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RESOURCES FOR REFUGEES

Resources for Refugees

AnnaMae Koon
Norfolk State University
April Manalang, Instructor
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RESOURCES FOR REFUGEES

Resources for Refugees

For the past year there has been trouble over in Europe, especially in the Mediterranean

area, because of refugees arriving from the Middle East and Northern Africa. The trip is filled

with danger: drowning, pirates, human traffickers, and many other dangers. The combined death

toll has reached more than 200,000 migrants due to these dangers [ CITATION Tim15 \l 1033 ].

In the first nine months of the year 2015, FRONTEX,1 had detected 680,000 migrants traveling

along the Mediterranean in hopes for a better future [ CITATION Sus16 \l 1033 ]. However, the

countries that are taking in these immigrants are having their resources depleted. They need help

from the countries who can provide support and has the resources to help.

To state the question, what are possible resources for countries experiencing a sudden,

unexpected influx of refugees? There have been thousands of immigrants pouring into Greece

with no help from surrounding countries. Under EU rules, an asylum seeker has the right to food,

first aid and shelter. However, Greeces economy is poor and still suffering from the recent

recession.

The research problem motivating this study is the lack of knowledge of possible

resources for countries experiencing a sudden, unexpected influx of refugees. The different

sections of the brief literature below clearly state why this research is important.

1 FRONTEX is the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation

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In Hammonds journal article, the number of irregular migrants that have arrived in

Europe in the year 2014, had followed the revolutionary struggles of Arab Spring [ CITATION

Tim15 \l 1033 ]. There were a total of 219,000 of sea arrivals to Europe during this year coming

primarily from the Syrian Arab Republic [ CITATION The15 \l 1033 ]. This increased by

103,500 people in the year 2015 with a whopping 49% from the same Republic aforementioned [

CITATION The15 \l 1033 ]. Every year these numbers seem to increase and most of the

Mediterranean countries have reached the end of their supplies to give asylum. Host Countries

within the EU may be able to give Refugee Status to those who are fleeing from their countries

due to persecution, however, due to the nature of the traveling and migration most refugees

cannot because their identities must be verified and their reasons for entry must be evaluated, [

CITATION Tim15 \l 1033 ].

Moreover, thousands travel through the Sahara Desert from place such as West Africa and

the Horn of Africa to reach Libya, which is a prime hub for irregular migration in part of its

location, [ CITATION Tim15 \l 1033 ]. Yet, ever since the overthrow of Muammar Gddafi in

2011, Libya is no longer a safe place so many people try to cross the Mediterranean trying to

countries like Italy, Greece and Malta when they are transitioning, [ CITATION Tim15 \l 1033 ].

If more research were done, then countries can figure out ways to help their people before

revolutions take place which cause the migrations.

According to Dr. Klepp, a Sociological Anthropologist of the University of Bremen in

Germany, the EU had established new restrictions and new visa regulations for non-EU

nationals in the Mediterranean region, [ CITATION Sil10 \l 1033 ]. The European Union has

cracked down on the migrants who have crossed borders due to the sudden influx and the amount

that they cannot regulate. The visa requirements that are needed to gain access to the EU are hard
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to come by. However, the EU has also tried being more cooperative with those seeking asylum

and tried to create refuge-friendly institutions, [ CITATION Kau11 \l 1033 ]. Places such as the

United Kingdom and Germany usually take on the brunt of refugees and help with supplies, but

due to the influx of people, they cannot give these migrants the health care that they need to

survive [ CITATION Bur01 \l 1033 ]. Yet, under EU rules, an asylum seeker has the right to

food, first aid, and shelter. If countries such as Greece and surrounding areas cannot provide this

aid, and other greater countries such as America and the UK will not or cannot help, what are

these people supposed to do?

Many of these migrants travel very far from their home countries to reach the coastal

ports such as Syria, Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia to cross the Mediterranean (Morrison, 2000).

Those who are not captured and trafficked, or put on un-seaworthy and untrained boats usually

crash in the Mediterranean or die of thirst and hunger (Waller, 2015). These people are just

fleeing the conflict and danger of their own countries and are willing to risk the sea with the

danger of pirates, over turned boats, and storms so they could have a minute chance of a better

life.

Germany has already stated in 2015 that they are willing to help as many as half a

million refugees for the next several years[ CITATION Tim15 \l 1033 ]. The main question that

has been asked about the migrant crisis is, Are other countries are doing enough in response to

this dilemma? [ CITATION Chr15 \l 1033 ].

I believe the one country who has been a leader in humanitarian aspects could help give

resources to the refugees a little more than what they have been doing. The United States has

been helping refugees resettle more than the rest of the world every year. However, they have not

helped with this crisis as much because of the terror and fear of terrorist entering the country
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since the up rise of ISIS that have been happening for the past few years [ CITATION Chr15 \l

1033 ]. Another reason why the United Sates should help Greece is that they took responsibility

for the aftermath of the Vietnam War and resettled a million refugees (Waller, 2015). If they can

do that then they can certainly take a fraction of that for Syrians and Iraqis; America fought in

that area and should at least help to fix it. Lastly, America can benefit from helping refugees.

German refugee scientists helped them win WWII, European scholars during the Cold War

taught at the most prestigious universities, and others have founded high tech companies (i.e

Andy Grove) (Waller, 2015).

An interdisciplinary approach to the migrant overflow is necessary because no single

discipline can provide the solution. The most relevant disciplines are international relations,

economics, and politics. Economically, this flow of migrants can either help Greece get back on

their feet after the six-year recession, or it can be detrimental to Greeces health. It could cause

the resources that the country has to be devoured and obliterated, or it can raise them off the

ground due to the many potential workers that can work the surrounding farm lands. It is relevant

with international relations because of how Greece is taking many immigrants from the Middle

East and African countries, they could have the potential to ask for their in the future due to

helping their people in their time of need. However, it could damage their international relations

with these countries because the offended countries could want revenge from having their

people taken away from them.

The results with helping Greece with the overflow of migrants is beneficial to the United

States because it could help their economy. Yes, there will be problems with living situations and

getting everybody accounted for, but immigrants bring different skills and aptitudes to work.
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They can increase competition in particular labor markets, and workplace diversity can boost

productivity.

In conclusion, some possible resources for countries experiencing a sudden, unexpected

influx of refugees could be an idea that could help solve the problem is to open up the empty

army barracks in the surrounding Mediterranean countries, such as Greece, and have the

migrants cultivate the land. Another option would be to have the migrants move to other

countries so that no one country has to face the problem by themselves. More research can be

found to prove the benefit of helping Greece and other countries who are taking the brunt of the

migrant problem. It will not be painless for those who are helping but will help in the long term [

CITATION Sus16 \l 1033 ].

For future research, you could study the role that Greece plays in Europes economy. That

is a big research topic especially with the recession that they just went through. Greece is a big

tourist attraction and this migrant problem could seriously damage it and ruin one main source of

income for Greece. Another research project that would be relevant would be how other

countries are faring with the migrant problems. What are pros and cons of them taking in people?

It would be interesting to see how their economy is doing.

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References

Burnett, A., & Peel, M. (2001). Asylum seekers and refugees in Britain: Health Needs of Asylum Seekers

and Refugees. Education and Debate, Volume 322.

Ferreira, S. (2016). Migratory Crisis in the Mediterranean: Managing Irregular Flows. STABILITY:

International Journal of Security and Development.

Hammond, T. G. (2015). The Mediterranean Migration Crisis. Foreign Policy Journal, 2-12.

Kant, I. (1983 [1795]). Perpetual Peace, and Other Essays on Politics, History, and Morals. (T. Humphrey,

Trans.) Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishers.

Kaunert, C., & Leonard, S. (2011). The European Union and refugees: towards more restrictive asylum

policies in the European Union? Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona: GRITIM Working Paper Series Number

8.

King, M. (1993). The impact of Western European border policies on the control of refugees in Eastern

and Central Europe. Journal of Ethni and Migration Studies Volume 19, Issue 2, 183-199.

Klepp, S. (2010). A Contested Asylum System: The European Union between Refugee Protection and

Border Control in the Mediterranean Sea. European Journal of Migration and Law, Volume 12,

Issue 1, 1-21.

Morrison, J. (2000). The trafficking and smuggling of Refugees: the end game in European asylum policy?

Geneva, Switzerland: UNHCR.

The UN Refugee Agency. (2015). Refugees and migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe. Geneva,

Switzerland: UNHCR.
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Waller, C. (2015). Approaches to Teaching about the Crisis in the Mediterranean: Refugees, Migration,

and Conflict. Association for Citizenship Teaching, 4-8.

Walt, S. (1998). International Relations: One World, Many Theories. Foreign Policy, 29-45.