The drowning of more than 60 refugees off the coast of Italy
late last month and the
deadly earthquake that hit southwest Turkey and northwest Syria earlier in February has brought to the forefront the plight of
refugees, illegal migrants, and asylum seekers.
اضافة اعلان
By the end of 2021, and according to UN figures, there were 27.1
million refugees and 53.2 million internally displaced persons (due to conflict
and violence) around the world.
These are staggering figures that tell only one side of a
spinning humanitarian crisis that is getting out of control. In 2022, it was
estimated that 2,062 migrants died while crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
Exact figures are hard to come by. Many of those forced to cross
the Mediterranean or the English Channel are unaccounted for; lost at sea.
In 2022, it was estimated that 2,062 migrants died while crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
Smuggling of illegal migrants has become a huge business for
specialized cartels. It is estimated that migrant smuggling generates proceeds
of no less than $10 billion a year.
Escaping civil unrest,
poverty and moreThe two preferred destinations for illegal migrants — some are
registered refugees or displaced persons while others are escaping civil
unrest, poverty, famine, and political persecution — are the US and Europe,
especially Western Europe, mostly Germany, and now more increasingly the UK.
British records show that the total number of recorded migrants crossing in 2022
was 45,756.
The Syrian civil war has driven tens of
thousands of refugees and asylum seekers to enter EU countries illegally; triggering unending
political, cultural and economic problems for host countries. It is unfortunate
that illegal migrants have been used at times as a political pressure tool by
some transit countries.
Countries that have their own political problems, such as
Libya and Tunisia have been unable to control the flow of illegal migrants coming
from crisis-hit African countries and looking to reach the Mediterranean to
make the hazardous crossing into Europe.
Several European countries have ignored EU and international
laws on migration by closing their borders entirely, or by passing their own
laws to ban or control illegal migrants.
The
migrant crisis, especially from non-Christian countries,
like Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, have given rise to Far Right
parties in countries like Sweden, Hungary, Italy, and France.
Italy has toughened laws regarding receiving illegal migrants
and imposed hefty fines of search and rescue ships picking up illegal migrants.
“The Mediterranean Route” into Italy is considered as the deadliest migrant
crossing route in the world.
The migrant crisis, especially from non-Christian countries, like Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, have given rise to Far Right parties in countries like Sweden, Hungary, Italy, and France.
According to the UNHCR figures, more than
100,000 refugees arrived in Italy by boat in 2022. At least 1,400 migrants died while trying to cross
the central Mediterranean in 2022, apparently heading to Italian shores.
Now a controversial law is being pushed by the Conservative
British government making it impossible for illegal migrants to enter the UK
and proposing to relocate those who enter to third countries — against their
will.
Joining the chorus now is the US, where illegal immigration from
Mexico and Central American countries has become a polarizing bipartisan issue.
But even for the Democratic administration of
President Joe Biden the nagging
problem of illegal migrants is pushing for readopting extraordinary measures.
With the outcome of the 2024 presidential election hanging in
the balance, the
Biden administration is contemplating whether to detain
migrant families who illegally enter the country. The issue is dividing the
Democratic Party while giving the Republicans something to chew on.
Waves of illegal
migrants to EuropeCivil wars in the Middle East and beyond, the return of the
Taliban in Afghanistan, climate change, famine, drought, and political
instability in
many African countries are driving waves of illegal migrants to
Europe and North America.
Migrants want to escape death, turmoil and poverty in search of
a better life. But on the other hand, the number of those affected is in the
millions and the West cannot be expected to receive them all.
Host countries are taking their liberal laws to the brink while the UN and other bodies are unable to find sustainable solutions to the forces that are driving millions from their homes. But there has to be an attempt to address these challenges collectively and not individually
The war in Ukraine has rattled
European economies and legal
residents of these countries are losing malny of the taken-for-granted benefits
that their “welfare societies” once offered. Far Right populist politicians
play the religion and ethnicity cards, and so far their ascendancy to the helm
has been spectacular.
The double crises of refugees and illegal migration are posing a
huge challenge to universal laws, human rights and humanitarian organizations.
Host countries are taking their liberal laws to the brink while
the
UN and other bodies are unable to find sustainable solutions to the forces
that are driving millions from their homes. But there has to be an attempt to
address these challenges collectively and not individually.
Closing the borders while looking the other way as the problems
in the dispelling countries, complex and diverse as they are, fester and get
worse is no solution.
It’s a dystopian projection of what would become of this world;
a worst-case scenario that is both unacceptable and horrifying.
Osama Al Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based
in Amman.
This article was previously published on Gulf News.
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