migration and security

INTS207

This week in INTS207, we focused on the security of migration and the complexities of the causes and impacts of the global migration crisis the world is facing today.

The three main elements of this lecture included:

1. The reason why so many people are forced to flee their homes
2. The dangers of migrating
3. The various responses to migrants

In times of turmoil, people from all over the world are either forced to leave their homes to avoid persecution and violence, or decide to settle somewhere new in hopes of leading a better and safer life.

The rapid population growth in todays society is creating a massive strain or land and necessary resources. Developing countries including Lebanon, Oman and Kuwait are experiencing extremely rapid population growth, creating an increasingly high demand on resources. When countries can not provide enough food, water and shelter to keep up with these trends, citizens look elsewhere for a place that adequately satisfies these needs and where they can therefore lead a healthy and secure life. Similarly, many countries are experiencing intra-state conflicts and civil war, creating an extremely dangerous living conditions and putting citizens directly at risk. The United Nations has stated that the Syrian civil war has displaces 6.5 million people and forced more than 3 million to flee to countries including Turkey and Jordan in order to avoid persecution.

Migrating can be extremely risky. It is possible to get lost, go missing or drown during the journey, with more than 3770 people reported to do so 2015. Migrants and refugees are not offered any protection and are faced with threats of physical and sexual abuse, kidnapping, starvation and unsafe boat and on-foot journeys in open sea and conflict zones.  The lecture provided information on some of the tragedies that occurred in 2015 alone:

• Two boats carrying about 500 migrants sank after leaving Zuwara in Libya on 27 August
• The bodies of 71 people, believed to be Syrian migrants, were discovered in an abandoned lorry in Austria on 27 August
• A shipwreck off Italy’s Lampedusa island killed about 800 people on 19 April
• At least 300 migrants are feared to have drowned after attempting to cross the Mediterranean in rough seas in early February

Each country has a unique response regarding the welcome and settlement of refugees and migrants. Most have strict border policies, including the US and Australia, where there have been attempts to prevent their arrival all together. Countries including Australia, Jordan and and Kenya have refugee camps, where those who arrive there are placed in indefinitely.

The refugee and migrant crisis is the greatest humanitarian issue in the world day. As Mansbach and Taylor stated in the textbook, between 1984 and 2004, the number of refugees almost doubled, and is only growing higher. The harmful stereotypes of refugees and migrants have prevented their ability to comfortably settle in a country, but realists have explained that we can turn the “differences that are perceived as a security issue into a potential to create more inclusive societies.”