# Commissariat General for Refugees
**Wikidata**: [Q115697629](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115697629)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/commissariat-general-for-refugees

## Summary
The Commissariat General for Refugees (COMIGAL) was a government agency established in South Vietnam in 1954 to manage refugee resettlement and support following the influx of displaced persons after the Geneva Accords. It was dissolved in 1957. The Commissariat was founded by Prime Minister Ngô Đình Diệm and was responsible for managing the integration of refugees, particularly those fleeing from North Vietnam. It was part of the broader effort to assist displaced populations during the French-Indochina conflict and post-1954 migration period.

## Key Facts
- The Commissariat General for Refugees was a South Vietnamese government agency.
- It was created in 1954 and dissolved in 1957.
- It was founded by Prime Minister Ngô Đình Diệm.
- It was tasked with managing the resettlement and integration of refugees.
- The agency was chaired at various times by Bui Van Luong, Phạm Văn Huyến, and Ngô Ngọc Đối.
- It was referenced in historical documents and reports, including those from the Vietnam Project at Michigan State University.
- The agency was part of the Government of the State of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and operated under the authority of the government.
- It was officially dissolved in 1957, as per U.S. aid documentation.

## FAQs
### What was the Commissariat General for Refugees?
It was a government agency established in 1954 in South Vietnam to manage the resettlement of refugees, particularly those fleeing from North Vietnam.

### When was the Commissariat General for Refugees established?
It was established in 1954, shortly after the Geneva Accords, to assist with the large-scale migration of refugees from the North.

### Who founded the Commissariat General for Refugees?
It was founded by Ngô Đình Diệm, the first President of South Vietnam.

### Who were the chairpersons of the Commissariat General for Refugees?
The chairpersons included Bui Van Luong, Phạm Văn Huyến, and Ngô Ngọc Đối, who served as leaders of the agency.

### Why was the Commissariat General for Refugees dissolved?
It was officially dissolved in 1957 due to governmental reorganization and the conclusion of its specific mandate.

### What was its role?
It was responsible for managing the integration of refugees, particularly those displaced during the mass migration from North to South Vietnam.

### What happened to the records and operations after its dissolution?
Its functions were absorbed into broader agencies or ceased operations as part of the normal evolution of the state machinery.

## Why It Matters
The Commissariat General for Refugees was a pivotal institution in South Vietnam during the mid-1950s, particularly due to the large-scale migration of refugees from North to South Vietnam. It played a crucial role in managing the resettlement and integration of displaced people, primarily those fleeing the North after the 1954 Geneva Accords. The agency was instrumental in handling one of the largest state-led population transfers in the 20th century. Its work had lasting implications for understanding refugee management in a period of decolonization and nation-building.

## Notable For
- Managing the integration of refugees from North to South Vietnam.
- Operating under high-level government oversight.
- Being dissolved in 1957 after completion of its mandate.
- Coordinating one of the largest refugee resettlements in modern history.
- Being referenced in official U.S. aid reports and historical archives.

## Body
### History
The Commissariat General for Refugees was established in 1954 by the Government of the State of Vietnam (South Vietnam) to manage the resettlement of refugees, particularly those fleeing from North to South Vietnam. The agency was created to handle the massive migration following the 1954 Geneva Accords, which led to over 900,000 refugees moving from North to South, many of whom were integrated through this agency's operations.

### Structure and Organization
The agency was a part of the Government of South Vietnam and was led by key figures such as Bui Van Luong, Phạm Văn Huyến, and Ngô Ngọc Đối. The Commissariat was created by the state to manage the flow of refugees, especially those from the North. It was dissolved in 1957, as documented in the U.S. Aid records.

### Related Projects
The Commissariat General for Refugees was tied to the Office of the National Advisor (ONA), which managed the integration of refugees. The migration of people from the North was one of the largest in the 20th century, and the agency was set up to handle this crisis. The agency was officially dissolved in 1957, as per U.S. aid records.

## References

1. [Source](http://vietnamproject.archives.msu.edu/browse_term.php?term=Commissariat%20of%20Refugees%20(COMIGAL)&cat=Subjects)
2. [Source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cu%E1%BB%99c_di_c%C6%B0_l%E1%BB%8Bch_s%E1%BB%AD_t%E1%BA%A1i_Vi%E1%BB%87t_Nam.pdf)
3. [Source](https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PCAAA212.pdf)