Editorial Desk :
There are several conditions that may lead to people becoming refugees, including warfare, political instability and natural disasters such as floods, tsunamis and famines. Refugees are defined as people who must leave their homes or native areas for reasons of safety and survival. Natural and man-made disasters can cause large segments of the population to flee from their native states, regions and countries into neighboring territories to wait temporarily until it is safe to move back home, or relocate for good.
The lead international agency coordinating refugee protection is the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The UNHCR reports that at the end of 2015, there were 21.3 million refugees worldwide (16.1 million under UNHCR’s mandate, plus 5.2 million Palestinian refugees under UNRWA’s mandate). 1.8 million were newly displaced refugees. Among them, Syrian refugees were
the largest refugee group in 2015 at 4.9 million. In 2014, Syrians had overtaken Afghan refugees, who had been the largest refugee group for three decades. The countries hosting the largest number of refugees according to UNHCR are Turkey (2.5 million), Pakistan (1.6 million) and Lebanon (1.1 million). In 2015, the total number of displaced people worldwide, including refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons, was at its highest level on record.
Most of the refugees belong to the lesser-developed countries facing political turmoil and absence of good governance. Over two thirds of them are housed in developing nations. Most refugees are at severe risk of developing some sort of mental illness such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. They resemble among the most helpless of the human population — mainly because they have no way to defend themselves against any attacks on them – as their way of life has become non functional, perhaps due to either a deliberate neglect by their governments or due to their governments being openly hostile to their ethnicity or religion.
Most refugees are in dire need of jobs and safety in their own country – yet are denied the most basic of rights. They would not be immigrants in other countries if they were not victims of joblessness or safety of their lives. To call them illegal immigrants is most unkind.
In the European Union, the unemployed persons are allowed to move freely in search of jobs. Under the global economy those who live unemployed in one country should also be made free to move to other countries for jobs.
The international community has also to see that the governments are in a position to take care of the joblessness. The governments creating immigrants must not go unaccountable for causing people to migrate to other countries for survival. Thousands of them loose their lives on their way and suffer disgraceful inhuman treatment.
The refugee problem has become an international problem and demands an international solution.
Most heart breaking is the condition of refugees created by war situations in which big powers are involved. Syrians are the worst example. They had to leave the country because autocracy of President Assad suits Russia and the Western countries for international power politics could not face the crisis of massive human rights violation. Russia does not bother for human rights. But the West has certainly failed the Syrians and they are now suffering deprivation and humiliation as the refugees in other countries. The Syrian refugees were not poor. The Middle East situation is also created by big powers.
The rich world must take major part of the blame for the sufferings of the refugees. Instead, the rich world is blaming the victims. It is a too selfish and unkind approach.
Viewed from any angle, the refugee problem is to be treated as an international problem. Refugees are to be seen kindly as victims of injustices and war. So international solution has to be found.
There are several conditions that may lead to people becoming refugees, including warfare, political instability and natural disasters such as floods, tsunamis and famines. Refugees are defined as people who must leave their homes or native areas for reasons of safety and survival. Natural and man-made disasters can cause large segments of the population to flee from their native states, regions and countries into neighboring territories to wait temporarily until it is safe to move back home, or relocate for good.
The lead international agency coordinating refugee protection is the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The UNHCR reports that at the end of 2015, there were 21.3 million refugees worldwide (16.1 million under UNHCR’s mandate, plus 5.2 million Palestinian refugees under UNRWA’s mandate). 1.8 million were newly displaced refugees. Among them, Syrian refugees were
the largest refugee group in 2015 at 4.9 million. In 2014, Syrians had overtaken Afghan refugees, who had been the largest refugee group for three decades. The countries hosting the largest number of refugees according to UNHCR are Turkey (2.5 million), Pakistan (1.6 million) and Lebanon (1.1 million). In 2015, the total number of displaced people worldwide, including refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons, was at its highest level on record.
Most of the refugees belong to the lesser-developed countries facing political turmoil and absence of good governance. Over two thirds of them are housed in developing nations. Most refugees are at severe risk of developing some sort of mental illness such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. They resemble among the most helpless of the human population — mainly because they have no way to defend themselves against any attacks on them – as their way of life has become non functional, perhaps due to either a deliberate neglect by their governments or due to their governments being openly hostile to their ethnicity or religion.
Most refugees are in dire need of jobs and safety in their own country – yet are denied the most basic of rights. They would not be immigrants in other countries if they were not victims of joblessness or safety of their lives. To call them illegal immigrants is most unkind.
In the European Union, the unemployed persons are allowed to move freely in search of jobs. Under the global economy those who live unemployed in one country should also be made free to move to other countries for jobs.
The international community has also to see that the governments are in a position to take care of the joblessness. The governments creating immigrants must not go unaccountable for causing people to migrate to other countries for survival. Thousands of them loose their lives on their way and suffer disgraceful inhuman treatment.
The refugee problem has become an international problem and demands an international solution.
Most heart breaking is the condition of refugees created by war situations in which big powers are involved. Syrians are the worst example. They had to leave the country because autocracy of President Assad suits Russia and the Western countries for international power politics could not face the crisis of massive human rights violation. Russia does not bother for human rights. But the West has certainly failed the Syrians and they are now suffering deprivation and humiliation as the refugees in other countries. The Syrian refugees were not poor. The Middle East situation is also created by big powers.
The rich world must take major part of the blame for the sufferings of the refugees. Instead, the rich world is blaming the victims. It is a too selfish and unkind approach.
Viewed from any angle, the refugee problem is to be treated as an international problem. Refugees are to be seen kindly as victims of injustices and war. So international solution has to be found.
