10/12/2022
We are currently facing a urgent and global migrant crisis. This is a very serious issue that we are also facing as a nation.
It’s very sad to see thousands and millions of people seeking refuge in new lands every day with a lot uncertainty and fear in their eyes just looking for somewhere safe and secured . People are leaving their homes and lands just in the pursuit to find new place they can call « Home «
In the recent days , there have been a lot of debates and protests in Dublin and across the country on where new migrants comers should be housed. I can understand the concerns those residents may have due to the lack of information provided to them. This quite understandable
However, I also believe that as a nation we need to remember that we were once migrants in other countries and those communities had to accept us and learn to leave with us.
As a result, those communities have been diverse and multi cultural.
Each human being has the right to seek refuge in any country regardless of their background , race , colour , tribe , religious beliefs, sexual orientation, other reasons etc . No one should be judged based on their migrations status . However , this is not always the case for some migrants that face racism and discrimination as they try to integrate in the new system.
I know there is lot of works that government and the local communities need to do together to make everyone welcome on this island .
I personally believe that the government itself has had a discriminatory approach on migration crisis since the war in Ukraine . I have nothing against Ukrainians, but it can certainly say that other non -Ukrainian migrants were not considered as important as Ukrainians as all the focus and attention goes to Ukrainian migrants .
This is caused a lot frictions, conflicts and problems among migrants themselves. This should have not happened if the government had given each migrant the same equal rights on arrival regardless of the circumstances. I’m quite unsure what to call it but it’s pure racism regardless of the various reasons given by the European leaders.
The human rights of migrants have been violated and are still being violated under our watch and there is not much being done about it .
I think we can certainly do better by treating and welcoming everyone equally in our societies.
This will create a spirit of acceptance, welcoming in the communities and making the migrants feel safe and secured in the new communities .
By Rama of the Irish I-Save steering committee.