In the international political order, masses seeking refuge in another land have always made history. Be it the aftermath of the Second World War that saw the largest movement of people across Europe or the exodus of more than a million people across the Radcliffe Line dividing India and Pakistan after their partition in 1947, refugees have been the hurt children of conflicts.
‘Refugees’ was chosen as the word of the year 2015 in Germany. The mass exodus of people into Europe peaked last year triggering a crisis that pitted nations against one another and invited praise and scorn for an order that was found well prepared at times or wanting at others. Over years, the Mediterranean has become a focal point of boat disasters in which migrants trying to cross over into Europe pay with their lives. Yesterday, a boat carrying migrants capsized off Libya killing about 30 people in the umpteenth boat tragedy.
A problem that affects politics, society and economy of the country of origin and the recipient nation, the refugee crisis is not a problem in itself but a symptom of a bigger malaise. The politics of the Middle East, volatile as ever, has seen tumultuous times since the Arab Spring of 2011. Syria, which has become a leitmotif of the revolutions that ripped across the region, has sent the largest number of refugees across its borders into Turkey, Jordan and Europe.
Greece, already reeling with a debilitating debt burden, was the entry point into Europe for thousands of migrants looking for a better way of life. Though stretched to breaking point, the government did its best to make refugees comfortable. Amid tales of mistreatment and beatings, Greece sent a spacious ship to carry hundreds of men, women and children to the capital from a remote island.
Swamped by thousands looking for a safe haven from artillery fire and barrel bombs, the continent — from the Balkans to the Baltics, was deeply divided over shouldering the burden of migrants. A cottage industry of middlemen striking illegal monetary deals for sending desperate people across waterways led to concerns of criminal groups sprouting.
The deal between Turkey and European Union came about with the aim of controlling the northward flow of migrants from Turkey. However, treating the symptom and not the disease has its disadvantages. Migrants are now taking another routé into Europe — from Libya to southern Italy. This is likely to complicate the crisis and call for another intervention by the international community.
In the international political order, masses seeking refuge in another land have always made history. Be it the aftermath of the Second World War that saw the largest movement of people across Europe or the exodus of more than a million people across the Radcliffe Line dividing India and Pakistan after their partition in 1947, refugees have been the hurt children of conflicts.
‘Refugees’ was chosen as the word of the year 2015 in Germany. The mass exodus of people into Europe peaked last year triggering a crisis that pitted nations against one another and invited praise and scorn for an order that was found well prepared at times or wanting at others. Over years, the Mediterranean has become a focal point of boat disasters in which migrants trying to cross over into Europe pay with their lives. Yesterday, a boat carrying migrants capsized off Libya killing about 30 people in the umpteenth boat tragedy.
A problem that affects politics, society and economy of the country of origin and the recipient nation, the refugee crisis is not a problem in itself but a symptom of a bigger malaise. The politics of the Middle East, volatile as ever, has seen tumultuous times since the Arab Spring of 2011. Syria, which has become a leitmotif of the revolutions that ripped across the region, has sent the largest number of refugees across its borders into Turkey, Jordan and Europe.
Greece, already reeling with a debilitating debt burden, was the entry point into Europe for thousands of migrants looking for a better way of life. Though stretched to breaking point, the government did its best to make refugees comfortable. Amid tales of mistreatment and beatings, Greece sent a spacious ship to carry hundreds of men, women and children to the capital from a remote island.
Swamped by thousands looking for a safe haven from artillery fire and barrel bombs, the continent — from the Balkans to the Baltics, was deeply divided over shouldering the burden of migrants. A cottage industry of middlemen striking illegal monetary deals for sending desperate people across waterways led to concerns of criminal groups sprouting.
The deal between Turkey and European Union came about with the aim of controlling the northward flow of migrants from Turkey. However, treating the symptom and not the disease has its disadvantages. Migrants are now taking another routé into Europe — from Libya to southern Italy. This is likely to complicate the crisis and call for another intervention by the international community.
