.
2014 saw remarkable spikes in mass migration around the world. In late September, the UNHCR reported an estimated 330,700 asylum applications during the first six months of 2014—a 24 percent increase from the same period in 2013. Syrian refugees in particular have poured into Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, and Europe; a reported 42,000 Syrians ended up in Italy alone in 2014. An estimated 90,000 Latin American children were forcibly displaced by conflict and gang-related violence; according to UNHCR, asylum requests to Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, and Mexico from Hondurans, El Salvadorans, and Guatemalans have increased by 712 percent since 2009.
This global mass movement of people is fueled in large part by increasing levels of global conflict. For instance, the Syrian civil war is entering its fifth year and violence, mostly drug-related, in Central America is at its worst since the civil wars of the 1980s—some say they felt more secure during the wars than they do now, as cartels and gangs become increasingly dominant.
Economic concerns are also fuelling movement. Substantial numbers of Central Americans have been driven to the United States seeking an income capable of supporting their families; although, the influx of job-seekers cannot fully explain the recent surge in immigration numbers, nor can it explain increased immigration to countries like Nicaragua (one of the poorest countries in the world). EU countries are extremely vulnerable to inter-member country immigration, particularly between countries with economies as diverse as those of Greece and Germany.
People in countries like Syria, Iraq, and El Salvador are often forced to choose between a life of desperation, instability, and violence and a dangerous passage to an uncertain future in a foreign country. For many, the prospect of an uncertain future is far superior to the certainty of a life beset by violence or extreme financial insecurity. These people choose to leave their homes in pursuit of better things, and once they have decided to move on, they will pursue any available means to reach their new destination.
The resulting increase in refugees has put a great strain on recipient countries and international organizations that simply do not have the resources to support such a sizeable influx. The countries closest to conflict areas are generally burdened the most, as they receive the most immigrants. In the EU, for example, southern countries, especially those bordering the Mediterranean like Italy and Greece, have seen the largest numbers of refugees. Those countries adjacent to Syria, Iraq, and Palestine, however, have received by far the largest numbers of immigrants. Of the 3,977,110 registered Syrian refugees, Turkey alone has received 1.7 million. Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon have taken in another 2.2 million—and these numbers do not include unregistered Syrians, nor do they include the thousands of Palestinian refugees and the estimated 1.5 million internally displaced Iraqis fleeing their homes. UNHCR is requesting $4,533,248,258 in funds to care for Syrian refugees alone. As of March 24, only $438,054,310 of this amount had been funded.
In an effort to equalize the economic burden associated with refugees, the UN has announced it is planning an “orderly relocation” of thousands of Syrian refugees to richer northern European countries. The UN proposal requires approval from EU member states to begin a yearlong pilot program to test the proposal’s efficacy, but has so far been met with reservations, if not resistance.
In response to a question on support within Europe for the UN’s proposal, Natasha Bertaud, the European Commission spokesperson for migration, home affairs, and citizenship, said: “…The member state concerned is obliged to comply fully with its legal obligations in accordance with the provisions of the [appropriate EU law]…Right now, the commission is discussing with the member states on how to ensure a more balanced distribution of resettled refugees among all member states. We will soon elaborate on the proposal for a pilot project on resettlement in which all member states and associated states could take part.”
Under the current EU law, known as the Dublin regulation, asylum seekers must apply in their “country of arrival” (generally countries bordering the Mediterranean) and can be sent back to their country of arrival if they travel to other European countries. A number of European court cases have sought to reaffirm this law in recent years. In one of these, a man had claimed asylum in the United Kingdom after traveling through Greece; another dealt with removing asylum seekers from the UK and returning them to Italy. But both Greece and Italy have struggled to deal with the numbers of refugees within their countries. Removals to Greece were suspended beginning in 2011 as conditions there were deemed “inhumane and degrading” for refugees. Reports have surfaced from Italy that asylum seekers sent back to Italy from the UK had no other choice but to sleep on the streets of Rome. The Italian immigration minister at the time, Sonia Viale, complained of a lack of support within the EU for Italy, and Italy, Greece, and Malta have all asked for a suspension mechanism that could slow migrant flows during upsurges. The UK in particular has resisted any changes to the current system.
Not only do refugees create resource difficulties for the countries they enter, but they can also potentially exacerbate a host of more dangerous problems. Most obviously, people who are desperate to escape their homes will increasingly turn to illegal means if they have no legal means of doing so. In January of 2015, Italy intercepted two unmanned ships carrying over 1,000 refugees total. These ships were part of a new strategy by human traffickers to pack as many people as possible on to the cheapest boat possible for the highest possible fare. Once at sea, to avoid retribution, the traffickers turn on the boat’s autopilot and jump ship.
As human trafficking increases, traffickers’ profits and corresponding influence grow. As the White House’s National Security Council points out on its website, “International human smuggling networks are linked to other trans-national crimes including drug trafficking and the corruption of government officials.” The expansion of one illicit trade creates space for the expansion of another.
This is especially obvious in Latin America, where drug cartels made rich and powerful by cocaine have started to diversify their income-generating endeavors, often by entering the human trafficking trade from Latin America to the United States. From there, a jump to the sex trafficking trade becomes simple—take a few of the women and children entrusted to your care, and instead of delivering them to the US as promised, sell them to a sex trafficking or prostitution ring, or better yet—keep them, create your own prostitution ring, and continue to benefit from their income at little cost.
Furthermore, a flood of undocumented immigrants facilitates the travel of criminals and terrorists, who can easily disguise themselves as refugees. The director of the UNHCR’s Europe Bureau told the Guardian, “More than two-thirds of those disembarked in Italy moved on without fingerprinting or proper identification. At a time of increased security concerns over movements from Libya, this situation is abnormal. Not all those saying that they are Syrians or Palestinians are Syrians or Palestinians. And not all of them are refugees.”
Cochetel continued, “[We need] a credible alternative to what we have experienced so far: massive irregular secondary movements feeding trafficking, leading to human suffering and exploitation.” Governments can help stymie these types of illicit behavior; after all, criminal organizations step in only where government and other legitimate actors fail to step up.
Effectively dealing with refugees requires cooperation between governments, particularly in Europe, where movement is comparatively easy. With the G7 talks rapidly approaching, and with Germany, one of Europe’s largest receivers of immigrants, positioned in this year’s leadership role, the global refugee crisis will surely play a prominent role.
This article was originally published in the Special G7 Summit Print Edition in early June 2015. Republished with permission.
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The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
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Global Refugee Crisis Puts Pressure on National Governments
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July 23, 2015
2014 saw remarkable spikes in mass migration around the world. In late September, the UNHCR reported an estimated 330,700 asylum applications during the first six months of 2014—a 24 percent increase from the same period in 2013. Syrian refugees in particular have poured into Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, and Europe; a reported 42,000 Syrians ended up in Italy alone in 2014. An estimated 90,000 Latin American children were forcibly displaced by conflict and gang-related violence; according to UNHCR, asylum requests to Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, and Mexico from Hondurans, El Salvadorans, and Guatemalans have increased by 712 percent since 2009.
This global mass movement of people is fueled in large part by increasing levels of global conflict. For instance, the Syrian civil war is entering its fifth year and violence, mostly drug-related, in Central America is at its worst since the civil wars of the 1980s—some say they felt more secure during the wars than they do now, as cartels and gangs become increasingly dominant.
Economic concerns are also fuelling movement. Substantial numbers of Central Americans have been driven to the United States seeking an income capable of supporting their families; although, the influx of job-seekers cannot fully explain the recent surge in immigration numbers, nor can it explain increased immigration to countries like Nicaragua (one of the poorest countries in the world). EU countries are extremely vulnerable to inter-member country immigration, particularly between countries with economies as diverse as those of Greece and Germany.
People in countries like Syria, Iraq, and El Salvador are often forced to choose between a life of desperation, instability, and violence and a dangerous passage to an uncertain future in a foreign country. For many, the prospect of an uncertain future is far superior to the certainty of a life beset by violence or extreme financial insecurity. These people choose to leave their homes in pursuit of better things, and once they have decided to move on, they will pursue any available means to reach their new destination.
The resulting increase in refugees has put a great strain on recipient countries and international organizations that simply do not have the resources to support such a sizeable influx. The countries closest to conflict areas are generally burdened the most, as they receive the most immigrants. In the EU, for example, southern countries, especially those bordering the Mediterranean like Italy and Greece, have seen the largest numbers of refugees. Those countries adjacent to Syria, Iraq, and Palestine, however, have received by far the largest numbers of immigrants. Of the 3,977,110 registered Syrian refugees, Turkey alone has received 1.7 million. Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon have taken in another 2.2 million—and these numbers do not include unregistered Syrians, nor do they include the thousands of Palestinian refugees and the estimated 1.5 million internally displaced Iraqis fleeing their homes. UNHCR is requesting $4,533,248,258 in funds to care for Syrian refugees alone. As of March 24, only $438,054,310 of this amount had been funded.
In an effort to equalize the economic burden associated with refugees, the UN has announced it is planning an “orderly relocation” of thousands of Syrian refugees to richer northern European countries. The UN proposal requires approval from EU member states to begin a yearlong pilot program to test the proposal’s efficacy, but has so far been met with reservations, if not resistance.
In response to a question on support within Europe for the UN’s proposal, Natasha Bertaud, the European Commission spokesperson for migration, home affairs, and citizenship, said: “…The member state concerned is obliged to comply fully with its legal obligations in accordance with the provisions of the [appropriate EU law]…Right now, the commission is discussing with the member states on how to ensure a more balanced distribution of resettled refugees among all member states. We will soon elaborate on the proposal for a pilot project on resettlement in which all member states and associated states could take part.”
Under the current EU law, known as the Dublin regulation, asylum seekers must apply in their “country of arrival” (generally countries bordering the Mediterranean) and can be sent back to their country of arrival if they travel to other European countries. A number of European court cases have sought to reaffirm this law in recent years. In one of these, a man had claimed asylum in the United Kingdom after traveling through Greece; another dealt with removing asylum seekers from the UK and returning them to Italy. But both Greece and Italy have struggled to deal with the numbers of refugees within their countries. Removals to Greece were suspended beginning in 2011 as conditions there were deemed “inhumane and degrading” for refugees. Reports have surfaced from Italy that asylum seekers sent back to Italy from the UK had no other choice but to sleep on the streets of Rome. The Italian immigration minister at the time, Sonia Viale, complained of a lack of support within the EU for Italy, and Italy, Greece, and Malta have all asked for a suspension mechanism that could slow migrant flows during upsurges. The UK in particular has resisted any changes to the current system.
Not only do refugees create resource difficulties for the countries they enter, but they can also potentially exacerbate a host of more dangerous problems. Most obviously, people who are desperate to escape their homes will increasingly turn to illegal means if they have no legal means of doing so. In January of 2015, Italy intercepted two unmanned ships carrying over 1,000 refugees total. These ships were part of a new strategy by human traffickers to pack as many people as possible on to the cheapest boat possible for the highest possible fare. Once at sea, to avoid retribution, the traffickers turn on the boat’s autopilot and jump ship.
As human trafficking increases, traffickers’ profits and corresponding influence grow. As the White House’s National Security Council points out on its website, “International human smuggling networks are linked to other trans-national crimes including drug trafficking and the corruption of government officials.” The expansion of one illicit trade creates space for the expansion of another.
This is especially obvious in Latin America, where drug cartels made rich and powerful by cocaine have started to diversify their income-generating endeavors, often by entering the human trafficking trade from Latin America to the United States. From there, a jump to the sex trafficking trade becomes simple—take a few of the women and children entrusted to your care, and instead of delivering them to the US as promised, sell them to a sex trafficking or prostitution ring, or better yet—keep them, create your own prostitution ring, and continue to benefit from their income at little cost.
Furthermore, a flood of undocumented immigrants facilitates the travel of criminals and terrorists, who can easily disguise themselves as refugees. The director of the UNHCR’s Europe Bureau told the Guardian, “More than two-thirds of those disembarked in Italy moved on without fingerprinting or proper identification. At a time of increased security concerns over movements from Libya, this situation is abnormal. Not all those saying that they are Syrians or Palestinians are Syrians or Palestinians. And not all of them are refugees.”
Cochetel continued, “[We need] a credible alternative to what we have experienced so far: massive irregular secondary movements feeding trafficking, leading to human suffering and exploitation.” Governments can help stymie these types of illicit behavior; after all, criminal organizations step in only where government and other legitimate actors fail to step up.
Effectively dealing with refugees requires cooperation between governments, particularly in Europe, where movement is comparatively easy. With the G7 talks rapidly approaching, and with Germany, one of Europe’s largest receivers of immigrants, positioned in this year’s leadership role, the global refugee crisis will surely play a prominent role.
This article was originally published in the Special G7 Summit Print Edition in early June 2015. Republished with permission.
[gallery ids="https://www.diplomaticourier.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/DC-Refugee-1.jpeg|,https://www.diplomaticourier.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/DC-Refugee-3.png|,https://www.diplomaticourier.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/DC-Refugee-4.png|,https://www.diplomaticourier.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/DC-Refugee-5.gif|,https://www.diplomaticourier.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/DC-Refugee-6.png|,https://www.diplomaticourier.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/DC-Refugee-7.jpeg|,https://www.diplomaticourier.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/DC-Refugee-2.jpeg|"]
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
