Philosophical Reflection Forum

Introductory Talk
Respected fathers and my dear brothers I bid you all a genial afternoon.
Introduction:
we may think what is the relation between the refugee crisis and the subject we deal with.
Bringing this issue into this forum and discussing it is not anachronism rather it is up to date
It is not incongruous but it is suitable and appropriate for people who are in the helping
profession, especially we the students of philosophy must be aware of this burning issue, it
may happen to us one day. Within this provided time I would like to enlighten you on the
following sub topics what is meant by refugee and the definition of refugee and the vitality
of the discussion on global refugee crisis and some of the factors behind this issue.
let's try to understand the topic global refugee crisis the term global means considering or
including all parts this refugee crisis is not happening in one particular country instead as
been a big issue in most of the nations of the world not just for one decade or 2 but right
from the wake of the world what to be shot it is like global emergency declaration because
multitude of people being displaced. Until 1950 we didn’t have the proper definition for
refugee but in the year 1951 had summoned the Nations to discuss over the issue that is
called 1951 U N Geneva convention. Geneva convention gave proper and standard
definition for refugee I quote refugee is a person who is outside his or her country of
nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of being persecuted because of his
or her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion;
and is unable or unwilling to avail him— or herself of the protection of that country, or to
return there, for fear of persecution.”
Till Now some countries have not signed 1951 convention including. For instance Srilanka.
Why is it an emergency to discuss this?
It is like global emergency Like monkey pox and Covid-19 have been declared as global
emergency. People move from country to country as well as the they internally displaced.
Refugees face lot of difficulties when they look for asylum in other countries Even when
they leave from one country to other They face Regardless circumstances why crossing
temperatures waters in boot that is not in good condition They live without anything no
money I shouldn’t of life so just like that they leave their motherland crisis is the long-term
effect of colonialism example British in African. people are being displaced more than ever
before for instance the war between Russia Ukraine. Actually speaking more than 11 million
people have left Ukraine.
Refugees face lot of of precarious circumstances and problems While they live from their
motherland They have to cross temperatures waters forest and they travel by ill- equipped
boots when they enter into other countries. They also need to deal with smugglers
traffickers drug cartels and put all their faith and their money in extortionist who promised
them passage at free of cost.
It is also important for discussion because there is also possibility that people may be surely
used as scapegoats by the politicians and media. There are also many reason for this
displacement that explicitly projects the life condition of Global refugees. Worldwide
approximately 89.3 million people have been forcibly displaced. The United nation High
Commission for refugees have categorized them into 3. These statistical data are
Collected and provided it to the public by UNHCR, HNRWA and IDMC 27.1 million people are
refugees, 53.2 million people are internally displaced, and other 4.6 million people are
asylum seekers. They may hold different terms but all of them look for a better life with
peace and liberty. Their another hope is that they have their fellow Brothers and sisters to
give them protection. Fr.Jerry the American Jesuit. He used say that refugees have ,on the
one hand an act of fear and desperation and on the other hand, an act of faith and hope in
goodness of their fellow human beings who are waiting to receive them and help them
begin life anew.
People become displaced due to various problems like war, social revolution, dismembered
nations, overturned regimes , rivalries and regional persecution they leave the country. It is
so pathetic to heare.
I would like to highlight some of the common factors behind this global refugee crisis they
are as follow persecution, war, climate change, violation of human rights, financial
hardships, hunger and sexual and gender orientation. So people are persecuted because
there are Social, political, racial and religious reasons for example the Rohingya refugees
form Myanmar. For the second factor Ukraine is the best example to understand. For the
third reason we the human beings are responsible, because climate change and natural
disasters are result of man made activity. Regarding this environmental problem I
categorically believe we have contaminated the earth. At juncture I appeal to you to
safeguard our nature because according to Benedict Spinoza “ Intellectual love of God” is
equivalent to love of nature
1. 4.6 million people are asylum seekers.
Don’t fall into the legal definition of refugee
“ asylum-seeker is someone whose request for sanctuary has yet to be processed.
Every year, around one million people seek asylum.”
https://www.unhcr.org/asylum-seekers.html
Seeking protection from persecution and serious human rights violations in another
country, but who hasn’t yet been legally recognized as a refugee and is waiting to
receive a decision on their asylum claim
https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/refugees-asylum-seekers-and-migrants/

Two third of all refugees originate from just five countries which means a third 69 percent of
the refugees are from the same country they are

 Syria 6.8 million

 Venezuela 4.6 million
 Afghanistan 2.7 million
  South Sudan has 2.4 million
 Myanmar 1.2 million.
Ques: What about Srilankan Refugees?
UNHCR claims that Srilanka has not accepted the 1950 convention relating to the
status of refugees and its 1967 protocol ( procedures to be followed in the case of
Refugee)

38% are hosted in five countries

Turkey-3.8 million ( the larger no of refugees)
Colombia 1.8 million
Uganda 1.5 million
Pakistan 1.5 million
Germany 1.3 million

36.5 million are children

Of 88.3 m displaced and they are below 18 years of age.

1.5 million children were born as refugees

Between 2018-2021
Education is questionable

Some Returned and resettled ( with or without the UNHCR’s assistance )

429300/ 57300

4.3 million people are stateless.

They reside in 96 countries among them 72% of people are hosted by their neighboring
countries. 83% of the refugees are hosted in low and middle income nations
27% of the refugees are hosted by least developing nations.

What UNHCR did?

- Negotiated with Govts.to obtain exit visa and official documents in order to have
reasonable journey with safety and decency as well as a civilized form of deportation
 in order to avoid precarious journey through sea. ( refugees are also known as
“Boat people”
Social Survey 1983
- Made universal declaration on human rights
- “ any one has right to leave a country, including one’s own”.

Countries that welcome refugees:

186
Turkey — 3,696,831
Jordan — 3,027,729
Uganda — 1,475,311
Pakistan — 1,438,523
Lebanon — 1,338,197
Germany — 1,235,160
Sudan — 1,068,339
Bangladesh — 889,775
Iran — 800,025
Ethiopia — 782,896
The hardest countries
1) Saudi Arabia
2) Kuwait
3) Bhutan
4) China
5) Japan
6) Switzerland
7) Denmark
8) Liechtenstein
9) Vatican City
10) North Korea

- Saudi Arabia 
Has strict immigration laws to protect its culture values and social structure.
- Kuwait
has one of the strictest immigration policies
- Bhutan 

- China
- Japan
- Switzerland 
 You must be either highly qualified or have enough money.
- Denmark 
Looks for the qualified
- Liechtenstein 
It’s a small country, and it can easily be overpopulated. For that reason, getting a
residence permit to Liechtenstein is one of the most difficult immigration processes
in Europe.
- Vatican City
you cannot get a residence permit unless you are one of the following: 

- A Cardinal.
- A diplomat of the Holy See.
- A service worker to the church.
There are only 800 residents in that City.

- North Korea
https://visaguide.world/tips/hardest-countries-to-immigrate-to/
Difficulties Faced by Refugees:
When they leave a country the have to undergo dangerous situation because they need to
cross tempestuous water to enter the country like Europe.
And they also have to deal with smugglers and traffickers.
Sometimes the put their faith and money in extortionist who promise the passing for free.
Due to the effect of war, Social revolution, dismembered nations, overturned regimes,
There are some general Big causes for displacement
PERSECUTION:
e.g Myanmar( sine 2017 900000 people have left this country)
WAR:
e.g The Syrian refugee crisis (The first major international refugee crisis happened in the
20th century when more than 50 million people were displaced because of the Second
World War.)
CLIMATE CHANGE:
16.1 million people have been displaced due to climate change.
VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS:
FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS:
Poverty is one of the main causes for the displacement
“Financial instability, lack of access to food and healthcare and uncontrolled inflation are
often the major reasons for a financially driven refugee crisis”. E.g Venezuelan crisis 4
million people have left the country.
HUNGER: It has been the biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945.
e.g East Africa has 4 million refugees in addition 11 million people have been internally
displaced.
SEXUAL AND GENDER ORIENTATION: 77 countries of the world criminalize the same sex
relations and punish them with death penalty.
Conclusion:
Global Refugee Crisis it's tragedy new forms of povety isolation and discrimination
refugees are suffering like anything they are also impoverished not only of food But also
their dear and near ones, peace of Mind and freedom as they remained in the detention
center. They also undergo social exclusion, they are excluded or alienated from their own
country and relatives. when they move to other country they also have the fear of the
new language and Complex of getting refugee status. It is also a kind of discrimination,
discrimination in the sense the world has forgotten to treat them as human being.
In order to eradicate the global refugee crisis: our contemporary Pope Francis on the 105 th
world day of migrants and refugees on September 29 th denounced refugee crisis saying
that's the globalization of indifference and a painful truth even in his exhaustion letter yes
mentioned we are living in the culture of Where cat and love for each other don’t prevail
therefore you also suggested when a culture is open to every other culture there will be
no probs. This global refugee crisis cannot be addressed nation by nation because it’s
international phenomenon so Vera Christian cannot be insensitive to the mystery of so
many innocent people let's think compassionately and at the same time practically about
it like the Good Samaritan thank you.