Migration

__The Big Picture__

Human populations have always migrated. It is thought that modern humans originated in Africa and migrated over thousands of years to other parts of the world, adapting in different ways to new conditions throughout the globe. Initially this was not a problem as humans were migrating to previously unpopulated areas, and using their skills to adapt to new environments. As civilisations and Empires grew these newly-populated areas expanded, with people exchanging information, ideas and goods, often through colonising or conquering inhabited areas.

Most countries in the world today have experienced immigration to some extent and are made up from groups of people different to the original inhabitants. Think about the Americas and Australia, where the original inhabitants or indigenous peoples were displaced by various waves of European migrants. Until 500 years ago people could move around without identification papers. However, as countries began to evolve into states with national identities (nation states) from tribal and informal groups, ruling governments began to control the movement of people across their borders.

There are four main reasons why people migrate from their home countries.

1. War and conflict (refugees/migrants). 2. Economic situation (migrants). 3. Natural or environmental disasters (migrants). 4. Political, religious or ethnic persecution (refugees).

Not all migrations are voluntary. During the age of slavery millions of black Africans were transported around the world against their will.

When new groups arrive into an established society by whatever means there is an exchange of cultures and ideas about lifestyle. Migrants may fully integrate into society, or adapt to aspects of it whilst retaining elements of their own heritage. As migrants are perceived as “different” from the original population they may be discriminated against or used as scapegoats to explain social problems.

Countries or nation states have introduced laws to control the movement of people into their territories. These have been brought in over the past 100 years or so as governments claim that growing numbers of migrants are the cause of “social” problems. However, an examination of immigration laws and policy shows that specific nationalities are “controlled”, whereas other nationalities are freely admitted. Immigration laws have therefore been described as racist. Migrants and refugees often receive a bad press and there is a perception that they are a drain on the resources of the receiving country. However, research has shown that migrant workers contribute more to the economy in taxes than they receive in benefits. At the same time as immigration laws are being tightened, nation states are becoming more and more multicultural as people of diverse ethnic groups from historical and current migrations mix together within countries.


 * Refugees** are a specific category of migrant. They are people who have had to leave their home country because of the fear of persecution in that country. They are in fear of persecution if they return to their country of nationality because of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.

Refugees are entitled to seek political asylum in other countries under the UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) Article 14, which states:

//“…everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.”//

Due to an increase in ethnic conflicts and civil wars within states, as opposed to between states, there have been recent mass movements of groups of people, especially in Africa and Eastern Europe.

People who flee environmental disasters are not, through definition, refugees. They are people in dire need of humanitarian aid and seeking //refuge//, and are therefore migrants, often wrongly termed refugees.

Immigration laws have been revised in some countries, particularly since the terrorist attacks in the USA of September 11th 2001. Governments claim groups of refugees may contain terrorists wanting to enter the country as a potential threat and that some refugees are really economic migrants wanting to benefit from the resources of the nation state. Changes include the USA Patriot Act (2001), which enables the indefinite detention of any non-citizen considered a terrorist suspect, whilst Australia detains all non-citizens who unlawfully enter the country. The human rights of some refugees are being contravened by the current immigration policies of some countries.

This is a controversial subject as people and governments may have strong views on these issues, which they do not like to see challenged. Some awareness of the enforcement of immigration and human rights policies of the host country is needed. When studying sensitive political issues it may be prudent to consider countries outside of the host country as specific case studies for your children to study, depending on the type of government in place in your host country. However, the issue of basic human rights and our responsibility to uphold these also needs emphasising.