THE REFUGEE CRISIS: Rights, misconceptions and responsibility

When I think of the refugee crisis, I think of people whose lives have been torn apart by war and violence.

I think about people from Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Myanmar, Venezuela and many such countries whose administrators have failed to provide their citizens with a liveable environment.

I also think of people who had families, who had dreams, who used to go to schools and universities, who had shops and businesses and who didn’t have a choice but to let it all go.

They were living a story that suddenly changed. What if that happened to you?

LET’S PUT OURSELVES IN A REFUGEE’S SHOE

Scenario 1

Imagine a scenario where all the houses in your neighbourhood, including yours, have caught fire.

The fire engulfs everything, killing a few, injuring some and destroying all the properties.

Firefighters and fire trucks arrive at the scene, but they fail to douse the monstrous flames. You, along with your family and neighbours run to save your life.

Two days later, you find yourself and the other victims living in tents provided by rescue teams.

You’re told that these settlements are temporary, and as soon as the disaster is managed, you will be helped to refurbish your life and put it back on track, once again.

When you learn that the fire was caused by lightning, you blame God for your condition and if you don’t believe in God, you blame your destiny.

In any case, you have to accept the consequences of the natural disaster.

Scenario 2

Now, imagine a second scenario where the same thing has happened with a few critical exceptions.

This time the fire is caused by people in power. This time the firefighters do not show up, or even if they do, they show up too late.

This time you’re left to deal with the situation yourselves. There is no rescue and there is no help.

The fact that this was a manmade disaster, makes it on every ground, completely unacceptable to you.

The two scenarios, thus presented, are metaphorical examples of some of the root causes which lead to the displacement of hundreds and thousands of people from their homes, and the creation of a mass community of victims who cannot return to their home countries.

The two cases also distinguish between what is difficult to solve and what is easy to solve.

We humans may find an excuse to wipe our hands off from the tragedy in the former case but the latter one is an indefensible offence that cannot be overlooked.

WHO IS A REFUGEE?

A REFUGEE IS SOMEONE WHO NEVER CHOSE TO BECOME A REFUGE

Circumstances push people to make the arduous journey from countries affected by war and conflicts to countries where they can be safe.

Safety is their foremost priority. They seek refuge because they do not have any other safer place to go.

REFUGEES FEAR PERSECUTION IF RETURNED TO THE COUNTRIES THEY CAME FROM

Not all countries grant basic human rights to their citizens.

Many leave their home countries because they fear persecution because of their race, nationality, religion, or even membership in a particular social group or political opinion.

This is where the Principle of NON-REFOULMENT comes into play.

HOW DOES THE PRINCIPLE OF NON-REFOULMENT PROTECT REFUGEES?

Article 33(1) of the 1951 Geneva Convention presents The Principle of Non-Refoulement Under International Refugee Law. It provides:

“No Contracting State shall expel or return (“refouler”) a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his [or her] life or freedom would be threatened on account of his [or her] race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.”

[Source: https://www.unhcr.org/4d9486929.pdf]

With the support of international laws and the assistance of a large number of human rights organisations such as the UNHCR, Amnesty International, etc; refugees must be better off.

Well, that’s not quite right. That is because many countries and their citizens do not wish to or believe in the idea of welcoming refugees.

While it is true that many don’t want refugees in their countries solely because of some pragmatic reasons like the economic conditions of their countries etc; it is also true that a lot of people who unwelcome refugees hold prejudices.

So, why do these people fear a refugee?

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT REFUGEES

Refugees are opportunists who want to settle in rich countries and have better lives

Those who move to a new country for better living conditions are called Migrants, not Refugees.

It is important to know the difference between a Migrant and a Refugee.

Migrants do not have to flee their countries under helpless conditions, refugees do.

Migrants do not fear going back to their countries. Refugees fear persecution if they return to their home countries.

Migrants choose to become a migrant. Refugees do not choose to become a refugee.

The priority for any refugee is to be safe and live a life of dignity, away from conflict and fear.

They are not opportunists. Many of them have to leave behind their homes, schools and universities, their jobs and businesses.

A refugee is criminal-minded and will spread violence and commit illegal activities

This is perhaps the most shocking belief that many people of well-to-do countries hold for refugees.

Refugees are seen as people who would rip the country off their national peace and order. How can we suspect such a thing from people who are fleeing violence?

To not accept refugees based on such assumptions is not only inhumane but also illogical, especially when proper measures are put into place to evaluate the legal positions of all refugees.

They have themselves been victims of violence. They fled for safety. They fled for peace. Surely, if everyone got that, refugees wouldn’t be tagged as potential terrorists.

Refugees come from different cultures and are incapable of integrating

We live in a globally connected age and we frequently meet and get along with people of contrasting cultures and even opinions.

Everyone is capable of integrating and most people who want to live in mixed societies are willing to integrate and socialize.

Cultural integration is only possible in societies where there is proper communication between different parties and acceptance of different cultures.

While this can be complex when cultures are clashing, if people are willing to break barriers it is a very easy thing to do.

Sometimes people hug you only when you open your arms first, not when you make them believe that you think they are a threat.

Refugees have integrated well into societies that have welcomed them and understood their side of the story.

Refugees come from the Middle East and all are Muslims

The 2015 European Refugee crisis was everywhere on the media and it also spread a notion among people that all refugees are from the Middle East and they are Muslims.

This is not true. While many refugees are from the Middle East, there are refugees in the Central Americas, Africa, Myanmar, Tibet, Afghanistan and many other countries across the globe.

Also, not all are Muslims. They are Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and can be of any faith.

According to the UNHCR report of 2019, 79.5 million people were forcibly displaced at the end of 2019. Out of these 3.6 million that were displaced abroad were Venezuelans. 

 [Source:  https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/figures-at-a-glance.html ]

A refugee is a threat to the economy

People who want to rebuild their lives do not want to live off charity. They want a chance to grow themselves and contribute to the growth of the economy.

Around the world, refugees have worked hard to learn a host country’s language, complete their education, and find and generate employment.

Many have started businesses of their own. Also, many have participated in the Olympics.

For every benefit that they receive, they also pay taxes. Refugees have to pay back for the assistance they receive.

Yes, for many of the initial years, a host country’s resources are utilised for the settlement and aid of refugees but this becomes an economic burden only because other developed and capable countries are not ready to share the responsibility.

A study by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) in 2017 estimated that by 2020, the net fiscal contribution of refugees would be positive, contributing more in taxes and social security contributions than they received in benefits.

The New American Economy Report has published several reports highlighting the contributions of immigrants and refugees to the U.S. economy. Their research indicates that refugees have a strong economic impact in terms of entrepreneurship, job creation, and taxes paid. For example, the 2015 report “From Struggle to Resilience” highlights these economic contributions.

WHO CAN SOLVE THE REFUGEE CRISIS?

THERE IS A COLLECTIVE WILL TO HELP THE REFUGEES

All refugees deserve to be aided, irrespective of what forces them to leave their homelands.

It is our collective responsibility to help them recover from their losses as well as to help them rebuild their lives.

Many countries have opened their doors to provide shelter and a new life to the victims, and many organisations are relentlessly working for this cause.

WHY IS A COLLECTIVE WILL NOT WORKING?

No matter how passionately and efficiently we want to work to provide a normal life to all these victims, the truth we have come to realise is that we do not have enough firefighters, and we do not have enough resources for the swelling numbers of such victims.

The refugee crisis has thus become one of the largest issues, that the world is facing and trying to solve in recent times.

And when solutions are available, many legal and political complexities added to the misconceptions about refugees further push the cause behind them.

CONCLUSION

UTOPIAN WORLD FOR REFUGEES

War and conflict-torn countries, leave their citizens in ruins. While many flee and seek refuge, most of the victims remain internally displaced within their home countries, living in dreadful conditions.

If they can cross borders, they can seek asylum in other countries. If given asylum, they are called refugees but it doesn’t guarantee that their lives are going to be better off.

Many spend their entire lives in refugee camps. Many of these camps are not in the best conditions and difficult places to survive in.

Refugee families get torn apart in these conflicts and circumstances. While many find a settlement, their family members are left behind.

None of us would like to live a life of a refugee.

It is tragic to be forcibly displaced from one’s own homes and reach a place where no one wants to receive you.

As such, the Utopian world for refugees will only be a world where no refugee exists.

If the problems of their home countries could be solved, they would not need any help.

If constructive forces run the governments of their countries, if human rights become the fundamental rights in their countries and if the promotion of the welfare of its citizens becomes a priority for the administration, no one should have to flee that place.

However, that is a dream which might remain unrealised for some time. People from developed nations can only wish for that. We can only hope that administrators in those countries become better at being human.

But that should never stop us from helping the refugees.

Thus, presently we are the only hope for providing a better world to a refugee and as developed and capable countries, we ought to be sharing the responsibility in the proportions we statistically can.

Because not accepting refugees is equal to becoming the same people they ran away from.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? WOULD YOU WELCOME AND HELP A REFUGEE IF YOU HAD THE ABILITY TO DO SO?

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Also Read: 10 BIGGEST GLOBAL CHALLENGES THREATENING LIFE ON EARTH (neoprotagonist.com)