A/HRC/4/WG.3/6 page 21 country. The wording of article 12, paragraph 4, does not distinguish between nationals and aliens (“no one”). The language permits a broader interpretation that might embrace other categories of long-term residents, including but not limited to stateless persons arbitrarily deprived of the right to acquire the nationality of the country of such residence.47 Assessment and recommendations 63. The experts recognize that fundamental human rights are guaranteed to stateless persons under international law. However, they wish to draw the attention of the international community to the uncertain status of this group of people in the context of the right to return to one’s own country. It is clear that arbitrary expulsion is prohibited under international law in relation to every person, but the right to return benefits prima facie only citizens of a given country. The situation of stateless persons is less favourable. Indeed, their right to return to the country of residence or the country of origin is questioned and the grounds of race and/or ethnic origin play an important role. Therefore, it is important that this problem be effectively addressed primarily by the Human Rights Committee in the context of article 12, paragraph 4 of ICCPR, essentially through some supplementary inputs to general comment No. 27. 64. Most experts in the field agree that today de jure statelessness is overshadowed by the even greater crisis caused by de facto statelessness resulting from irregular migration, which contributes to the evolution of a “grey zone of de facto statelessness.”48 The experts are of the opinion that this problem should be examined by the human rights treaty bodies, both in their general comments and concluding observations. 65. The experts are also seriously concerned by the exceptionally low rate of ratifications of the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons,49 and the still lower number of ratifications of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.50 C. Internally displaced persons 66. Internal displacement is a worldwide phenomenon causing suffering for at least 22 million people who have been forced to flee or leave their homes within their own countries. According to Francis M. Deng, former Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced 47 Paragraphs 19 and 20. 48 See e.g. Carol A. Batchelor, “Statelessness and the problem of resolving nationality status”, International Journal of Refugee Law, vol. 10, Nos. 1-2 (January 1998), p. 156. 49 As of 2007 the number of ratifications stands at 62. 50 As of 2007 the number of ratifications stands at 30.