Mass migration to Europe is for more than just economic reasons

On Monday June 20, the world marked World Refugee Day. It was a day we were reminded that because of violence dotted around many parts of the world; hundreds of families are each day forced to flee their homes in search of a safe and peaceful place. You don’t have to look far – the violence in neighbouring Burundi has led to many hundreds of thousands of families to seek refuge in countries, including Rwanda. In October of last year I wrote that although a growing number of refugees know the dangers that come with boarding the many makeshift boats destined for places like Europe, each day that goes by, hundreds of more men, women and children from various African nations such as Eritrea, Somalia, Libya, Nigeria, Central African Republic, and Democratic Republic of Congo, among others, leave their homelands in an attempt to reach the shores of Europe where they believe life is much better. Of course, it is not just the Africans who are in search of this new beginning; Syrians, Afghans, Palestinians, and Yemen nationals all continue to flee their homelands in search of peace, security, and it has been argued, economic opportunities. In fact, although it is difficult to estimate the overall number of migrants who have crossed over, the UNHCR estimates that over 135,711 people have reached Europe by sea since the start of 2016. In 2015, a total of 1,321,560 people reached Europe as refugees. But what is really driving this crisis to the brink of what it has become today? Tough questions have to be asked; should we accept that migrants are risking their lives on a daily basis simply to pursue perceived economic opportunities in Europe, or is this an overly simplified account of the crisis? Below I argue that other factors, perhaps even more critical are at play. Many commentators have argued that migrants crossing over to Europe are doing so simply because of the economic opportunities that European nations present. Proponents of this school of thought insist that job opportunities, access to education, healthcare, housing, and access to living stipends are the major pull factors for migrants. Valid as this claim may be in certain circumstances, I find it incredibly difficult to accept that an entire family would board a makeshift boat to cross the Mediterranean Sea knowing that the consequences of doing so include death, without reasons that go beyond economic opportunities. Personally, I believe that political uncertainties, civil wars, and terrorism, are the three major factors that have escalated the migrant crisis to what it has become today. Let us begin this argument by looking at some patterns of three countries currently accounting for the majority of migrants crossing over to Europe; Eritrea, Somalia and Syria. These three countries have in one way or another stagnated in chaos for a number of years now. Somalia, which has had its fair share of the chaos endured decades of fighting between rival militias which culminated in the death of over half a million Somalians who starved due war and famine. Currently, the insurgency group, Al Shabab, has territorial control in Somalia and this has made matters worse. It has meant that any genuine attempts to overcome decades of chaos are undermined on a daily basis by this group which insists on running the nation their way which is not necessarily the right way. Likewise, it is alleged that Eritreans particularly the youth, continue to risk their lives to escape the indefinite military conscription of all men and unmarried women with some as young as 15 years old. The substitution of formal education with military conscription has robbed many thousands with hope of self-determination. These young Eritreans have grown up witnessing the lives their fathers and brothers have endured, and are increasingly willing to risk their lives for something different. Equally, the Syrian civil war which began in 2011 and has so far claimed 200,000 lives and displaced 9 million others has fuelled this migrant crisis. Political instability in this Middle East nation has driven many to the brink of collapse with thousands left to consider crossing the Mediterranean as the best alternative come what may. As can be seen, although the economic migration argument is valid to a certain extent, in majority of the cases, people have been migrating because of factors other than to seek economic opportunities. Wars have in particular contributed greatly to this crisis, and if we want to prevent needless refugees, we need to stop needless wars, needless violence. Otherwise, people will continue to seek refuge elsewhere whenever their lives are threatened. Email: junior.mutabazi@yahoo.co.uk

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Mass migration to Europe is for more than just economic reasons