Every other day one reads about global warming, changing ocean currents causing El-Nino effects, melting of polar ice, rising sea levels, dry spells in few regions, floods and mud slides in a few other regions causing havoc worldwide.
We discuss about human migration, normally when many drown in boat capsizes in the Mediterranean, or many arriving dead in concealed container trucks smuggling them. Most in the world are ignorant of the compelling reasons for the thousands from many countries, who undertake life threatening sea voyages in ramshackle, catamaran like boats to safer destinations.
The United Nations is in the meanwhile in midst of a serious debate, whether to use the term ‘Migrants’ or ‘Refugees,’ while describing such thousands who are packed like sardines in boats and shipped from Africa to European destinations. While a migrant could denote any person relocating to seek better living and working condition, a refugee is one who is forced to flee his home, because of persecution, war or natural disaster.
While the globalization has changed the currents of employment in the primary industry even in the affluent countries throwing thousands redundant and living on state subsidies, a new set of refugees have emerged, due to stark change in climate, resulting in their loss of livelihood and resources.
Ethnic cleansing and wars have also taken a toll on humanity and large numbers trek hundreds of kilometers in pathetic conditions, in search of refuge and safety. Countries with different economic statuses, sharing the same borders like Italy and Albania, or Hungary and Austria have become vulnerable, with exodus from the poorer ones flooding the richer ones, causing serious consternation among the people. The bayonets cannot stop the sea of humanity thronging the entry points either.
The overcrowded Indian cities are another classic example, where people continue to throng from villages and from the adjoining poorer states for want of employment. It has resulted in insurmountable pressure on the infrastructure in many metropolises, which are on the verge of breakdown! Law and order also becomes a serious issue in most such instances.
While it is important to provide employment to the millions in the crowded Asia, and Latin Americas, the UN must act decisively in putting down perennial caste wars and ethnic unrest in Africa and offer better living opportunities to the starving and persecuted billions. The rich countries cannot continue to enrich themselves, at the cost of poor, if a global unrest is to be avoided.
More so, the ignorant poor, who are packed and carted, or dumped in deep waters or unknown shores, must end soon.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide voix