Refugees in Europe

RefugeesOur world as it is

David AlexanderUniversity College London

Refugees as a "threat"The role of misleading information

The current European refugee crisishas interesting parallels with the ways

in which disaster is misunderstood- often deliberately...

"We are being swamped by migrants."

Most of the migrants are refugees,hence the term 'migrants' is misleading:the 'migration' is involuntary or coerced.

"OK, we are being swamped by refugees."

Only 14% of refugees attempt to cometo Europe. Vastly larger numbers arepresent in Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq.

"This wave of immigrants is unprecedented."

Or so say the Jutes, Saxons, Vikings,Normans, Mediterranean Celts,Huguenots, Picts and Romans

(and the vast numbers of Britonswho settled abroad).

"The Calais entrance to the UKis 'under siege'".

Fewer than 1% of migrants to Europearrive at Calais. France offers betterbenefits to refugees than does Britain,

so they would be advisedto stay where they are.

"Send them all back."

It is cheaper to integrate refugeesthan repatriate them.

"They are welfare tourists."

Refugees use health services lessthan indigenous populations do.

"The UK is the preferred destination."

The UK is not a particularly attractivedestination for refugees and it offersfewer and smaller benefits than do

some other European countries.Per capita, Greece has proved to be

a more attractive destination.

"The UK is doing its bit."

Although the UK provides funding toaccommodate refugees in Lebanon andother countries, until late 2015 it hadtaken in only 139 Syrians out of 4 mn.

It will now take 20,000, but over 4 years.

"We are not really involved."

European countries have a legal obligationto resettle refugees without discriminating

against them. It comes from theUN Convention and Protocol, not the EU.

"They are a burden on our economy."

The aging population of Europe needsto be rejuvenated by in-migration, ortax revenues will decline and economies

will suffer the 'Japan syndrome'.

"There will be rivers of blood."(Enoch Powell)

Integration of refugees in Leicesterwas highly successful andrejuvenated the economy.

"They are taking over our country."

Many refugees would rather go homeif it were safe to do so.

"We will build fences andwalls to keep them out."

Futile: even the Great Wall of Chinawas a failure.

"We are being dictated toby the European Union."

Member states decide EU policy- alone or by common compromise. Many have refused to do their duty by Europe.

"We are on top of the situation."

There is a dreadful, hand-to-mouthlack of foresight, cooperation

and pre-planning.

Current responses to refugees:The Czech Republic writes numbers on

people's arms: Hungary uses forced labourto build a fence around the country.

1840-1979Afterword: Iraq was partitioned in 1920on the basis of European interests, notlocal ones; Iran was constantly coerced

by Britain, the USA and other countries;Arab nationalists and their families werebombed; Afghanistan was conquered...Ancient instabilities were propagatedto other parts of the Middle East.