Repatriation of body parts
Repatriation also refers to the recovery of body parts. In previous eras it was common for British colonial authorities to collect heads and other body parts of indigenous peoples such as Indigenous Australians and Māori for display in British museums. The repatriation of these body parts is current ongoing. For an example of a successful body part repatriation, see Yagan.
[edit] Cultural repatriation
- See Main article at Art repatriation
Cultural or art repatriation is the return of cultural objects or works of art to their country of origin (usually referring to ancient art), or (for looted material) its former owners (or their heirs). To retore or return to the country of birth, citizenship, or origin.
