On displacement and immigration: The wave of asylum in Europe

The Syrian refugees have not miraculously appeared from nowhere, they have actually been displaced. They were either displaced from their homes by the actions of a man who adopted the policy of collective punishment, bombing and killing, or were forced to emigrate from inhabited areas that turned into battlefields after the Syrian revolution escalated and developed into a civil dispute. This was a result of a policy of systematic violence adopted by the regime which had no limit or red lines that should have been imposed by the so-called international community.

This is a rare occurrence since the end of the Second World War. The entry of armed groups who were not committed to the goals of the Syrian revolution greatly increased the number of Syrians who emigrated because of the regime’s bombing of areas that were liberated/occupied by these groups or because of the actions of some of these groups. After monitoring the regime’s approach and the “scorched earth” policy it adopted, it seems that it is also practicing a policy of systematic displacement in order to get rid of the largest number of Syrians. This is especially true after the regime recently adopted a new definition of who counts as a “Syrian”: any individual who supports the regime, even if they are from Pakistan. In other words, anyone who opposes the regime, by this definition, is not a Syrian.

The tragedy of the millions of Syrian refugees and those who were displaced has gone on for four years inside Syria itself, as well as in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. These are the countries and communities that have shouldered the greatest burden until now. People usually flee from war, bombings, murder and arrest to adjacent areas or neighbouring countries to wait for the situation to stabilise and then return to their country.

What distinguishes the latest wave of refugees flowing into Europe is the fact that thousands of Syrian refugees have grown tired of waiting it out as refugees in border countries (although their conditions differ from one place to another), and instead have looked for a permanent solution for their families, especially their children. Another factor that distinguishes this flow of immigration is that it is the most dangerous. I am not referring here to those escaping from the bombs and death. I am referring to those who initially fled from the bombing and who are now migrating to other countries where they can have long-term stability. It is not surprising that some Syrians even left the Gulf countries they had travelled to as refugees/immigrants when they were presented with the chance to travel to other countries that welcomed immigrants looking for stability.

Another distinction of this wave of refuges is that fat that the majority of them are not poor, but are middle-class people, often with family living abroad in the West, who lost everything and barely had enough to pay off smugglers. We can say that due to such emigration, Syria has lost a large chunk of its middle class and professionals. Those who are living in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and even in the Gulf will return to Syria sooner or later, but those who immigrated to Germany are a different case. Maybe one day those the older immigrants will return, but in the case of the children who will enter German schools this year, the purpose of seeking asylum is to find them another future far from the region.

This is the main issue facing Syrian refugees today; not the discrimination of the Hungarian leadership or any other Eastern European country, or the compassion of Germany and Austria. However, the Arab media has the special skill of distracting from the core of the issue while highlighting human drama.  The real issue is rather the fact that the crime is occurring in Syria, not in Europe and the problem must be solved in Syria. The criticism of those who lack solidarity should not distract from the fact that the ultimate crime is being committed in Syria. Relatedly, the transfer policy exercised by the regime, as well as ISIS, in which people who do not subscribe to certain ideologies are forced from their homes, must stop. The fact remains that there are a large number of Syrians who have simply given up on any possible solution to the crisis and have left in search of a future for their children far from the scene of the crime.

In addition to supporting the Syrian people’s perseverance and looking for a solution to the Syrian crisis, it is necessary to create suitable conditions for displaced Syrians in Arab countries including living a dignified life, job opportunities and education. These Syrians will ultimately return to Syria, but humans cannot live in the conditions of the refugee camps for years on end.

Finally, along with condemning Hungary and the position of other European countries, Arab states, along with Syrian opposition forces and Syrian and Arab civil society organisations, must make an effort to convince Syrians not to emigrate. This cannot be done by preaching alone, but by creating suitable living conditions for the Syrians who have suffered disasters, and ensuring the continued safety of those Syrians left in Syria by finding a solution to the ongoing crisis.

Translated from Al-Araby Al-Jadeed 8 September 2015.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.