The General Assembly’s Social Committee will begin debate tomorrow on a recommendation of the International Refugee Organization to appoint a U.N. high commissioner to take over the refugee problem after the I.R.O. suspends operations March 31, 1951. Patterned after a similar arrangement by the League of Nations, the commissioner’s principal tasks would be safeguarding of the civil rights of resettled refugees who have not yet gained citizenship.
Since the citizenship laws of Israel provide for automatic citizenship on the arrival of new residents in the country, it was noted that such a commissioner would have no duties in regard to the Jewish state. However, the plan does concern many thousands of Jewish DP’s who have been resettled in other countries. Most of these lands, including the U.S., require varying periods of residence for obtaining full citizenship, and the U.N. high commissioner would be empowered to intervene in their behalf with governments for the protection of their civil rights.
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