Michel Veuthey: “Migration: a challenge to our values, our communities, our civilization”

Current migration is challenging Governments, international organizations and civil society (religious leaders, private sector, opinion influencers academics). These population movements challenge us to re-evaluate, restore, and to update our standard of solidarity. Particularly cultural, democratic, economic, social, humanitarian and religious values. These values have been integrated into national, constitutional, or even international public law in order to regulate free movement, right to migration and refugee, human rights, and international humanitarian law in armed conflict. They, even in secularized Europe and North America, could also be found and reinforced in natural law of religious inspiration.

It is a multi-layered issue; migration crises should be viewed in the past, present and in future perspective. History reminds us that migration is neither new nor unique. Recent waves of migration should serve as a lesson in helping us manage population movements in progress such as: displaced populations after World War I between Greece and Turkey; Germans after 1945; Hungarian after 1956; Czechoslovakians after 1968; Indochinese “boat people” after the 1970s. We indeed need to learn from history and not repeat mistakes.

Humanitarian work should also be considered as humanitarian emergencies and security needs. Furthermore, there is a link between migration, humanitarian relief and development assistance. If displaced people inside Syria do not feel safe and if refugees in Turkey see their conditions deteriorate severely, they will be highly motivated to take the way of Europe, even at the risk of perilous crossings. Clearly, the international community needs to address these issues.

A comprehensive approach is necessary; trying to apprehend migration only from a single perspective cannot lead to a sustainable solution. By combining humanitarian, security, local, national, regional, inter-regional and universal perspectives, one can understand the root causes in countries of origin and manage migration in countries of transit and final destination. In addition, we must engage political authorities and private sector, media and opinion influencers, research institutes, religious leaders.

Demographic, economic, climatic and environmental perspectives should allow us to establish possible scenarios. Inside information, military or commercial satellites, can show the origins and progression paths of these migratory movements and even measure quantities, and sometimes identify the instigators. Two books published in 1973 could serve as a reference to possible scenarios: “The Camp of the Saints” by Jean Raspail, describing a peaceful invasion of Europe by hungry Bengalis, and “Submersion of Japan” by Sakyo Komatsu, on the Government of Japan exporting its national treasures and negotiating the admission of millions of Japanese by countries in need of labor due to scheduled catastrophe predicted by geologists.

The harmonization of migration policies requires the cooperation of countries of origin, transit and destination, within political, economic and security frameworks. Within this context, channels of legal migration must be established as migrants or asylum seekers need valid identity papers, visas, travel tickets. They should be able to appeal to all embassies and consulates in countries of origin, transit and destination, when necessary with the support of international organizations like the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) or the International Labour Organization (ILO) and local and international humanitarian NGOs which advise and guide them.

The UN General Assembly opened its 70th Session in September, where Syria and migration have been at the heart of the debates. There are plenty of opportunities to come to a comprehensive approach, such as the following consultations:

In regards to this situation, one might ask what should we do. We must take action to:

Migration is a revealing demographic and economic imbalances and dysfunctions of the humanitarian system and current policy. It requires a new awareness of the universal dimension of humanitarian action and principles, and effective partnerships between Governments, international organizations, private sector, religious leaders, local communities to harmonize, secure and humanize migration. The ideal approach would make it a “win-win-win” situation for migrants, Governments and civil society.

These humanitarian and security challenges ask for realistic policy decisions inspired by our values of humanity for the common good of the international community. Let’s hope that future historians will not have to judge our blindness, our hesitations, our sterile discussions.

Michel VEUTHEY
Deputy Permanent Observer
Mission of the Sovereign Military Ordre of Malta to the United Nation Office at Geneva
(11/05/2016)

All the “focus on”

Source URL: https://diplomatie-humanitaire.org/en/migration-is-a-challenge-to-manage-for-our-values-our-communities-our-civilization/