The displaced villagers were then employed in the upkeep and maintenance of the gardens.

General Johnston described Baidoa, a town of about 30,000 people, many of them hungry, displaced villagers, as "not a benign environment."

Thirty-seven years of conflict has left Colombia with two million displaced villagers.

In addition, the acacia trees are being cut down in large numbers by displaced villagers in need of wood.

Many villages were destroyed in the fighting and the displaced villagers often fled the country through Albania and onto Yugoslavia.

The only problem with his decree is that the displaced villagers know better.

Then again, maybe they went farther west to Chad, as so many other displaced villagers have done.

The clashes resulted in dozens killed and wounded on both sides, with hundreds of displaced Kurdish villagers.

"It is my duty to protect them," Mr. Rahman said of the displaced villagers.

Some pressure groups say that not enough has been done to make sure the displaced villagers have been given sustainable, alternative livelihoods.